24

Thana 4, Poona 4 and Nasik 4. In the first four districts
mentioned, disease is always very prevalent and touring difficult.
It is very essential, if the work of the Department in these districts
is to be extended, that more dispensaries be opened.

The number of cases treated at hospitals and dispensaries
numbered 124,099 against 115,144 in the past year, and medicines
were supplied to 39,947 cases for home treatment against 45,636
cases last year.

One Veterinary Assistant Surgeon was again deputed for two
months to the Dangs in the Surat District. The work done by
him there appears to be an advance on that done in previous
years in as far as inoculations, vaccinations and castrations were
performed and the question of opening a whole-time Veterinary
Dispensary in the Dangs should be reconsidered as soon as possible.
It is certain that there will be full scope for such a dispensary if one
is opened.

22. During the year under report, grants were sanctioned for
the provision of buildings for three dispensaries viz., Dakor in Kaira
District, Jambusar in Broach District and Vaduj in Satara District.
The latter two will be " Wadia" dispensaries, half the cost of
construction being contributed from the Wadia Bequest Fund.
The District Local Board, Kanara, converted the unused horse
stalls at Sirsi Dispensary into Compounder's quarters, for which a
Provincial grant of Rs. 235 was sanctioned.

Many of the Veterinary Dispensaries are still very badly housed,
and particular mention may be made of the Dispensaries at Talegaon
in Sirur Taluka of Poona District, and Chiplun in Ratnagiri
District. At the latter place it is extremely difficult to obtain a
suitable building and the District Local Board is enquiring into the
possibility of providing its own quarters. At the former, in spite of
repeated requests the Board has so far taken no steps to obtain
better quarters, and the dispensary is hidden away in a more or
less uninhabited portion of the village. It is consequently not a
success.

                     III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.

                        (1) Horse and Pony Stallions.

23. The District Local Board, Ahmednagar, continued to
maintain six stallions and the District Local Board, Sholapur, two.

From the information received from the District Local Board,
Ahmednagar, the total number of mares covered by their stallions
was 186, the average per stallion being 31.

The stallions in the Sholapur District covered 73 mares between
them.

The average annual cost of the maintenance of the stallions in the
Ahmednagar District was Rs. 538 per stallion and in Sholapur
District Rs. 577 per stallion.