12

of quarters for the second touring assistant surgeon of Angul
was submitted to Government for approval. The position with
regard to the construction of Government dispensaries at Simdega
and Banki has not much improved ; plans and estimates for the
former have just been received, while steps are being taken to
acquire the land selected for the latter dispensary.

55.  The same remarks as were made by Mr. Quinlan in
paragraph 53 of previous year's report regarding extension of
veterinary relief by the local bodies to livestock owners still hold
good, as will appear from statements made in the preceding
paragraphs. The district board of Shahabad, instead of creating
an additional post of touring assistant surgeon which is urgently
required for the Bhabua subdivision, decided to abolish two such
posts for the Sadr and Sasaram subdivisions with a view to
retrenching expenditure. This action on the part of the board
was however not approved by Government. A similar resolution
was also adopted by the district board, Moughyr, in respect of
the second touring veterinary assistant surgeons employed in
Begusarai and Jamui subdivisions. It was subsequently
withdrawn when their request to convert one of the two touring
assistants at Begusarai was acceded to.

56.  During the year under report 167,518 fresh cases were
treated by touring veterinary assistant surgeons in the districts
and at headquarters including 6,256 castrations as against 109,187
in the previous year, 'The increase of 58,331 patients during
the year is very satisfactory, and it is evident that veterinary aid
is now being appreciated by the public. Of the total number
including castrations, 32,151 cases were treated by the staff in
North Bihar, 61,973 in Central and 73,391- in Orissa range, as
against 27,777, 46,301 and 35,109 cases respectively in the year
1926-27, the increase in Orissa range being largely due to foot
and mouth disease. There has also been a marked improvement
in the number of visits of the touring staff as 63,973 villages
were visited by them during the year against 58,170, the
figures according to ranges being 26,933 for North Bihar, 24,373
for Central and 12,667 for Orissa range compared with 23,214,
22,259 and 12,697, respectively in the previous year.

                                   TABLE V.

                                 HOSPITALS.

57. The number of hospitals including those in charge of
the touring veterinary assistant surgeons was 31 as shown in the
report for 1926-27. The hospital at Cuttack remained closed