13

necessary. Both animals eventually died while under observation.
Thanks are due to the authorities of the Kalimpong Homes for
presenting these animals for investigation, and to the Director of the
School of Tropical Medicine for placing the help of his Expert Staff at
our disposal.

                                     Horse and Pony Stallion.

59. There was no horse or pony stallion in this Province. Tables
X, XI and XII are therefore blank.

                                   Part IV.—Subordinate Staff.

GO. Table VII shows in detail the staff employed on Veterinary
work in this Province.

61.     The post of Itinerant Veterinary Assistant Surgeon for the
Serampore subdivision was opened during the year, and so also the post
of Propaganda Inspector which has been sanctioned by Government
temporarily for two years. Two additional posts of Itinerant
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in the Burdwan district were however
abolished owing to the financial stringency of the District Board.

62.     Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Babu S. K. Chowdhury, who
was on deputation to Muktesar, returned to this Province in October
last. The services of Babu N. C. Sen, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon
of Perojpur, were placed temporarily at the disposal of the Director of
the Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar, for employment
as Veterinary Inspector there. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Babu
J. C. Majumdar, was placed on foreign service under the C.S.P.C.A.,
but his services were terminated at the close of the financial year.

                                         General Remarks.

63.     Demonstration Train.—This has proved a valuable means of
stimulating interest in the activities of the Departments which have
made use of it for purposes of propaganda. The train this year started
from Parbatipur and visited 16 centres in the metre gauge section of
the Eastern Bengal Railway. At each station there was an Information
Bureau where visitors discussed Veterinary matters freely with the
officers of the Department. Altogether about two lakhs of people
witnessed the Demonstration and attended the lectures, which were
highly appreciated.

64.     Free supply Of serum.—The year under report has been
noteworthy in that funds have been provided to give effect to the
propsal for the free supply of sera to District Boards. This has been
made retrospective to April 1927. the year in which administrative
approval was given. In spite of this concession great difficulty has
been experienced in collecting arrear debts on this account prior to the
above date. It is hoped that District Boards will devote more money
now to Veterinary improvements. The Veterinary Staff is still greatly
under strength being 63 short of the full sanctioned cadre. There are
still district headquarters in which there are no hospitals and
subdivisions lacking dispensaries. Suitable quarters for Itinerant
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons are still few and far between and in
the matter of house rent, where quarters are not provided much remains
to be done. Wherever electricity is available I propose Boards should
install Cold Storage Cabinets for storage of serum. This will do much