14
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL BACTERIOLOGICAL LABORATORY,
execution of the work departmentally during the following year, 1924-
25. Fortunately, the arrangements proved ultimately unnecessary, and
matters were allowed to remain as they were before. The laboratory is
much indebted to Mr. R. Gadsby, Executive Engineer, Naini Tal Pro-
vincial Division, for the interest he has taken during the last three years
in its welfare.
(j) Medical and Sanitary arrangements. During the years under
report the medical officers of the station were (1) Mr. Har Govind Dayal
Mathur from 21st May, 1922, to 9th November, 1922 (this officer left
to hold a Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship, tenable in the United
States of America), and (2) Mr. Chatrapuri Goswami from 15th Novem-
ber, 1922, to 13th March, 1924. On 24th March, 1924, an officer of the
Indian Medical Department was appointed to the charge of the dispensary,
Dr. O. H. Gade, late Assistant Superintendent, King George's Hospital,
Lucknow. The sanction of the Government of India for the appoint-
ment of a Sanitary Inspector on a rate of salary of Rs. 50-2½-75 was
received on 26th February, 1923, but hitherto our efforts to attract a
suitable man on this scale of pay have been unsuccessful. The period
was remarkably free from serious disease ; one case of small pox was im-
ported into the station on 27th February, 1923, but no spread of the
disease occurred. There is room for much improvement in the arrange-
ments for the disposal of refuse in the station, which presents consider-
able difficulties in this area.
(k) Library. Steps were taken to complete all sets of volumes of
current literature, and owing to generally increased prices of all literature
the budget allotment for the library has now increased to Rs. 4,000 from
Rs. 2,500 in the last pre-war year 1913-14, for subscriptions to nearly the
same periodicals and the purchase of necessary books. An endeavour
was made to record all relevant technical articles systematically on a
card-index system. Having regard to the large expansion in the research
activities of the laboratory and the steps that have now been taken for
the advanced training of veterinary officials visiting the laboratory from
all over India, there has arisen an urgent need for a trained librarian to
supervise this essential part of the institution. The policy of placing the
library in the charge of a low paid clerk, of exceptionally low ability,
has led to inconvenience and losses far out of proportion to the enhanced
remuneration that would have to be paid to an educated, specially trained
individual, and it is hoped that Government will accord sanction
soon to a proposal to place the library in the charge of a qualified
man.
(l) Branch laboratory. The function of the plains sub-station are
commented upon elsewhere in this report. Briefly, it is to relieve the
parent laboratory at Muktesar of as large a portion as possible of the
routine work of serum manufacture, for on account of the relatively much
greater cost of production, at Muktesar, situated as it is 27 miles from its
railhead on the plains, due to expense incurred in the transport of the
necessary foodstuffs for animals and men from the " plains" and the