2

Other kinds of cattle disease were reported from nine districts including the
Bombay City ; out of some 2,500 cases in the Presidency one-fourth proved fatal ;
and out of 500 cases in Sind one-half. A comparison of these figures with the
total number of cattle existing in the Presidency 9,400,000 and in Sind 3,000,000
shows the enormous possibilities of useful work in ascertaining and treating out-
breaks that lie before the Department.

10. Since the publication of the decision to concentrate the work of the
Civil Veterinary Department chiefly on the treatment of cattle disease and the
improvement of breeds of cattle, the Superintendent has been collecting infor-
mation on points which have hitherto received little attention. Major Joslen's
theories on rinderpest infection and on the castration of bull-calves are interest-
ing and deserve further investigation. An experiment is being conducted on the
Manjri Farm on the comparative growth of castrated and uncastrated bull-
calves.

11.    The utility and influence of Veterinary Dispensaries continues to
increase ; the total number of animals
treated has risen as shown in the margin :
the increase in the last year being of
3,145.

12.    In response to the offer of a contribution from Government to the main-
tenance of new Dispensaries, the District Local Boards of Lárkána and the Upper
Sind Frontier have expressed their willingness to bear their share of the expen-
diture ; and the Boards of Poona and Surat are prepared to entertain Itinerat-
ing Assistants, but the necessary arrangements have not yet been completed.

The remainder of the Boards addressed have stated that their finances do
not permit any increase of expenditure at present. The Branch Dispensary
established in Poona City is understood to be doing very good work, and, if Gov-
ernment approve of it being made a permanent institution, a suggestion will be
made to the District Local Board that the accumulated dispensary balance of
Rs. 8,325 might be usefully employed in providing it with a suitable building
and a full time resident officer.

13.    The report from Sind shows that good work is being done in the dis-
pensaries there. In regard to paragraphs 1 and 2 it has since been ascertained
that the horse " Maxim " and the donkey " Shikrpur " were sold under the
orders of the Collector, though no report of the action taken was sent to this
Department.

In regard to paragraph 21 the Collector of Sukkur reports that the purchase
of the case in question was sanctioned by the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, in December 1900.

The proposals made in paragraph 28 by Major Maxwell were referred to
the Commissioner in Sind for opinion but do not meet with his approval.

14.    A statement is appended of figures erroneously entered in the appen-
dices for which it is requested that the correct figures now supplied may be
substituted.

                                                         H. S. LAWRENCE,
                                               Director, Land Records and Agriculture.