11
Subsequently by Notification No. 61—XIV-19-B., dated the 16th January
1900, the Imperial Bacteriologist was invested with the powers mentioned in
sections 67 and 71 of the Forest Act in respect of the Muktesar Reserve
Forest.
The Deputy Conservator of Forests, Naini Tal Division, has drawn up a
Working Plan for the forest and it will be laid before Government shortly,
As the forest is hardly capable of any revenue, the only produce we can get are
grass, firewood and charcoal, and those only to a limited amount. It is
suggested that we should employ at least a forest guard on R8 per month
and a fire-guard on R6 per month, to look after the reserve.
15. Work carried on during 1899-1900.—During the year under review,
a large number of experiments have been carried out with a view to ascertain
the merits of the different protective methods against rinderpest put forward
by South African Observers, and the value of such when tested in cattle of
different breeds indigenous to this country. The results arrived at during the
months April to December 1899, have already been submitted to Government
by the officiating Imperial Bacteriologist. It is therefore my duty only to
briefly detail the facts arrived at during the short period which has elapsed
since my return to the Laboratory at the beginning of 1900, and such matters
of routine as may have been purposely left unrecorded until the submission
of Annual Report.
(a) The experiments conducted by me with regard to rinderpest, serum,
bile, etc., are briefly summarised in paragraphs 20 to 27.
(b) Since the destruction of the Laboratory by fire at the end of Sep-
tember last, one room in Mr. Kriebel's quarters has been handed over for use
as the Laboratory office. Little microscopical work could be carried on owing
to the destruction of all microscopes, lenses and oculars belonging to Govern-
ment and two owned by Imperial Bacteriologist. A student instrument was
borrowed and the necessary daily observations of blood were conducted in the
Lavatory attached to the ruined building ; this small room facing south was
however soon dismantled when the rebuilding of the Institute was sanctioned
and latter taken in hand. Consequently, since the above date, every kind of
work has been carried on in the Sterilizing house, the only room left intact
other than the small animals' house, now given up to the Gas-engine and
Centrifugal machine.
(c) Serum preparation.—All serum prepared between August 1899, and
February 1900, was by the Clotting process, after which latter date the
Centrifugal machine was mounted and worked by hand, in consequence of
some hitch in the mechanism of the Gas-engine, which the Public Works
Department Engineers were unable to cope with.
The following return gives the quantity of serum despatched up to April
1900 :—
Month and date.
1899, October
10 . .
November 2
.
.
1900, January 11
.
.
„ 25
.
.
February 15
. .
March
20 . .
April
21
.
.
*
Serum quantity
c. c.
8,000
8,000
7,950
2,680
4,700
10,000
6,300
To whom sent.
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, Madras.
Major Hagger, Saharanpur.
Ditto,
Hansi.
Ditto,
ditto.
Ditto,
Hissar.
Ditto,
Ahmedabad.
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, Bombay.
* As the protective power of certain serum giving animals had been recently tested, I allowed a certain
quantity of untested serum to be issued, upon the repeated urgent requisition of the Assistant to the Inspec-
tor General, Civil Veterinary Department, for rinderpest was said to be present in a severe form among cattle
at the Government Depôt, Hissar. In the event of postponing the despatch of the preventive serum, until 14
days after receipt of urgent telegram—the period necessary for the testing experiment to be worked out — Gov-
ernment would have lost a considerable number of animals which by the procedure adopted now have been
protected against rinderpest.