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the hundred for lack of it, appears to the Development Commissioner to
indicate that the question of establishing our own serum depot in Burma
must be taken up seriously. Shortage of officers in the Imperial Service
is at present a serious obstacle, but when this has been overcome by
the appointment of the research officers now under recruitment, there
appears to be no reason why a depot for the manufacture and storage
of serum should not be opened in connection with the Veterinary School,
Insein. An additional argument in favour of the establishment of such
a depot is the high cost of the serum obtained from Muktesar. During
the year under review no less than Rs. 77,500 was spent on this alone
and the Development Commissioner considers that the Department
would probably effect a considerable saving here if it possessed its own
depot.

5.  The position as regards dispensaries is not encouraging. The
number of cases treated during the year shows an appreciable decrease
on the 1924-25 figures. Until these institutions are better appreciated
and more extensively used by the public, the Development Commissioner
deprecates, any further expansion of the Department's activities in this
branch of its work.

6.  The Department suffered considerably during the year under
review from a shortage of superior staff which finally necessitated it
being placed temporarily under the control of the Director of Agriculture.
In spite of difficulties however the Department has on the whole done a
good year's work and the Development Commissioner is pleased to note
that a goodly number of Inspectors and Assistants are singled out for
special mention. The Development Commissioner himself desires to
place on record his acknowledgment of good work done by
Mr. McKerral, who took over charge of the Department, in addition to
his already onerous duties as Director of Agriculture on the 1st January
1926, and by Captain Rippon who has been the backbone of the Depart-
ment throughout a difficult year.

7.  There is, however, one criticism which the Development Commis-
sioner wishes to make and this concerns the touring of Veterinary
Inspectors and Assistants. The averages generally represent a consider-
able improvement on those given in last year's report particularly in the
case of Inspectors in Lower Burma but are still not entirely satisfactory.
A Veterinary Inspector should even in a normal year be on tour at least
240 days and Mr. Chalmers is disposed to consider that in a year such
as 1925-26 in which contagious disease has been so rife both Veterinary
Inspectors and Assistants should have been on tour more than they
have been. Possibly, however, shortage of rinderpest serum has
hampered touring.

The Development Commissioner also notes with regret that it has
been found necessary to send out students on protracted inoculation
tours but realises that at present this cannot be helped.

                                                               I have the honour to be,

                                                                             SIR,

                                                           Your most obedient servant,

                                                                  W. Q. TAGGART,

                                                               Officiating Secretary.