5
Rupees 24,304-6-0 for anti-rinderpest serum and Us. 5,387-12-0 on
account of other kinds of sera and vaccines, or a total of Rs. 29,692-2-0 includ-
ing a balance of Rs. 10,386-10-0 of the previous year was realized from the
local bodies and credited to Government. A sum of Rs. 9,657-12-0 still remains
to be collected from local bodies for the serum issued during the period under
report.
TABLE IV.
Eifty-three Itinerant Veterinary Assistants were on the roll on the 1st of
April. During the year four new graduates joined. Two Itinerant Assistants
were deputed to the Military Department, one was transferred to Gumla as
Inspector of Inoculators, one was appointed stationary veterinary assistant of
Sitamarhi and another was dismissed for failing to join his post. There were
therefore on the 31st March 1918, fifty-two assistants available for itinerating
work.
The number of cases treated during the period was 69,122, as compared
with 55,311 in 1916-17, the increase being due mainly to foot and mouth
disease.
The new dispensary building at Nawada was completed and the con-
struction of other dispensaries at the subdivisional headquarters in Gaya
district will be undertaken by the District Board in 1918-19. A new dispen-
sary was erected by the District Board, Cuttack, at Kendrapara. The old
excise godowns and quarters at Bargarh have been taken over by the Deputy
Commissioner, Sambalpur, and will be used as a dispensary after some altera-
tions have been effected.
Several other Boards have promised to take up the question of providing
dispensaries during the coming year as the conditions under which many of
the veterinary assistants have to carry on their work are very insanitary and do
not help to attract young men to the profession.
TABLE V.
There was no increase in the number of hospitals during the year. No
stationary veterinary assistant was appointed to Supaul.
The new hospital buildings at Muzaffarpur are under construction and
will be completed shortly. A site was acquired for hospital at Ranchi, but
funds are not yet available for buildings ; the District Board, Manbhum, has
undertaken to build and equip a hospital for the coal-fields at Dhanbad.
The number of patients treated continues to be satisfactory as 30,820 came
to the hospitals against 28,180 in 1916-17. This is exclusive of the number
of castrations which amounted to 540.
The receipts shown in column 18 of the table represents the actual amount
derived from fees, etc. and do not include contributions or local fund grants.
The attention of local bodies has frequently been drawn to the necessity of
keeping expenditure within reasonable bounds by scrutinising accounts but
in many cases these recommendations have not been put in operation.
TABLE VIII.
BREEDING OPERATION.
The number of bulls maintained in the districts is shown in Table VIII.
The District Board of Patna obtained two bull calves from the Pusa Farm at
an average price of Rs. 98 each.
TABLE IX.
BULL-BREEDING FARMS.
The Bettiah Raj Farm under the Court of Wards.—The
farm at Bettiah
was inspected in September and February.
At the end of the year, the herd consisted of 39 cows, 45 bull-calnes
below 3 years 32 heifer calves of the same age, 2 stud bulls and 5 buffalo
bulls or a total of 123 animals.