19

66. Supply of Sera and Vaccines.—Sera and vaccines
to the value of Rs. 44,347-9-0 were obtained during the year
from the Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar
and the Branch Serum Institute, Izatnagar, for supply to
different customers through the serum depots of the department.
Strict economy was maintained in the expenditure of serum and
the account was kept at the head office as before.

67. During the year, the question of adjustment of the
serum account was considered by Government in the Finance
Department, and it was decided that customers instead of
depositing the cost under an " Advance " head, should credit
the same to the head, " Veterinary Receipts " under XXIV—
Agriculture, while provision should be made by the department
for the total receipts from the Muktesar Institute under the
head, 34—Agriculture—Contingencies—Miscellaneous (non-
contract). According to this decision, a sum of Rs. 90,000
based on the district board budget estimate, was provided in the
departmental budget for 1935-36. In this connection, Govern-
ment were also pleased to authorise the Director, Veterinary
Services, to write off, as irrecoverable, charges on account of
sera and vaccines lost, or discarded owing to loss of potency,
up to Rs. 500 in one item.

68. Out of a total amount of Rs. 59,326-2-5 payable to the
Muktesar Institute, a sum of Rs. 45,549-3-0 including the
Government grant of Rs. 2,199-2-6 paid to the district board,
Hazaribagh, was recovered from the consumers and credited
to Government, leaving Rs. 13,776-15-5 still due by the Depart-
ment to the Muktesar Institute as on 1st April 1935. The
amount due on the same date from the local bodies and other
customers stood at Rs. 9.441-2-9 for all supplies made up to the
31st March 1935.

69. Cost of inoculation.—As was anticipated, the cost
of inoculation has already greatly declined. Though it will
yet take some time to get at the complete figures for making
a proper comparison, it is easy to note the difference even now
under the head of rinderpest, between the years 1933-34 and
1934-35. By adding together the cost of anti-rinderpest serum
and that of the goat blood and tissue virus used, it is found
that the cost per inoculation which amounted to Re. 0-3-21/3 in
the year 1933-34, came down to about Re. 0-1-9 only in 1934-35.
With the further reduction of the price to Re. 1-2-0 per
ampoule of goat tissue virus which will henceforth be used more
extensively, the cost of protection of animals against rinderpest
will practically be negligible for a local body, compared with
the cost of inoculation by anti-rinderpest serum.