8
practical way. There is little doubt that it would be beard of less if more
attention were paid to keeping cattle under hygienic conditions.
Foot and mouth disease.
Table II.
45. Foot and mouth disease occurred in 20 districts. Of 38,683 cases
reported, 673 died, against 74,944 cases and 311 deaths last
year.
Blackquarter. Table II.
46. Blackquarter was reported from 19 districts with 678 cases and
632 deaths. Jhelum and Montgomery suffered the most.
Last year's figures for the Province were 1,188 cases and
1,119 deaths.
Preventive Vaccinations.
Table III.
47. 1,655 vaccinations were performed in 33 villages with the reagent
imported from America. The results in all cases were found
to be satisfactory so far as can be ascertained at present.
Vaccinations will continue to be performed in infected places and results will be
closely watched.
Anthrax. Table II.
48. Outbreaks of anthrax were reported from 13 districts and 240 deaths
were recorded.
SECTION 1 (c).—CONTAGIOUS DISEASE. OTHER ANIMALS.
Contagious disease:
other animals. Table II.
49. There were in all 4,458 deaths from contagious disease among other
animals. Rabies was reported from three districts
and 25 deaths were recorded.
SECTION 2.—OTHER DISEASE
Treatment of disease in
villages. Table IV.
50. During the year, 38,387 animals were treated, on tour by veteri-
nary assistants. The increase is only 830 on last year,
but this is explained by the partial abandonment of
touring by veterinary assistants. There is a satisfactory advance in the
number of castrations from 564 to 1,032.
SECTION 3.—VETERINARY HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
Veterinary Hospitals.
Table V.
51. Last year, there were 17 hospitals open throughout the year and
74 dispensaries in charge of itinerating men which were
open for about 10 days in each month. The introduction
of the new system under which there is only one itinerating man in each district
and all the rest are stationary has brought with it the abolition of all the dis-
pensaries. But, on the other hand, there is an increase in the number of
hospitals to 77. The total number of cases treated amounted to 96,630 against
74,932 in 1906-07. The figures at the larger hospitals which were open last
year may be compared with those for the year under report, but a comparison
is not possible in other cases. Unfortunately, when epidemic disease is prevalent
tahsil veterinary assistants have to leave their hospitals, and unless there is a
good compounder who can be left in temporary charge the places have to be
closed. The best solution of this difficulty is to provide two veterinary assistants
for each tahsil and make them tour alternately. But, in the meantime good
compounders are very useful, and a set of rules for the guidance of Local
Bodies in employing compounders has been submitted to the Director of
Agriculture.
Buildings.
52. Some of the hospitals are still located in unsatisfactory buildings
but, with the aid of the Government grants, districts are
gradually providing suitable places, usually on the standard
plan. In some districts, the scarcity interfered somewhat with the programme
of veterinary improvements during the current year.
Income and expenditure
at Veterinary Hospitals.
Table VI.
53. The income and expenditure at the various
veterinary hospitals and dispensaries are shown in Table VI
Rs. 7,198 were realised from fees against Rs. 4,146 last year.
The Simla Veterinary
Hospital.
54. The management of the Simla Hospital has been transferred to
the Simla Municipality as an experimental measure for a
term
of
five
years,
with
a
view to facilitating the recovery
of outstanding debts under Section 201 of the Municipal Act. The conditions of
the transfer are that the Committee is to meet all expenses, excluding the cost of