7
(b) Parasitology and protozoology.
(c) Preventive medicine and clinical diagnostics.
54. A notification was issued during the year by the Government of India
prohibiting the taking by sea of Ongole cattle from any port in the Madras
Presidency to any place beyond the limits of British India.
55. The proposal to open a serum-making laboratory in the south of India has
been postponed for the present owing to lack of funds.
56. In their order on last year's annual report Government called for a report
on the question of contagious diseases in the northern districts like Ganjam and
Kistna, which are badly affected every your. It was submitted that to combat these
more effectively the following are required : —
(a) Prompt reporting by village officers.
(b) Strengthening of the itinerating staff of this department.
(c) Provision of a peon to each of the latter.
It was also stated that maps, with accompanying notes, have been prepared for
the staff to show the routes taken by migrating cattle through this Presidency, and
the question of placing cattle pounds or quarantine stations at certain points on these
routes was discussed.
57. The staff found it necessary to complain against village officers for not
reporting outbreaks of contagious disease in only 93 cases during the year. This is
a considerable improvement on the previous year's figures, but it may have been due
in part to the small amount of rinderpest prevailing in the Presidency and the
restricted touring of the subordinates of this department. In explanation of the
latter statement it may be remarked that it is commonly found that when the Veteri-
nary Assistant in charge of a dispensary is responsible for the contagious diseases of
the taluk also, but does no touring unless called out, very few outbreaks are reported
from his charge. The Veterinary Assistant in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Pollachi, is in charge also of contagious disease occurring in Pollachi and Udamalpet
taluks. He received only one outbreak report daring the year.
58. The Retrenchment Committee appointed by Government to enquire into the
expenditure and administration of this department sat in February 1923.
The following were its chief recommendations : —
(a) The appointment of a single Director of the Department, who would be
responsible for the veterinary administration of the Presidency in both its executive
and educational sides.
(b) The abolition of the distinction between Superintendents' and Deputy
Superintendents' charges, the Presidency being divided up into a number of circles,
each in charge of a Deputy Director, who might be either an Imperial or Provincial
officer.
(c) The abolition of the grade of Inspector and the substitution of a selection
grade of Veterinary Assistants, the men holding charge of ranges being placed in
executive charges.
The orders of Government on these recommendations had not been received
when the year closed.
59. The Chief Superintendent wishes to record his deep appreciation of the loyal
and efficient manner in which all the Imperial and Provincial officers who served
under him during the year, whether in the Executive branch or at the College, carried
out their duties.
F. WARE,
Chief Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Madras.