7
The yellow oleander, or its active principle thevetin, accounted for 27 of the
cases, while arsenic was found in 16 of them.
49. Guntūr district supplied 24 of the cases, and poison was found in 15 of
them. The other districts, in which several cases proved positive, were Nellore,
Gōdāvari and Kistna, for which the returns given by the Chemical Examiner are
six, six, and four respectively.
Reports as to the number of prosecutions made for this offence are still due from
the District Magistrates of Kurnool and Guntūr. In the remaining districts
25 prosecutions were made during the year, but in only 10 of them were convic-
tions obtained. The remaining 15 are classified as—, undetected 1; withdrawn 2;
pending trial 6; discharged 6.
50. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—According to the figures
received in this office 3,902 convictions were obtained under the Act for the preven-
tion of cruelty to animals during the year in this Presidency, excluding Madras
City, and of these cases 526 were sent to Veterinary infirmaries for treatment.
This is an improvement on the previous year but in several towns the instructions
of Government on this point continue to be disregarded, the most glaring examples
being Cocanada, which reports 216 convictions of which only 2 were sent to hospital,
Madura 55 and 1, Tanjore 50 and nil, Trichinopoly 2,587 and 65, and Bellary 134
and 7.
It seems inexcusable for the Bellary Magistracy not to make more use of the
local hospital, which is managed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals itself. It is reported from Rajahmundry that there were 112 prosecutions
under the Act during the year. No cases were sent to the hospital for treatment but
it is not known how many convictions were obtained.
51. Cattle Quarantine Depot, Tuticorin.—During the year 4,919 cattle and 2,413
sheep and goats were passed for shipment to Colombo, against 4,952 cattle and 67,664
sheep and goats the previous year. At the request of the Chairman, Plague Com-
mittee, Colombo, the quarantining of sheep and goats on this side was stopped in
May 1918. In consequence the services of one of the attendants at the depot were
dispensed with and the lease of the plot of land on which the sheep and goats
used to stand was not renewed.
There were 19 cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the depot during the year but
no deaths from it.
One sheep died of anthrax.
52. It is understood that this depot at Tuticorin will be abolished when the
Ceylon Government have made the necessary arrangements to quarantine all animals
on arrival at Colombo, but it is not known when this is likely to be.
In the meantime cattle are being quarantined at Tuticorin as effectively as the
existing unsatisfactory arrangements will permit.
53. Meat inspection.—The municipalities of Trichinopoly and Palghat have to
be added to the list of those employing veterinary assistants of this department to do
their meat inspection.
In addition it is understood that Ootacamund, Madura, and Tanjore Munici-
palities are employing whole-time veterinary graduates on this work.
54. Fairs and shows.—Tables XIII and XIV give the details of the annual
horse and cattle fairs held in this Presidency during the past year On account of
rinderpest the cattle and pony show at Tiruppur and several annual cattle fairs
were not held, and for the same reason many weekly cattle markets were ordered to
be closed.
55. Government orders have not yet been received on the Superintendent's
proposals to amend the Madras Cattle Disease Act so as to make it more useful,
particularly when dealing with an outbreak of rinderpest.
V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
56. Excluding the cost of veterinary instruction there was an increase in the
Provincial expenditure of this department of Rs. 31,550-6-6 over the figures for the
previous year.
The figures for 'Subordinate establishment' show a rise of Rs. 14,295-8-0 and
those for 'Superintendence' of Rs. 18,487-0-2. The latter is mostly due to the
appointment of the new Deputy Superintendents.