Abstract

Mr. S. L. D'Silva, Veterinary Assistant of the College, retired on 1st July 1915 after a long and meritorious service of over 32 years. Coming from a well known and influential Catholic family of Mangalore, Mr. D'Silva joined the Madras College of Agriculture at Saidapet in 1880 and passed out, after a brilliant career, in 1883. He was not only the best man of his batch, but he obtained marks far above the first man in any batch, before or after him. Soon after passing, he was employed as a Cattle Disease Inspector and, within 2 years, was selected to act for Mr. C. Benson as Deputy Superintendent of the Saidapet Farm. He joined the teaching staff of the Agricul tural College at Saidapet in 1888 and has been connected with the teaching of Veterinary Science and Live Stock from that year until the date of his retirement a period of 27 years. In addition to teach- ing, he was the officer in charge of the Veterinary Hospital at Saida- pet and latterly at Coimbatore. His fame as a Veterinary physician and surgeon was great, a large number of equine, bovine and canine patients having been sent to him for treatment from all parts of Madras, from the magnates of the city, European and Indian, to the poorest jatkawallah. The Veterinary College in Madras is only 12 or 13 years old, but Mr. D'Silva had made his reputation long ago, so much so that a deputation to the Bombay Veterinary College for training which was then being followed for Senior Vertinary upper 5.1bordinates was considered unnecessary for him. The praiseworthy mention made of him year after year in the administration reports during the last 25 years shows that the work which he did was of a high order and was well appreciated by the Heads of Departments.

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