BENGAL VETERINARY COLLEGE,
Preface—General Administration.
I HELD charge of the Bengal Veterinary College, the Epizootic Diseases
of Animals Department in Calcutta and its neighbourhood and the Raymond
Research Laboratory throughout the year. I also held, in addition to my
own duties, charge of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, in the absence
of the Superintendent of that Department on deputation to military duty from
19th Fobruary to 31st March 1916.
2. I was deputed by Government to Pusa to attend the 9th meeting of
the Board of Agriculture, for which 1 was away from Calcutta from 6th to
12th February 1916 and travelled 660 miles by rail and 22 miles by road.
3. Mr. E. H. Brand held the office of the Assistant Principal throughout
the year.
Veterinary Instruction.
4. Class A.— Eighty-three students inclusive of 12 plucked students
of last year formed this class at the beginning of the session. Subse-
quently 12 retired for various reasons. The remaining 71 went through the
full course.
5. Class B.— This class consisted of 36 students—30 promoted from
Class A, 5 plucked students of last year and one old B-class student.
6. Class C.—This class was composed of 28 students—21 promoted
from class B, 4 plucked students of last year and 3 old C-class students.
7. Thus at the beginning of the session, the total number of students in
the three classes was 147, which number became reduced to 135, of whom 51
belongod to Bengal, 42 to Bihar and Orissa, 19 to Assam, 10 to the United
Provinces, 7 to Madras and 6 to Burma. One hundred of these were Hindus,
25 Muhammadans, 9 Christians and 1 Budhist.
8. The recruitment of students was more satisfactory than last year.
At the beginning of the session there were 147 students against 113 last
year and at the close of it 135 against 96 last year.
9. The examinations began on the 13th and ended on the 22nd March.
The Examining Board was composed of Mr. D. A. D. Aitchison, Principal,
Madras Veterinary College, as President, and Mr. D. Quinlan, Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, Bihar and Orissa, Mr. W. Harris, Superinten-
dent, Civil Veterinary Department, Assam, and myself as members.
10. Sixty-nine students appeared at the examination from Class A, and
48 passed ; 35 from Class B and 27 passed ; and 28 from Class C and 19
passed. The percentage of passes in the three classes A, B and C was 69.56,
77.14 and 67.85, respectively.
11. Of the 135 students remaining at. the end of the session, 21 held
stipends from the Government of Bengal, 5 from the Government of Bihar and
Orissa, 15 from the Government of Assam, 8 from the Government of the
United Provinces, 3 from the Government of Burma, 59 from District and
Local Boards, while one held the Shew Bux Bogla scholarship.
12. The distribution of prizes was held on the 23rd March under the
presidency of the Hon'ble Mr. E. H. Bray, Member of the Bengal Legislative
Council. There was a fair gathering of both European and Indian gentlemen
at the prize meeting. Diplomas, certificates and 39 prizes in the shape of
medals, surgical instruments, books and moneys were given.
13. Hostels.—All students lived in the hostels and their general health
was good. The Medical officer attended regularly.
14. Riding Class.—All students went through the course of equitation
and a riding competition was held along with the examinations, in which 6
students secured prizes.
15. Sanitary Inspectors' Class.—Thirty students were sent by the
Sanitary Commissioner, Bengal, in April to undergo a course of lectures on
infectious diseases of cattle, of whom 26 attended the complete course.