3
12. The following institutions show a decrease in the number of in and out
patients treated when compared with the figures of the previous year:—Russellkonda,
Parvatipuram, Cocanada, Guntūr, Masulipatam, Narasaraopet, Bezwada, Ellore,
Nandyal, Madanapalle, Cuddapah, Hindupur, Hospet, Adōni, Negapatam, Devakottai,
Palghat, Coonoor, Salem, Erode and Vijilapuram. The fall is attributed to various
causes such as scarcity of fodder, heavy rains, introduction of fees, change of hands,
etc. However the amount of work done at the majority of institutions shows an
increase and Trichinopoly hospital heads the list, the number of new eases treated
there being 3,159.
13. The number of cases treated at all the institutions except the Madras
Veterinary College hospital was 85,089 including 2,688 castrations as against 80,877
including 2,643 castrations in the previous year. The number of cases supplied
with medicine but not brought to the institution dropped from 7,559 in the previous
year to 4,209. The practice of supplying medicines without seeing the patients is
not a commendable one and is discouraged and so a gradual decline in the number of
such cases is to be expected.
14. The names of 19 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons have been noted for good
work done at their institutions.
15. The dispensary at Virudunagar was moved from the rented building in
which it was located to the old Sub-Magistrate's Court. The dispensary at Hospet
which was in a municipal building was moved to the Forest office buildings.
16. It is pleasing to note that in order to convert the Veterinary dispensary at
Tiruppur into a hospital the Municipal Council, Tiruppur, has consented to give 2
acres of land and M.R.Ry. Rao Sahib Vittaldoss Anandjee Sait Avargal has promised a
donation of Rs. 1,000 from his community and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, Coimbatore, another Rs. 1,000 towards the construction of buildings.
At Nuzvid dispensary a waiting shed has been erected by the Zamindars of
Ventrapragada and Telaprole.
17. There is no doubt that most of the dispensaries will be better appreciated if
accommodation is provided in them for in-patients, but conversion of dispensaries
into hospitals has not been possible for some years owing to financial stringency. It
is hoped, however, that Government may be able to provide funds yearly for the
construction of permanent hospital buildings for at least two dispensaries.
18. All the district boards except Ganjām, Vizagapatam, Gōdāvari, Salem and
the Nilgiris have exempted persons bringing unladen sick animals for treatment at
veterinary institutions from payment of tolls. The reply of the President, District
Board, Cuddapah, on the subject is awaited. The District Board, the Nilgiris, has
promised to consider the question at the end of the current lease. The majority of
municipal councils have adopted this suggestion of Government, but with some
municipalities the subject is still under correspondence.
(b) Itinerating.
19. Three new touring billets were created during the year with headquarters at
Ariyalur, Periyakulam and Rajampet and the total number of Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons on itinerating duty at the end of the year was 72. The headquarters
of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Coimbatore, was moved to Tiruppur, as
this place is more central. Consequent on the abolition of the Agency division the
post of Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Ghauts Agency, was abolished and the
headquarters of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Savara Agency, which was
absorbed in the Parvatipuram division, was moved to Parvatipuram and his jurisdic
tion consists partly of Plains and partly of Agency.
In February 1922 the number of days necessary for a Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon to tour during a month was reduced from 20 to 15 as a measure of
retrenchment, but in December 1923 a return was made to the full number of 20
touring days.