10

                  Veterinary Dispensaries.

Table IV.

41.There were 105 Veterinary Hospitals and dispensaries
working at the beginning of the year.
As a measure of retrenchment, the
District Local Board, Ahmednagar, closed the dispensary at
Shrigonda in the month of August 1931. The District Local
Board, Nasik, opened one dispensary at Vani in Dindori taluka,
without the assistance of a Government grant, in March 1932 and
there were therefore 105 dispensaries still working at the end of
the year.

As usual, in addition to the above, a dispensary was opened
during the fair season in the Dangs. This dispensary is itinerating
and the officer in charge was on tour for 158 days and visited 212
villages. In the course of his tours he attended 53 outbreaks of
contagious disease and protected 502 animals by serum inoculation
and 841 by vaccination. It was found necessary to send him back
to the Dangs during the months of August and September 1931 to
suppress outbreaks which were reported during that period.

The number of in and out-patients treated in hospitals and
dispensaries increased from 172,471 to 187,641 during the year
under report and the number of cases supplied with medicine for
treatment at home without attending the dispensaries from 43,317
to 53,118. The average daily attendance at hospitals and dispen-
saries throughout the Presidency proper, excluding cases supplied
with medicine for home treatment, was 21.24.

The number of castrations performed at hospitals and dispen-
saries was 25,309 an increase of 828 over the number performed in
the preceding year.

Four hundred and four cases were sent to infirmaries under the
Act for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and 142 owners were
convicted for offences under the Act. Two hundred and sixty-nine
of these cases were admitted in Poona City Hospital and 53 in
Ahmednagar Hospital.

42.Buildings.—No new buildings were constructed during the
year. A grant of Rs. 2,650 was made from the Wadia Bequest
Fund towards the cost of construction of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Shirpur, in West Khandesh.

            III—HORSE BREEDING OPERATIONS.

43.The District Local Board, Ahmednagar, were maintaining
three stallions at the beginning of the year. Two of these stallions
having become unfit for stud work were cast and were not replaced.
At the end of the year there was therefore only one stallion at stud.
The total number of mares covered during the year was 50 as
against 79 in the previous year. The average cost of maintenance
per stallion for the year was Rs. 351-5-6.

            IV—SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT.

44.Of the 123 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons employed at the
close of the last year, one retired on superannuation pension,