9
the Act are assigned to officers who are notified as "Inspectors" and as
"Practitioners" under the Act : The duties of an "Inspector" have now
been entrusted to all veterinary assistants, and those of a "Practitioner" to
Deputy Superintendents and Inspectors of the department.
4. The disease which accounts for the loss of the largest number of
cattle in Bengal is rinderpest. During the year under report this disease
was less prevalent thair usual in the mufassal.
The following figures
illustrate the fluctuations of rinderpest during the past four years :—
1913-14...
1914-15...
1915-16...
1916-17...
Number of
deaths
reported.
10,318
13,662
8,893
5,443
Number of
outbreaks
attended.
210
340
284
161
Number of
animals
inoculated.
23,836
37,813
38,950
20,498
Average number
of animals
inoculated at
each outbreak
attended. 113
111
137
127
In Calcutta and its suburbs there were 57 outbreaks of rinderpest
compared with 28 in the previous year.
5. The figures for the past four years show a general increase in the
activity of the Veterinary Department and in the interest taken by local
bodies in veterinary work :—
1913-14...
1914-15...
1915-16...
1916-17...
Expenditure by
Government.
Rs.
1,93,627
1,95,982
2,28,639
1,89,081
Expenditure by
local bodies.
Rs.
61,371
73,531
93,134
1,19,904
Total
expenditure.
Rs.
2,54,998
2,69,513
3,21,773
3,08,985
Number of
hospitals
and
dispensaries.
18
24
24
25
Animals treated
at hospitals and
dispensaries.
21,503
24,049
29,349
37,785
Number
of
veterinary
assistants.
75
81
94
82
Animals
treated by
veterinary
assistants
on tour.
50,598
53,287
61,386
57,462
Shortage of officers accounts for the decreased expenditure by Govern-
ment in the year under report and for the decrease in the number of
veterinary assistants employed. The Governor in Council views with
satisfaction the steadily increasing expenditure of local bodies and the
growing popularity of their hospitals and dispensaries.
6. The number of stud bulls kept by Government and local bodies
decreased from 83 to 71. The report mentions applications from District
Boards which could not be supplied and unsuccessful attempts of the
department to procure suitable bulls from the Garo Hills. The Rangpur
Cattle Farm is unfortunately not expected to have bulls ready for distribu-
tion in the near future or until experimental work has given satisfactory
results.
7. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith has his time very fully occupied by his duties
as Principal of the College and Superintendent of the department, and the
unavoidable shortage of officers, both on the teaching staff of the College and
in the mufassal, has thrown an additional burden on the department. The
Governor in Council congratulates Lieutenant-Colonel Smith and his staff on
the good work which has been done under these conditions.
By order of the Governor in Council.
L. BIRLEY.
Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.
No. 6531 Agri.
COPY forwarded to the Director of Agriculture. Bengal, for information.
with reference to his letter No. 5484, dated the 13th July 1917.
By order of the Governor in Council,
M. A. MOMEN.
Under-Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.
CALCUTTA,
The 31st August 1911.
B. S. Press—1-9-1917—1400J-560—J. L. C.