4
(ii) Other diseases.—The total number of cases treated on tour by the subordi
nate staff was 17,546 against 21,483 last year. These figures are rather misleading
for they include cases of both contagious and non-contagious disease, and it is obvious
that the province is faring best when the number of contagious cases requiring
treatment is smallest.
During the year under report 8,156 contagious cases were treated against
11,611 the previous year, but non-contagious cases rose from 5,611 to 6,458 in 1915
-1916. The number of castrations performed by the touring staff was 4,349 against
4,342 in the previous year, while the number performed at hospitals rose from 656
to 1,505, making a total of 5,854 as compared with 4,998 in 1914-15.
As will be seen from table IV the amount of work done in each district varies
considerably, and it can be taken as a general rule that those districts in which a
small amount has been done have been unfortunate enough to have had unsatis
factory assistants posted to them. It is to be expected also that those assistants who
are not inspected by the Superintendent for a considerable period will get slack.
The districts showing the least work are Kistna, Kurnool and Bellary.
The Superintendent did not visit Kurnool and Bellary during the year under
reference, and the touring veterinary assistant who was in charge of Kistna district
during most of the year was particularly troublesome. Those touring assistants
whose good work came to the notice of the Superintendent were H. N. Chelva
Ayyangar, M. S. Sastri, P. Srinivasa Rao, V. Janakiraman and C. V. Padmanabhan
in Gaujām, Gōdāvari, Nellore, North Arcot and the Nilgiris respectively.
(iii) Hospitals and dispensaries.—During the year under report new hospitals
were opened at Erode, Amalapur, Nellore, Hindupur and Salem in buildings con
structed for them.
A dispensary was opened at Nandyal and minor dispensaries at Negapatam and
Bhadrachalam.
It is proposed to open dispensaries at Madanapalle and Ootacamund but build
ings have not yet been found for them.
When these have been opened each district in the Presidency except Cuddapah
will have been supplied with at least one veterinary institution. Gōdāvari district
already has as many as five.
With the exception of the hospitals at Trichinopoly, Coimbatore, Pithāpuram,
Bellary and Tiruvannāmalai all the institutions show an increase of work over the
previous year. Those which have done best are Tinnevelly, Saidapet, Rajahmundry
and Berhampur and this is undoubtedly due to a great extent to the zeal of the
assistants in charge.
They were respectively T. P. Swaminatha Ayyar, S. V. Ramana Rao, C. Brown
and C. Suryanarayanamurthi.
The institutions at Calicut and Guntūr have made a very good start.
In order to make clear the amount of work the best of these mufassal institutions
are doing it may be pointed out that, according to Table V, Tinnevelly, although
only a dispensary into which no in-patients can be admitted, did nearly as much
work in the year as the hospital in Madras.
It is to be hoped therefore that funds will be forthcoming at an early date for
building a permanent hospital at Tinnevelly, as this should be even more appreciated.
The revised type-designs and estimates for veterinary hospital buildings which
were sent to the Board of Revenue for obtaining the approval of Government in July
1915, have not yet been received back.
Cattle Quarantine depot, Tuticorin.—During the year 9,644 cattle and 74,570
sheep and goats were passed for shipment to Colombo against 13,423 and 82,601
respectively the previous year. The decrease is due to irregular steamer service
and to limited accommodation for live-stock in the steamers running.
The Ceylon Government have recently abandoned the idea of diverting the
cattle trade between India and Ceylon to the Talaimannar route so that arrangements
will now be made for the permanent location of the depot in or near Tuticorin.