Resolution on the Report of the Administration of the Veterinary Depart-
ment, Eastern Bengal and Assam, for the year 191O-11.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Lieutenant-Governor of Eastern Bengal and
Assam in the Agricultural Department, No. 581Ag., dated the 4th September 1911.
READ—
The report of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Eastern Bengal and Assam, on
the Administration of the Veterinary Department for the year 1910-11 with the Director of
Agriculture's forwarding remarks.
RESOLUTION.
1. The decrease in the mortality from contagious diseases amongst bovines
though not so striking as in the previous year, is a very satisfactory feature of the
report. An actual decrease has taken place in the number of such cases treated by
itinerant assistants, though there was a considerable increase in the total number of
cases treated by them and a marked enlargement of their sphere of operations. The
inference is thus justified that the Department is gradually acquiring a mastery over
contagious disease which cannot fail to confer very substantial benefit on the
community.
2. The statistics still leave much to be desired, though the development and
increasing popularity of the Department and the weakening of former prejudices
against inoculation should tend to effect a steady improvement in reporting. The
Superintendent is inclined to discredit the returns from the Assam Valley on the
ground that the Department's information does not bear out the figures, but in view
of the presence of a regular land revenue staff which is in close touch with the
cultivators, the Licutenant-Governor is inclined to suspect the accuracy of the returns
from the rest of the Province. His Honour cordially agrees with the Director of
Agriculture in deprecating the employment of Veterinary Assistants to check statis-
tics while there is still so much disease to combat, but they can help to improve the
statistics by impressing on the people the necessity for reporting even sporadic cases
of disease at the time of occurrence.
3. The continued shortage in the supply of scrum is disquieting, but will, it is
hoped, be of short duration, as the establishment of a second laboratory is under the
consideration of the Government of India. Meanwhile the Lieutenant-Governor hopes
that all local bodies and the officers of the Department will co-operate to prevent
waste and so enable the supplies available to be economised to the best advantage.
4. The Lieutenant-Governor is glad to see that local bodies appear to be taking
an increasing interest in improving the breed of cattle; the Director of Agriculture
and the Superintendent should make every endeavour to enlist their sympathy and
co-operation in the general scheme for the Province which is now being prepared.
5. A maximum limit of ten pages was prescribed by the Local Government for
this report last year, but there should seldom be occasion to approach that length,
and the Lieutenant-Governor desires that, in accordance with the expressed policy of
the Government of India, every endeavour should be made to secure compression.
In particular, it is not necessary to criticise in detail the work done in individual
hospitals and dispensaries, for which particulars are available in table V, and" remarks
on these institutions should be confined to salient points, including the results obtained
in new institutions.
6. The Lieutenant-Governor agrees with the Director of Agriculture that great
credit is du6 to Mr. Harris for bis successful administration of the Department and
the satisfactory progress of veterinary work in the Province. The thanks of Govern-
ment are also due to Mr. Hart himself for his careful supervision.