No. 1449, DEVELOPMENT, 6TH OCTOBER 1925                      5

37.  Kumri.—Nineteen cases were diagnosed by the staff.

38.   Sheep-pox.—Twenty-two outbreaks were reported and all of them were
attended. Seventeen of these were received from the Kallakurichi taluk of South
Arcot district.

39.   Rabies.—The brains of 69 dogs and two other domestic animals sent by the
staff to the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, were declared to be rabid. Twenty-four dogs,
2 cows, 1 horse and 1 monkey were treated by the staff with anti-rabic vaccines, of
which 4 dogs, 1 horse and 1 cow died.

                                          IV.—MISCELLANEOUS.

40.  The staff conducted 30 po8t-mortem examinations on animals suspected of
criminal poisoning and examined 166 animals for malicious injury. The Chemical
Examiner examined the viscera of 45 animals, of which 30 cases were sent by the
subordinates of this department. Poison was detected in 24 cases. The number of
cases prosecuted was 23, of which 7 were discharged and two are pending. The accused
in 2 cases were fined and in the remaining 12 cases were sentenced to rigorous impri-
sonment ranging from two to six months.

41.  The number of convictions under the Act for Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, XI of 1890, was 4,704 of which 3,070 related to Trichinopoly. The number
of animals sent to Veterinary infirmaries for treatment was only 930.

42.   Municipal.--During the year four municipalities have adopted the by-laws
under which they are required to maintain the register of cattle mortality and report
outbreaks of contagious disease. Altogether up to 31st March 1925, 42 municipali-
ties have undertaken this work.

Of the 20 municipalities which were stated in the last annual report to have
employed the local Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for meat inspection, the Pollachi
municipality has since transferred the work to its health officer. Five more munici-
palities however have engaged the services of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for this
work during the year.

43.  Fairs and shows.—The usual cuttle and pony show at Tiruppur was not held
during the year. The Madras Cattle Disease Act was in force in the Nilgiris
throughout the year. It was also enforced at all important cattle fairs held in the
Presidency.

                  V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

44.   According to the preliminary figures furnished by the Accountant-General,
the total expenditure of the department excluding the Madras Veterinary College
was Rs. 4,20,072-3-11 against Rs. 4,20,568-14-4 in the preceding year. The
reduction under "Superintendence" was due to Mr. Ware's absence on leave through-
out the year and Mr. Hurley's transfer to the Madras Veterinary College. A sum of
Rs. 19,350 being the cost of sera and vaccines, which will be adjusted by the
Accountant-General in the March final accounts, is not included in the figures against
"Subordinate Establishment." When this is done this head will show an increase in
expenditure due to a much larger consumption of sera during the year than in the
previous year and to the supply of printed post cards costing Rs. 2,038-13-0 to
village munsifs for reporting outbreaks of contagious diseases. The cost of sera
obtained in 1923-24 was only Rs. 9,176-8-9.

                                    VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.

45.  Government have accepted the principle of compulsory inoculation by the
'Serum alone' method subject to the condition that it should at first be introduced
in selected areas to which the Madras Cattle Disease Act, 1866, is applied, at the
discretion of District Magistrates, and on the advice of the Veterinary Department.
During the year compulsory inoculation was carried out in a few infected areas in the
districts of South Kanara, Kurnool and Cuddapah and the result was satisfactory.

46. At the suggestion of the Standing Advisory Committee on Veterinary
matters the abolition of all touring posts in the Kistna district and establishment of
dispensaries instead during the current year as an experiment was under contempla-
tion with a view to find out whether there is justification any longer for the existence

                                                                                          1449, Dev.—2