7
world probably at 7,500 feet elevation. Exactly a year later the unfortunate
conflagration took place, which destroyed in three hours the work of six
anxious years. Since 1890, when work was commenced in Poona, the annual
grant for apparatus and chemicals had been expended with caution so as to
allow of all necessary appliances being obtained according to the need of each
respectively. So that during the years 1890-99, a very valuable collection
had been brought together. Nearly the whole stock of chemicals purchased
from the grants of each year since 1896, were destroyed.
8. The Library.—A few works of reference have been added to the
Library during the year, but the great majority of additions embrace English,
German, French and American periodicals dealing with Comparative Pathology
and Bacteriology.
Unfortunately, the current literature with regard to rinderpest in South
Africa and report of Royal Society Committee on Tsetse fly or Nagana disease
and numerous other periodicals and books were in the quarters of the officiat-
ing Imperial Bacteriologist at the time of the fire and all these were destroyed.
9. Proceedings of a Committee at Muktesar.—On November 1st, 1899, a
Committee, consisting of the Secretary to the Government of India, Depart-
ment of Revenue and Agriculture, Director General, Indian Medical Service,
Inspector General, Civil Veterinary Department, and the officiating Imperial
Bacteriologist, assembled at Muktesar.
2. The Committee read the Government of India (Home Department)
Circular No. 1300, dated 9th August 1899, to Local Governments regarding
the establishment of a central laboratory of research in connection with a
scheme for the study of health problems proposed by the Director General of
Indian Medical Service.
3. The Committee were of opinion that if this scheme is approved by the
Government of India, the central research laboratory for the Medical Depart-
ment might, with advantage, be located at Muktesar in conjunction with the
Veterinary bacteriological laboratory. Accommodation could be found for it
in the reconstructed laboratory in consequence of the conversion of the
residential portion of the late building into work rooms.
4. The laboratory when rebuilt should be divided into two sections: (1)
the veterinary section; and (2) the medical section. Each section should be
independent of the other and independently controlled.
5. The Committee examined the plans prepared by the Divisional
Engineer for rebuilding the laboratory, in which work rooms are substituted
for the residential portion of the late building, and considered that, if the
slight alterations in the plan proposed by Captain Rogers were adopted, the
new laboratory would satisfactorily accommodate a veterinary and a medical
section. The Committee were informed that these alterations would not
increase the Divisional Engineer's estimates.
6. The Committee considered that, if it be decided to place the central
laboratory at Muktesar, the Veterinary Department should retain the exclusive
control and management of the estate, the laboratory building, and all subsi-
diary buildings, with the following exceptions :—
(1) Certain rooms in the laboatory, as To be assigned to the medical section,
specified in Captain Rogers' memrorandum
annexed.
(2) Certain other rooms in the laboratory To be in common to the two sections.
as specified in the said memorandum.
(3) Of the subsidiary buildings, the To be in common to the two sections.
sterilishing room, the cold room, the small
animal's house, the gas factory, and the snow
well.
(4) Stables for horses under bacteriolo- To be divided between the two sections.
gical experiment.
(5) Quarters proposed to be built for the To be assigned to the medical section,
subordinate, clerical and menial staff of the
medical section.
Regarding paragraph 6 (3), of the subsidiary buildings, if allowed to
express an opinion, I would suggest that the Medical Department be provided
separately with a small sterilizing house, a cold room, small animals' house, and
probably a snow well should they require one. My reasons for these small