20
No. 2642, REVENUE, 30TH AUGUST 1911.
3. The Madras Veterinary College.—There were 62 students in the college during
the year, and it is noted that of these 19 came from Native States and Singapore. The
proportion strikes the Board as excessive inasmuch as the college mainly exists to
meet the demands of the Madras Veterinary Department. Applicants belonging to
this presidency should, if qualified, have precedence over applicants belonging to other
places. Ten students graduated from the college during the year, the percentage of
successful candidates at the final examination being 55.6 against 57 during 1909-
1910. In the first and second year classes the percentage of passes was not below
that for the previous year. The results were satisfactory, the examiners expressing
themselves as much gratified with the results. It has been brought to the notice of
the Board that difficulty has again been felt in securing passed candidates (matri-
culates) for the college and the question of attracting suitable men is engaging its
attention. It is observed that the Principal spent over Rs. 1,200 on advertising
for passed candidates with the result, as it now appears, that he finally secured only
eleven passed men, each of whom therefore cost more than Rs. 100 to obtain. The
charge has been admitted in G.O., No. 943, Revenue, dated 26th March 1910, but
such extravagant outlay cannot be permitted in future. The notice published
was unnecessarily long and it was inserted with unnecessary frequency.
4. Veterinary hospitals.—No reports were received regarding the working of
the hospitals at Trichúr and Pudukkóttai and they have therefore been omitted by
the Superintendent from his report. The Board observes from paragraph 3 of part I
of the report that a private dispensary is maintained at Bobbili by the Maharaja of
Bobbili. This institution was presumably opened during the year. Excluding these
three institutions there were twenty hospitals at work during the year, no new public
institutions having been opened during 1910-1911. The hospitals at Ongole and
Ellore passed from the management of Government to that of the District Boards of
Guntúr and Kistna, respectively. There was no change in the management of the
remaining institutions. Taking in-patients and out-patients together, there was a
noticeable increase in the attendance at the hospitals at Trichinopoly and Tinnevelly.
On the other hand the figure for the Coimbatore hospital shows an extraordinary
drop from 10,033 to 1,317, which the Superintendent is requested to explain ; it is
presumably due to some change in the mode of registration. The total figure for the
presidency shows a fall from 26,877 to 20,996, the difference being more than
accounted for by the decrease in Coimbatore.
5. Diseases.—The reported mortality among cattle was very much less than in
1909-1910, the decline under rinderpest alone amounting to 32,465 cases. With a
view to check the returns of diseases and especially of anthrax, which continue
remarkably high, the Superintendent has called on touring Veterinary Assistants to
send slides to the head office for microscopical examination.
6. Subordinate establishment.—There were three Veterinary Inspectors and 55
Veterinary Assistants employed during the year. Fourteen Veterinary Assistants were
newly appointed during the year, the number including eight of the ten students who
graduated from the Madras Veterinary College at the end of 1910. One Veterinary
Assistant resigned the service and two Veterinary Assistants were serving in Coorg
and the Federated Malay States. Only 21,080 head of cattle were inoculated against
rinderpest during the year under report as compared with 46,952 in 1909-1910.
The decrease is doubtless connected with the decline in the disease but must be
regarded as unsatisfactory, for there is reason to suppose that inoculation has been
considerably neglected in some districts. The Board is in communication with the
Superintendent on this subject. Only seventeen castrations were performed by touring
Veterinary Assistants though salutries performed 337. The Superintendent has
already been addressed by the Board on the subject of castration by Veterinary
Assistants.
7. Pony-breeding operations.—One of the twelve Government stallions died and two
were destroyed during the year. The remaining nine stallions were stationed in the
districts of Coimbatore (three), Salem (two), Trichinopoly (two), Madura (one) and
Guntúr (one). The total number of coverings fell from 277 in 1909-1910 to 172 in
the year under report, the average number of coverings per stallion being 18.1 against
23 in 1909-1910. The figures are disappointing and the Superintendent promises
to report further when he is better acquainted with local conditions.