REPORT
ON THE
CIVIL VETERINARY
DEPARTMENT
(INCLUDING THE INSEIN VETERINARY SCHOOL)
BURMA
For the year ended the 31st March 1918.
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
1. Two Superintendents were on duty throughout the year. Conditions
remaining unchanged, no extended tours could be undertaken.
The Agricultural Conference held at Mandalay in August was attended by
both Superintendents, as also the meetings held by the Stock-Breeding Committee
in Rangoon. The ponies of the Military Police stationed at Mandalay, Pyawbwè
and Taunggyi were also inspected.
The Superintendent visited Taunggyi, inspected the school there and
examined several of the Southern Shan States Veterinary Assistants. The Second
Superintendent attended the Agricultural Conference held at Poona last December.
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.
Tables
I and V.
2. Veterinary Colleges and Schools.—At the beginning of the year there
were 34 pupils, viz. 16 in Class C (including two who had failed at the final
examination) and 18 in Class B.
Class A.—From 106 applicants 21 selections were made, and selected
men were requested to report themselves by 15th May. Some of the men
proved unwilling to join, so further selections were made, and by the beginning of
June we had 21 pupils, 15 of whom had passed the Vernacular VII and one the
Anglo-Vernacular VI. One pupil left in December owing to continued ill-health,
and another was dismissed for absence without leave. At the close of the year
there were nineteen pupils.
Class B.—Number remained same throughout the year.
Class C.—Two failures of previous year received appointments in April 1917.
Final examination was held in November. All 14 pupils passed the written
examination; 7 obtained three-fourths, 3 two-thirds, and remainder half marks.
Five pupils not considered satisfactory in their practical work were kept back for
three months' further instruction. Nine pupils were posted as Veterinary Assis-
tants in December, and the remaining five were appointed towards close of year.
General behaviour of pupils throughout the year was good.
During the year two Veterinary Assistants were under training for appoint-
ments as Veterinary Inspectors, and one Veterinary Inspector for appointment
as Deputy Superintendent.
After inspecting some of the Southern Shan States Assistants last year, I
suggested to the Superintendent and Political Officer, Southern Shan States, the
advisability of sending Assistants in turn to Insein for practical training as they
needed it; he was quite keen to do this and sent six in November. They were
all well-behaved and keen, one Assistant from Kēngtūng was found very willing
but dull. Some were quite smart, and three returned to duty in February. Two
of the three remaining were allowed to remain on at their special request and
with the sanction of the Superintendent. The third was the dull man who
improved a great deal in his work. They were permitted to return to duty in April.
From an instructional point of view the year has been a most favourable
one; pupils have had opportunities for seeing glanders, epizootic lymphangitis,
surra, foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, scabies, rabies, distemper, etc-
Owing to the prevalence of cattle plague about Rangoon and Insein advantage
was taken to afford pupils every facility for acquiring practical experience in
dealing with the disease, by segregation, serum injection, etc. The school staff