4
encountered in the advanced districts of this province, the beneficial result
of the practice is gradually overcoming the prejudices of the people. In some
of the outlying districts, there is still much apathy and prejudice amongst
the cultivators, and veterinary assistants have experienced great difficulty
in getting the system of treatment adopted.
26. The death-rate amongst the inoculated was small, being only 1.06
per cent. for the whole province.
27. A sum of Rs. 27,239-12 was paid during the year to the Imperial
Bacteriologist at Mukteswar on account of the cost of sera and vaccines.
Table IV.
28. Table IV shows the number of animals treated by the veterinary
assistants on tour.
29. Eighty-three veterinary assistants were at work in the mufassal. of
whom 58 were purely itinerant and 25 both itinerant and stationary.
These men visited 12,756 villages as against 12,831 in the preceding year,
and treated 69,584 cases as against 58,761. The increase is satisfactory,
showing the growth of popularity of veterinary work in the mufassal. It
would have been much greater had the Department been adequately staffed
throughout the Presidency and had substitutes been available to relieve men
while absent on leave.
30. The Co-operative Department appointed a veterinary assistant as
their inspector to work amongst the 44 milk-societies in the Baraset
subdivision of the 24-Parganas district. This assistant, who joined his
appointment in November last, treated 209 cases and inoculated 413 head of
cattle against rinderpest. He also gave necessary instructions to the
members of the societies regarding improvement in cattle-breeding, veteri-
nary hygiene and prevention of cattle diseases, etc.
Table V.
31. Table V shows in detail the working of the hospitals and
dispensaries in the province.
32. There were 35 dispensaries at the close of the previous year.
Two, viz., one at Serajganj and another at Bagerhat, were added during the
year, thus bringing the total number of such institutions to 37.
33. The total number of animals treated during the year both as in
and out-patients amounted to 41,074 as against 44,747 in the preceding year.
The decrease is partly due to less number of cases being treated at the
Sodepur Pinjrapole, and partly to certain dispensaries remaining closed on
account of the absence on leave of the veterinary assistants when no substi-
tutes could be given to relieve them.
34. It is much to be regretted that nothing has yet been done at Pabna
towards the construction of suitable dispensary buildings with accommoda-
tion for indoor patients, alt hough land was acquired for the purpose some
rive or six years ago.
35. The District Board of Rajshahi have at last taken up the question
of erection of a veterinary hospital at the headquarters station of that
district, and plans have already been drawn up and an estimate sanctioned
for the same.
36. Land has also been acquired for veterinary dispensary with
assistant's quarters at Naogaon during the year under report.
37. The need for suitable veterinary dispensary buildings at Thakur-
gaon and Balurghat subdivisions of the Dinajpur district is being keenly
felt. The District Board have expressed their inability to allot funds for the
purpose. But the veterinary inspector reports that good many horse and
cattle fairs are held in these subdivisions, and if the proprietors of these
lairs be requested to raise a nominal subscription of 6 pies or one anna for
each head of animal sold, a sum of Rs. 3,000 to 6,000 can be had by this
means. This will not affect any one in particular, benefit the subscribers and
at the same time do immense good to the raiyats.