NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
8
with anti-serum was undertaken in nine outbreaks when 769
animals were protected against 1,669 in the previous year.
36. Black quarter.—This disease was less severe than in
the previous year, Ganjam, Anantapur and Vizagapatam being
the only districts badly affected. 8,186 animals were pro-
tected with serum alone, 21 with aggressin alone and 730
cattle and 185 sheep with serum and aggressin simultaneously.
Of the latter number, 249 cattle and 185 sheep belonged to
the Hosur Cattle Farm, and amongst these several severe cases
of presumed anaphylaxis occurred, as a result of the
inoculation.
37. Foot-and-mouth disease.—This malady accounted for
2,792 deaths of which 879 are reported from Ganjam. The
total mortality for the Presidency in the previous year was
1,454.
38. Tuberculosis.—A few cases were confirmed amongst
cattle belonging to the Madras Corporation, and acid-fast
bacilli, indistinguishable from tubercle bacilli, were found in
a smear made from the sputum of an elephant in the Coorg
Forest Department. A similar record is to be found in the
annual report of this department for 1925-26.
39. Johne's disease. —This disease was confirmed in two
indigenous cattle.
40. Infections lymphangitis of cattle.—Vaccine for the
treatment of 62 cases of this disease was supplied from the
College Laboratory, and 35 of these cases were confirmed
microscopically.
41. Nasal granuloma.—Many cases of this complaint in
cattle were dealt with during the year, and it is reported that
a large percentage were successfully treated with intravenous
injections of tartar emetic.
42. Piroplasmosis.—The College Laboratory dealt with
smears from 282 positive cases of Piroplasmosis, commonly
called Tick fever, occurring in different animals during the
year. This, of course, in no way represents the number of
cases occurring in the Presidency, but in indigenous animals
it is only when they are debilitated or subjected to an inocula-
tion like the simultaneous method against Rinderpest that
cases come to the notice of this department. In this way
Piroplasmosis is of very great importance, and it was conta-
mination with these organisms which interfered with production
of Rinderpest virus at the Madras Veterinary College, a point
to which reference has already been made.
Plate No. 3
VETERINARY HOSPITAL, COIMBATORE.
OUT-PATIENTS
CLINICS.
9
43. Trypanosomiasis.—Specimens from 36 positive cases
were confirmed during the year. These included one case
in a dog in Vizagapatam. The Presidency was free from any
severe outbreaks amongst cattle, but 15 cases of surra occur-
red in horses, of which 9 were destroyed under the Glanders
and Farcy Act and the other 6 died.
44. Strangles.—Smears from four ponies sent from the
I circle proved positive.
45. Kumri.—Eighteen cases were diagnosed during the
year.
46. Sheep-pox.—Five reports of this disease were receiv-
ed and attended to by the touring staff.
47. Rabies.—This disease was confirmed in 72 dogs and
4 other animals. Confirmation was not sought in 62 other
supposed positive cases. Two horses, two cattle and nineteen
dogs, which had been exposed to infection, were treated with
anti-rabic vaccine at different Veterinary institutions, and of
these one horse and one dog died later of the disease.
48. Spirochaetosis.—This complaint, the so-called Tick
fever of fowls, was more prominent than usual during the
year, several districts in the north and Tanjore in the south
reporting it.
49. Chicken-pox.—There was an outbreak of this disease
on the Hosur Cattle Farm, and most of the young birds
succumbed.
V.—NON-CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
(a) Hospitals and Dispensaries.
50. Eleven new dispensaries were opened during the year
at Kothapeta, Tenali, Rajampet, Badvel, Tindivanam, Tiru-
vellore, Tellicherry, Nathakadayur, Periakulam, Ariyalur and
Sivakasi, and a Veterinary hospital has been opened at
Bobbili. For the latter, the Raja generously provided the
necessary building and furniture free of cost, and is contri-
buting Rs. 060 per annum towards its maintenance.
51. The Veterinary hospital at Bellary, which for many
years has been managed by the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, was taken over by Government on 1st
April 1927. The total number of Government Veterinary
institutions at the end of the year was 95, including those
attached to the cattle farms at Coimbatore and Hosur.
2
10
52. The private building in which the Veterinary dispensary
at Pollachi has been located for some time was acquired by
Government during the year, and the dispensaries at Chica-
cole and Kavali were also moved into Government buildings.
Structural improvements, which will render them more effi-
cient, were carried out to the hospitals at Ootacamund,
Coimbatore, Calicut, Ellore and Madura.
53. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Souter, the Collector of
Vizagapatam, the question of transferring the District Board
buildings of the Vizagapatam Veterinary hospital to Govern-
ment, which has been under correspondence since 1922, has
been amicably settled. In the same way the Collector of
Tanjore has, it is hoped, finally arranged for the acquisition
of a suitable site for the proposed Veterinary hospital at
Negapatam, after twelve years of correspondence.
54. The total number of new cases admitted to Veterinary
institutions for treatment during the year was 125,762,
while the number of cases supplied with medicines but not
brought to the institutions rose from 4,923 to 7,387. The
leading institutions in the Presidency with the number of
cases admitted by each, were as follows:—
Trichinopoly
Coimbatore ...
Rajahmundry
Madras ...
Calicut ...
Saidapet ...
Bezwada ...
Salem ...
Man galore ...
Cocanada ...
Rajapalayam
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
3,749
3,280
2,760
2,737
2,370
2,290
2,235
2,232
2,221
2,162
2,097
Two assistants are now barely sufficient for the work at
hospitals like Trichinopoly and Coimbatore, where the num-
ber of cases attended to in one day may reach nearly 100.
(b) Itinerating Staff.
55. The number of touring posts remained at 88, and
several of these were vacant for varying periods owing to
the lack of staff. Those at Mangalore and Sivaganga were
not filled throughout the year.
56. The manner of employment of these touring men,
when not engaged in attending outbreaks of contagious
disease, has been under discussion for some time, but on 1st
Plate No. 4 CHINGLEPUT VETERINARY DISPENSARIES DURING THE WORK HOURS.
11
October 1927 it was decided that the 34 men, who had been
attached to Veterinary institutions as second Assistants, should
revert to the old method of doing twenty days touring a
month, and run camp dispensaries in large villages for about
ten days at a time.
57. The total number of cases treated by this itinerating
staff during the year was 60,290 of which 27,449 were non-
contagious.
(c) Castration.
58. The total number of castrations performed by the
staff during the year was 8,521 against 8,290 in 1926-27 :
of these 4,553 were done by the itinerating staff and 3,968
in Veterinary institutions. Of the later, 1,396 were per-
formed at the institutions in Ganjam district alone.
59. The number of castrations is small when compared
with the figures from some of the other provinces, but it is
hoped that when the large indent for Burdizzo castrators,
which has recently been made, is complied with, this very
necessary operation will be performed in much larger num-
bers on the many " scrub " bulls which exist in this province.
The high pressure at which most of the touring staff has had
to work in connection with Rinderpest no doubt accounts in
part for the smallness of the figures in the last few years.
VI.—MISCELLANEOUS.
60. Criminal.—The Chemical Examiner reports that he
examined the viscera of 45 animals during the year, and of
this number the post mortem examination was held by the
staff of this department in 35 cases. A prosecution was con-
ducted in 21 cases in which poison was detected, resulting in
nine convictions, ten acquittals, and two cases were still
pending. As usual arsenic was the poison most commonly
used, this being present in 12 cases, Thevetin, the active
principle of yellow oleander (Cerbera thevetia) being found
in 6, mercury in 1, and picrotoxin, obtained from Cocculus
indicus, in 1.
The staff also examined 209 animals for malicious injury
and issued certificates to the Police.
61. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—
The number of convictions obtained under the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act was 8,594, of which 2,663 related to
Trichinopoly and 1,671 to Coimbatore district. It is report-
ed that only 1,682 of these animals were remanded to
12
Veterinary hospitals for treatment, and of this number 1,441
were cases convicted in Coimbatore district alone. It appears
therefore that while the society's agents are sufficiently active
in Trichinopoly district, it is only in Coimbatore district that
the Bench Magistrates are exercising their powers in a proper
manner. This point has been brought to the notice of
Government many times before.
62. Forest Livestock.—Under this head the retirement of
another Veterinary officer has to be recorded. Mr. F. X.
Mascarenhas, who began his career in this department in the
year 1903, retired from the post of Inspector of Livestock in
the Forest department during the year, and his vast experi-
ence of elephants, both in health and disease, will be much
missed.
63. The health of the Forest Livestock appears to have
been good. One elephant died of anthrax in South Kanava
district and another one from choking, after attempting to
swallow hurriedly a common jack fruit (Artocarpus integri-
folia).
64. Public Health.—There are now 32 towns in the Presi-
dency which employ a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon of this
department on meat inspection duty.
In addition, the
municipalities of Ootacamund, Coimbatore and Madura em-
ploy a Veterinary graduate of their own on this and other
public health work. The necessity for an efficient inspection
of all meat intended for human consumption has been well
exemplified in Ootacamund, where it is found that 1.2 per
cent of the beef and 1.15 per cent of the pig carcasses are
infected with the larval form of the two tapeworms of man,
Taenia saginata and Taenia solium respectively.
What is known to exist in Ootacamund is almost certainly
existing in other places unknown.
65. A coolie employed on the Wentworth Estate, the
Nilgiris, died of Anthrax during the year, and it is reported
that he probably contracted this through eating Anthrax-in-
fected meat. Whether he obtained this from a butcher or
from the jungle is not known.
66. Another interesting case from a public health point
of view is the record of a dog suffering from guinea worm
(Dracunculus medinensis) in Devakottai, Eamnad district.
This parasite also attacks man.
Plate No 5
A DOG FROM WHICH SIX GUNEA WORMS WERE REMOVED AT THE
DEVAKOTTAH VETERINARY DISPENSARY.
13
67. Fairs and Shows.—The annual Cattle and Pony Show
was held at Tiruppur in June 1927. No other show of any
importance was held, and owing to the severity of Rinderpest
many annual and weekly cattle fairs were closed during the
year.
VII.—FINANCE.
68. According to the registers of this office, the expendi-
ture of the department was Rs. 8,26,188-14-8 as compared
with Rs. 7,49,32-5-4-2 in 1026-27. There is an increase
under each sub-head, the greatest being under subordinate
establishment, due to general expansion of the department
and larger indents for anti-renderpest serum.
The receipts of the department amounted to Rs. 26,850-1-0.
VIII.—PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1928-29.
69. Education.—The
Madras Veterinary College will con-
tinue its graduate and post-graduate courses. Government
having recently increased the number of stipends in each
class from 15 to 40 there should be no difficulty in obtaining
a sufficient number of students for admission this year.
70. Research.—The main line of research will be in con-
nection with Rinderpest, the first desideratum being in pro-
duction of a suitable virus in sufficient quantities to meet the
demands which it is anticipated will be received from the
districts in future. Work will be continued in connection
with Infectious lymphangitis and Nasal Granuloma of cattle,
and several other important problems awaiting investigation
will be tackled when the necessary funds and staff have been
provided.
71. Contagious disease.—The work of protecting the cattle
of this Presidency against Rinderpest by the simultaneous
method will be pushed forward as much as possible, and if
more supervising staff can be provided, it is hoped that the
number of animals protected by this method will soon show a
very large increase.
It will not be possible with our present staff to deal with
the other contagious diseases to any extent, until the control
of Rinderpest has been effected.
72. Non-contagious disease.—Twelve dispensaries should
be opened this year, but it is not likely that it will be possible
to open more than half this number, owing to lack of sub-
ordinate staff.
14
73. Propaganda.—It is intended to pay more attention to
this subject in future. As soon as the necessary lantern
slides are prepared, the Circle officers will be instructed to
make use of the lanterns already supplied to them on every
possible occasion, such as fairs, exhibitions, health weeks,
etc. It is hoped also that this department will be able to
take advantage of the motor units sanctioned by Government
for the Agricultural Department for demonstration purposes.
Correspondence has already taken place with the Railway
Publicity Board for the preparation of a Veterinary film, and
the purchase of a cinema apparatus for the department is
contemplated.
F. WARE,
Acting Veterinary Adviser to the Govt. of Madras.
MADRAS,
4th July 1928.
15
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MADRAS
VETERINARY COLLEGE FOR THE YEAR 1927-28.
I.—STAFF.
Mr. F. Ware, the permanent Principal, was on leave and
deputation from 1st July 1027 to 20th November 1027 and
on other duty from 21st November 1027 to 31st March 1927
and during this period Mr. P. T. Saunders, Professor of
Surgery, acted as Principal.
2. The post of Professor of Surgery was held by
Mr. P. T. Saunders from 1st April 1027 to 30th June 1927
and by Mr. M. R. V. Panikkar from 8th July 1027 till the end
of the year. It was vacant from 1st July 1927 to 7th July
1027, both days inclusive.
3. M.R.Ry. V. Krishnamurthi Ayyar Avargal continued
as Professor of Pathology and Bacteriology throughout the
year.
4. Mr. G. T. D'Silva, the Assistant Professor and Personal
Assistant to Principal, continued in the post from the beginning
of the year till 7th August 1927 when he availed himself of
long leave preparatory to retirement. Mr. M. Sundaranathan,
the Senior Lecturer, acted as Assistant Professor and Personal
Assistant to Principal from 8th August 1927 to 1st December
1027 and Mr. K. S. Nair, the officer appointed on probation
to a temporary post created in the Provincial service, from 2nd
December 1927 to 31st March 1028.
5. During the year a third Veterinary Assistant Surgeon
was sanctioned for the laboratory and the incumbent appointed
to the post took charge of his duties on 28th October 1927.
II.—INSTRUCTION.
6. Selection of candidates.—The Committee appointed by
Government for this purpose assembled at Bezwada and Madras
and selected the following students for the year:—
Community.
Bralunans ...
Non-Brahmans
Indian Christians
Muhamniadans
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
....
Stipendiary.
3
7
2
3
Non-stipendiary.
10
6
2
2
16
7. In addition to the above, two paying students, one from
the Federated Malay States and the other from Ceylon, were
admitted during the year.
8. As some of the students selected did not arrive at the
college and as some who joined left it in a few days, some
additional students were subsequently taken in to make up the
deficiency in numbers. The strength of class A at the end of
the year was only 38 including the 6 failed students from the
previous year.
9. The total number of students in the college on 31st
March 1928 was 86 of whom 36 were Brahmans, 33 non-
Brahmans, 9 Muhammadans, 7 Indian Christians and 1 Anglo-
Indian.
10. Professional examinations.—The annual examinations
were held from 21st March 1928 to 30th March 1928, both
days inclusive. The following officers constituted the Board :—
Mr. K. Hewlett, Principal, Bombay Veterinary
College
...
...
...
...
...
...
Mr. F. Ware, Acting Veterinary Adviser to
the Government of Madras.
Mr. P. T. Saunders, Acting Principal,
Madras Veterinary College.
M.R.Ry. V. Krishnamurthi Ayyar Avargal,
Professor of Pathology and Bacteriology,
Madras Veterinary College.
Mr. G. T. D'Silva, Assistant Professor and
Personal Assistant to Principal, Madras
Veterinary College, on leave.
President.
Members.
The results of the examinations were as follows:—
Class.
A
B
C
Number appeared.
34
26
22
Number passed.
27
21
19
Percentage.
79.4
80.7
86.3
11. The Board of Examiners remarked that the rise in the
percentage of passes during the year was due to the fact that
the rules of the examination are more lenient than is desirable.
12. Post-graduate course.—Four Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons of the Civil Veterinary Department, Madras, three
from the Civil Veterinary Department, Bihar and Orissa, and
one private student from the Federated Malay States under-
went the post-graduate course held at this college from July
to December 1927. At the end of the course, the usual
examination was conducted.
17
13. All the eight candidates presented themselves for the
examination and all of them except the one private student
from the Federated Malay States were successful in passing the
examination and obtaining the certificate issued by the college.
14. The Board of Examiners made the following remark :—
"A good class with one first class, four second class,
two passes, and one failure in a class of eight. The Board is
of the opinion that an examination at the end of the course
serves a very useful purpose and it should on no account be
dropped."
15. Health, discipline and athletic activities of students.—
The health and discipline of students have been satisfactory
during the year.
16. The college entered a team to compete in the inter-
collegiate football tournament and some of the students of the
college took part in the inter-collegiate sports. There is
nothing of note to record concerning these games except the
fact that the students evinced great interest.
17. The annual college sports were, as usual, held in
February 1928.
III.—HOSPITAL.
18. Hospital.—The number of cases treated at the college
hospital is shown in the following table:—
In-patients
... ...
Out-patients
...
Total ...
Equines.
225
147
372
Bovines.
215
409
024
Others.
328
1,413
1,741
Total.
768
1,969
2,737
19. During the year the brains of 38 dogs which had
bilten people were sent to the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, for
examination and of these 31 were reported to be positive.
The brain of a mongoose was also sent with the same positive
result.
20. The following statement shows the major and minor
operations performed in the hospital during the year:—
Major operations
Minor
„
Castrations
Horses.
... 8
... 10
... 3
Cattle.
6
23
6
Other animals.
28
105
7
Total.
42
138
16
21. The shoeing forge attached to the college is working
satisfactorily. During the year 1,218 horses were shod and
the shoes of 94 horses were repaired.
3
18
IV.—LABORATORY.
22. The laboratory was, till 4th January 1928, in the sole
charge of M.R.Ry. V. Krishnamurthi Ayyar Avargal, Professor
of Pathology and Bacteriology, and from this date the Parasito-
logical section was separated from it and placed in charge of
the Acting Professor of Surgery.
23. The following table shows the number of specimens
received and examined during the year in the laboratory
including the Parasitological section:—
(a) From the staff of the Civil Veterinary
Department
...
...
...
...
(b) From the Corporation of Madras ...
(c) From the Agricultural Department ...
(d) From the Forest Department
...
...
(e) From the different wards of the college ...
Total ...
1,010
328
123
11
2,339
3,811
24. The total number of specimens received and examined
during the last four years is also given below for purposes of
comparison:—
1923-24 ...
1924-25 ...
1,513
1,722
1925-26 ...
1926-27 ...
1,878
3,010
The increase in the work done is thereby well shown.
25. The following table gives the number of specimens
confirmed for the various diseases noted against each of
them:—
(a) Anthrax
...
...
...
(b) Tuberculosis
...
...
(c) Hæmorrhagic septicæmia
(d) Black quarter
...
...
(e) Bovine lymphangitis ...
(f) Johne's disease
...
...
(g) Trypanosomes
...
...
(h) Piroplasma—
(1) P. bigeminum ...
(2) P. canis
...
...
(3) P. gihsoni ...
(4) P. equi
...
...
(5) Theileria sp. ...
(i) Coceidia
...
...
...
(j) Spirochætosis
...
...
(k) Microfilaria
...
...
(l) Hæmogregarina canis ...
(m) Hæmoproteus
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
12*
12
43
51
35
2
30
41
62
15
3
161
1
22
2
1
7
* This excludes the hides and skins in which the infection was proved.
19
26. It is interesting to note that the nine smears confirmed
for tuberculosis include one said to have been made from the
sputum of an elephant belonging to the Coorg Forest Depart-
ment. Acidfast bacilli indistinguishable from tubercle bacilli
were detected in this smear.
27. It has also been found, during the systematic examina-
tion of blood smears of calves used for the Rinderpest camp
opened at the college, that theileriasis is quite common among
the calves of this Presidency.
28. Sixty-two samples of hides and skins were examined
during the year for the issue of certificates of freedom from
Anthrax and of these twelve were found to be infected.
29. Post-mortem examinations were, as a routine, con-
ducted on all the different classes of animals that died in the
college and also on those that were received from outside,
and they supplied ample material for practical instruction to
students and in some cases for preservation in the college
museum as well as for the purposes of investigation. During
the year these numbered 121. The infection of spirocerca
sanguinolenta and the occurrence of Cysticercus cellulosæ in
dogs, Cirrhosis of the liver in dogs, Tuberculosis amongst the
cattle of the Corporation and Atheroma of the aorta in cattle
were some of the more important conditions met with in these
post-mortems, and papers on some of these conditions are
awaiting publication.
30. Requisitions for the supply of vaccines for the treat-
ment of cases of Bovine Lymphangitis and other chronic
suppurative affections were during the year received from the
staff of the Civil Veterinary Department. The total number
of cases for which vaccines were supplied was 70 ; of this
number 62 were for the treatment of Bovine Lymphangitis.
V.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES IN MADRAS CITY.
31. During the year under report 120 horses that arrived
into the city were tested with mallein by the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon on Glanders work but no case of the disease
was detected.
32. This Veterinary Assistant Surgeon inspected during
his systematic tour 3,898 horses in the city; in none of them
was Trypanosomiasis (surra) detected.
33. During the beginning of the year Rinderpest was
prevalent in the city but was confined to a few divisions.
There were also some imported cases of the disease in March