5
TABLE IV.
On the 1st April, 1920, there were sixty-five itinerant veterinary assist-
ants on the roll. Eight new graduates joined the Department making the total
number seventy-three as shown in Table VII. Out of these, two assistants died,
one assistant was dismissed, one was appointed stationary-veterinary assistant
and one was made officiating Inspector, leaving a total of sixty-eight assistants
at the close of the year.
Forty-six thousand, nine hundred and eighty fresh cases including castra-
tions were treated by the veterinary assistants on tour, as compared with 74,508
cases in the year 1919-20 which shows a total decrease of 27,528 cases.
This was due to a larger number of animals having been attacked with and
treated for foot and mouth disease during the previous year.
The itinerant veterinary assistants visited 19, 648 villages against 18,045
during the year 1919-20.
One itinerant assistant was appointed to the new post created at Dham-
daha for the Sadr Subdivision of Purnea, while two additional posts, one for
Barahpore in the Buxar Subdivision and the other for Jamshedpur in district
Singhbhum were sanctioned during the year.
TABLE V.
There was no change in the number of veterinary hospitals, the same
twenty-four hospitals having continued as in the previous year. A post of
stationary veterinary assistant was, however, sanctioned for Hazaribagh and
the itinerant assistant already employed there was classed stationary. There
were, therefore, four hospitals, viz., Dumka, Ranchi, Palamau and Begusarai,
in place of five, that remained in charge of itinerant veterinary assistants.
The hospital at Dumraon continued to be vacant as the Raj did not apply for
a substitute.
The rebuilding of the hospital at Bankipur was not taken in hand as
expected. Some minor alterations to the plans were carried out and an addi-
tional grant of Rs. 2,000 was voted by the District Board, the total amount
available for expenditure during the year being Rs. 10,000 only. For better
management, the Patna City Municipality agreed to hand over the hospital to
the District Board, Patna. The proposal was accepted by the latter local body,
The proposals for the construction of a hospital each at Puri and Khurda
did not advance further as the District Board, Puri, was unable to meet the cost,
A lump contribution of Rs. 20,000 was sanctioned by Government towards
meeting the cost of construction of the proposed veterinary hospitals at Chai-
bassa and Dumka but the provision was subsequently witheld till next year.
As regards the construction of the Ranchi veterinary hospital, the
District Board was unable to allot funds over and above the amount of sale
proceeds of the present buildings and also the site on which they now stand.
It is proposed to approach Government for a grant for this hospital.
Of the other hospitals and dispensaries of which a list was given in the
annual report of the previous year, considerable progress was made for those
at Madhubani and Samastipur in Darbhanga, at Bettiah in Champaran and at
Dhanbad in Manbhum, and it is expected they will soon be ready for occupation.
The District Board, Purnea, proposed to take up the construction of two
hospitals at Kishanganj, and Katihar and applied for financial assistance from
Government but as no grant was available, the proposal was dropped for the
time being.
Preliminary arrangements for the construction of the buildings at Dina-
pore, Barh and Bihar were completed during the year and it is hoped they will
be put in hand without further delay. The proposals for the hospitals at
Bagaha (Champaran) ; Hajipur ; Dhamdaha and Forbesganj (Purnea) ; Buxar
and Barahpore (Shahabad) and Purulia have not yet advanced beyond the
selection of sites or the preparation of the plans and estimates.
Twenty six thousand nine-hundred and fifty fresh patients were treated at
the hospitals against 31,531 in 1919-20 ; this shows a decrease of 4,581 cases
under " out patients ". In addition to the above number, 652 castrations were
performed and 5,948 cases were supplied with medicines but not brought to
hospitals.