(2)
Shahabad, Hazaribagh, Balasore, Angul,
Jalpaiguri, Howrah, Presidency Jail, Alipur
Central Jail, Municipal Gowkhanas in Calcutta
and Tea Estates in Sylhet and Cachar districts
in Assam.
5. In some few districts the villagers are still opposed to this method of
treatment, but the good results obtained will, I think, soon overcome their pre-
judices. The staff employed in the districts is at present insufficient to cope
with the work. Of the 33 districts in the Province, 27 have 1 Veterinary
Assistant in each, 1 has 2 and 1 only has 3 Veterinary Assistants, and the
remaining 4 have none. Of these 32 Veterinary Assistants, 20 are in
charge of dispensaries and 12 only are itinerating. To ensure prompt and
effective measures being taken for prevention and suppression of outbreaks,
it is absolutely necessary to increase the itinerating staff, and this will be
done as soon as men are available and the District Boards can find funds.
At present 4 Veterinary Assistants with
sufficient experience are employed in my
reserve staff, and temporary veterinary
aid was given by me to the districts
named in the margin, by deputing these
officers to inoculate cattle with anti-rinderpest serum and to give advice as to
the preventive measures to be adopted.
Five Veterinary Assistants received training in rinderpest inoculation at the
Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory at Bareilly.
6. Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries.—Table V shows the working of
the hospitals and dispensaries. There were 19 dispensaries working at the
close of the previous year and two were added during the year, making a total
of 21, all of which I inspected, with the exception of one only (Ranchi), and
advised the dispensary authorities for their better management. They are
on the whole accomplishing good work and conferring much benefit to the
stock-holders in their immediate neighbourhood. The following information is
extracted from the reports submitted by the Chairmen of the various
Dispensary Committees:—
7. The dispensary at Purnea has been removed to a more suitable site,
and quarters for the Veterinary Assistant added to it. A bullock shed and a
shed for isolation have been added to the Larpur Dispensary, and certain other
improvements done. New quarters for the hospital servants of Laheria Serai
Dispensary were built during the year, and the floors of the stables made
pucca. An operation shed, a new dispensary building and an isolation shed
have been constructed during the year for the Gaya Dispensary. A stable has
been erected for the Cuttack Dispensary. Construction of a hospital and
Veterinary Assistant's quarters have been sanctioned. Balasore Dispensary is
still held in a hired house with free quarters for the Veterinary Assistant.
No separate building has yet been provided for the Manbhum Dispensary
which was started in May 1905. It is being held in a room of the District
Board's office where there is a big compound for the treatment of out-door
patients.
8. A comparison with the previous year's figures will show that there has
been a general increase in the number of patients treated at the dispensaries.
The increase noticed against Dumraon, Burdwan, Larpur and Palamau are
very satisfactory, which is due to the increased popularity of the institutions
and a good deal owing to the zeal and ability of the Veterinary Assistants
employed there. No special reasons have been offered for the large falling off in
the number of out patients-treated at the Howrah and Patna Dispensaries. In
the case of Howrah it is probably due to the absence of any epidemic diseases
in the neighbourhood, and also to lack of accommodation for in-door patients,
but in the case of Patna Dispensary, to which attention was drawn in last
year's report, I think I am right in saying that its continued bad results are
a great deal duo to the apathy shown by the Assistant to further the object of
the dispensary.
III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
(1).—Borine.
9. Stud bulls.—The demand for bulls from various bodies and individuals
still continued during the year, but I am afraid we are at present some way off,
being in a position to supply such either for agricultural or milch purposes, as
the Sripur and Pusa Farms are the only sources from which they can be
drawn, but little should be expected from either of these places for some few