From P. C. FOGARTY, Esq., I.C.S., Assistant Secretary to the Financial Commissioner, Burma, to the
Revenue Secretary to the Government of Burma,—No. 818—1V.-17, of the 29th June 1916.
I am directed to submit in proof three copies of the report on the Civil
Verterinary Department, Burma, for the year ended the 31st of March 1916,
together with a copy of letter No. 154C.—1V.-1, dated the 8th of June 1916,
from the Director of Agriculture, Burma.
2. The province has been peculiarly free from any serious outbreak of
cattle disease during the year of report and the Financial Commissioner agrees
with the Director of Agriculture that the staff of the Veterinary Department are
to be congratulated on the success of the measures which they have taken in
co-ordination with District Officiers for the prevention of the spread of disease
and for the treatment of diseased animals. Mention night perhaps have been
made in the report of the development of Cattle Insurance on co-operative lines
which is being carried out by the Registrar, Co-operative Societies. This system
of Insurance acts as a direct encouragement to the better treatment of cattle
and the insurance societies are already displaying an eagerness to avail themselves
of the expert assistance of the Veterinary Department.
3. In the Resolution on last year's report special attention was drawn by
the Local Government to the inadequate amount of touring done by the Veterinary
Inspectors. The figures in the present report show a mark d improvement in
this respect. Some reduction might possibly be made, as proposed by the
Director, in the prescribed minimum of days to be spent on tour where an
Inspector attends a course at the Insein school during part of the recess.
4. A reference has been made to the Dine or regarding certain minor
discrepancies in the figures in the body of the report and the tables appended.
From H. CLAYTON, Esq., Director of Agriculture, Burma, to the Assistant Secretary to the Financial
Commissioner, Burma—No. 154C.-1V-1, of the 8th June 1916.
I have the honour to submit in proof six copies of the Annual Report on the
working of the Civil Veterinary Department for the year ended the 31st March
1916.
The province has again been free from serious epidemics of contagious
disease and the deaths reported have fallen from 1914-15 in 1914-15 to 7,2 0 in
the year of report. This is a most satisfactory decrease and, though it is no
doubt in some measure due to good fortune, this result reflects much credit upon
the Department. The mortality from rinderpest was practically confined to
border districts. This strengthens the view already put forward in former reports
that rinderpest is far more an imported than an epidemic disease in Burma.
The best method for its control would therefore seem to be a the roughly efficient
system of supervision and control over the trade routes by which cattle cross the
frontier from China, the Shan States and Siam, accompanied by the encourage-
ment of more efficient preventive measures in transfrontier areas.
This policy has been effectively carried out in Bhamo District by the continu-
ous employment of several special Veterinary Assistants in addition to the regular
staff and its success indicates that a similar strengthening of staff in all border
districts is desirable. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, has
proposals under consideration which will enable this object to be attained.
2. Orders were received during the year fixing 240 days as the minimum period
for which Inspectors should be required to be on tour during the twelve months
and sanctioning a recess of five weeks part of which may be spent in attending
a course of lectures at the Insein Veterinary School. Considerations of health
and efficiency however require that Inspectors should be allowed a reasonable
period of rest in their own homes and it is difficult to arrange for this in addition
to the course of training so long as the full term of 240 days on tour is also
insisted upon.