NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
6
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPT., BURMA,
surra exists amongst cattle in Burma was undertaken. The diseases-
detected during microscopical examination of various materials sent
were—Anthrax, Hæmorrhagic Septicaemia, Tuberculosis, Glanders,
Epizootic Lymphangitis, Strangles, Trypanosomiasis, Piroplasmosis, and
other parasitic diseases.
6. The work of the assistant teachers—U San Hla, U Bwin Gyi and
U Tun Nyein has been uniformly good throughout the year.
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASES.
(1) Contagious Diseases.
LOWER BURMA.
Table II.
7. Rinderpest.—In
spite of the fact that there has been a slight
increase in the mortality recorded from this disease, the year may be
taken as having been a favourable one for the health of the cattle in the
Province. The only district where the disease prevailed with some
severity was Thayetmyo which recorded 2,187 deaths during the year.
In this district the disease was present in the Sinbaungwé Township
towards the close of the last year and from that time on, it raged with
varying degrees of intensity not only in the township but spread to
those adjacent to it. Excepting the Mindôn Township practically all
other parts of the district were affected. The Minhla Township
recorded the highest mortality during the year, viz. 1,010. About
December the disease was brought under control in this township, but
towards the close of the year there was again a recrudescence,
and some 140 deaths were reported. The principal losses during
the year reported from other townships were Sinbaungwé 740 and
Allanmyo 274. The Deputy Commissioner remarks that "the staff of
Veterinary Assistants was insufficient to cope with the epidemic for part
of the year, but we now have one Veterinary Assistant in every town-
ship and should therefore soon bring the disease under control."
Four thousand, three hundred and seven animals were inoculated during
these outbreaks.
Amongst other minor outbreaks reported were :—
(1) at Minbya Township in the Akyab District, where out of a
total mortality of 563 deaths during the year from the whole district,
495 deaths were reported and of these 174 occurred in August.
(2) Yedashe and Shwegyin Townships of the Toungoo District
where the disease prevailed during the early part of the year and
fortunately subsided soon afterwards. Two hundred and nineteen
deaths in the former and 162 in the last-named township were reported
during the year.
(3) The Hlaingbwe Township of the Thatôn District, where the
disease was rife between April and June, and carried off 373 head of
cattle. It entirely died out immediately afterwards. The disease is
reported to have been due to the importation of infected cattle from the
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1925.
7
Siamese frontier. The Deputy Commissioner remarks that " a scheme
for a Seasonal Quarantine Station at Shanywathit in the Hlaingbwe
Township was started for the first time in the month of October 1924
and a Reserve Veterinary Assistant posted there to control the importa-
tion of infected cattle from Siam." The Deputy Commissioner further
observes, and I fully endorse what he says, that "there are considerable
difficulties in the way of controlling infection if brought from across the
border. Villages are few and far between ; there is in the Hlaingbwe
Township, only one Police Station and it is by no means impossible for
caravans to decamp in the night if they find the eye of authority on
them. It has been suggested that a small police patrol should assist the
Veterinary Assistant at Shanywathit ; but with crime as it is in the
district the men cannot be found. "
(4) Salween District, where the disease broke out in the Kawludo
Circle, bordering on the Karenni border, in December. The disease is
said to have been imported by bullocks brought down by caravans from
Karenni for sale, one party going down to Kyaukkyi in the Toungoo
District and the other to Bilin in the Thatôn District. The Deputy
Commissioner observes that " inoculation is useless in these parts because
it takes too long to get up an inoculation party. The reports of the
outbreaks are usually received late and when the Veterinary Assistant is
sent out to the place, he generally is too late to do anything beyond
taking necessary precautions to prevent further spread of the disease
under the rules."
Anthrax.—Under
this head it is usual to include Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia and Blackquarter, as the symptoms are very similar and
there is a considerable amount of confusion on the part of villagers and
headmen when it is a question of differentiating between the three.
The highest mortality recorded from these diseases, viz. 299 was from
Kyaukpyu District, Myebôn Township being the chief place affected
where all but 10 of the total deaths occurred.
Foot-and-mouth disease.—Fortunately outbreaks of this disease were
not severe in any part of the Province. Bassein District recorded the
highest mortality, viz. 379 during the year. The disease was prevalent
to some extent in Thatôn District in October, Akyab in July to Septem-
ber, Prome in January and February, and Sandoway between May and
July and again in December.
UPPER BURMA.
Table II.
8. Rinderpest.—The only districts registering over a thousand deaths
are Yamethin and Minbu. In the last-named district the disease prevailed
with some intensity in the Sagu, Ngape and Sidoktaya Townships.
Inoculation operations were carried out as far as practicable. It is
observed by the Deputy Commissioner that " the headmen for the most
part do not understand their duties with regard to cattle disease and
willagers are generally reluctant in taking precautionary measures to
8
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPT., BURMA,
prevent the spread of disease." In the Yamethin District, on the other
hand, it is remarked that " cases of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth
disease have fallen down to half when compared with that of last year's
figures. This is due to prompt precautions being taken by both the
headmen and the Veterinary Assistants."
In the Magwe District rinderpest broke out in the Taungdwingyi
Township and was responsible for some 857 deaths. The Magwe Town-
ship also suffered but not to the same extent. The Deputy Commissioner
remarks that " another factor which assists the spread of the disease is
probably the practice of villagers from other areas entering the infected
areas for the purchase of paddy and other food grains, and thus
spreading the disease."
The Upper Chindwin District, where the losses have been enormous
for the past two years, fortunately escaped during the year.
In the Bhamo District the disease was still prevailing in the Myothit
Circle of the Bhamo Subdivision towards the close of the year and
inoculation operations were proceeding.
Four hundred and fifty-seven deaths from rinderpest were reported
from the Mandalay District.
Anthrax, etc.—Excepting in the Upper Chindwin District there is
nothing to note. In this district the disease was very rife in the Kabaw
Valley (Tamu and Kalemyo Townships) and occurred in the elephant
camps of Messrs. the Bombay-Burmah Trading Corporation, Limited,
who lost about 50 animals. One Military Police elephant also succumbed
to the disease. The Deputy Commissioner remarks that " the Township
Officer of Tamu, who was responsible for not taking proper precautions
to prevent the spread of the disease, was censured by Government " ;
further, that " special arrangements have been made this year to avoid
the low-lying anthrax affected areas in the Kabaw Valley by segregating
some of the animals in Manipur Territory, permission for which has been
applied for from the Manipur State ; others are on the west bank of the
Chindwin River above Satthaung . . . Headmen in Tamu Township
have also received orders to report if there were any Bombay-Burmah
Trading Corporation, Limited, elephant camps within five miles of their
villages in the event of the outbreak of cattle disease."
Foot-and-mouth disease.—Mandalav District reports 1,072 deaths from
this disease, but taking into consideration the normal percentage
mortality usually associated with foot-and-mouth disease, very grave
suspicion must rest upon the correctness of the diagnosis and one is
forced to the conclusion that deaths which have taken place from
rinderpest have been erroneously recorded under this heading.
SHAN STATES.
Tables II &
IV.
9. Northern Shan States.—Rinderpest
was reported from all the
states, and the mortality registered was Hsipaw 282, North Hsenwi 521,
South Hsenwi 142, and Mong Mit 11.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1925.
9
The Tawngpeng State was not entirely free ; some 48 animals are said
to have suffered and recovered. The disease is reported in this State to
have broken out generally among pack animals of caravans travelling
through the country ; the officiating Superintendent, Northern Shan
States, informs us that " Segregation was a difficult matter especially as
reports of outbreaks were often received after caravans had left the
district."
Some 19 deaths from anthrax and 98 from foot-and-mouth disease were
also reported—all but 1 death from anthrax from the North Hsenwi State.
Deaths reported from Surra are said to be 55, and from Glanders
10.
Segregation Rules.—The working of these rules is reported to be on
the whole satisfactory.
Veterinary Staff.—The Inspector visited 240 villages, treated 153
animals and attended 10 outbreaks. He was on tour for 194 days.
The 13 assistants are reported to have treated 9,560 head of cattle
and were on tour for 212.6 days on an average. The five assistants in the
Hsipaw State attended 59 outbreaks.
Two passed pupils trained at the Taunggyi Veterinary School were
appointed during the year, one in the Tawngpeng State in January and
the other in the Mongmit State in December.
Three new pupils from North Hsenwi State have been sent to
Taunggyi Veterinary School for training, at the expense of that State.
The officiating Superintendent, Northern Shan States, reports that
"the Veterinary Staff in Hsipaw, North Hsenwi and South Hsenwi
States have again done well this year."
Tables I. II &
IV.
10. Southern Shan States :—Cattle Diseases—The Superintendent and
Political Officer reports that " Rinderpest played havoc, sweeping away
very many cattle in the Western, Central and North-Eastern Subdivi-
sion." In addition to the local assistant it was considered advisable to
detail two pupils who had passed out from the Taunggyi School to the
Western Subdivision.
Forty deaths from Surra were also reported.
Segregation Rules.—The Assistant Superintendent, Central Sub-
division, remarks that " It would really seem that the Chiefs are alive to
the advantages of segregation, but the great majority of the population, not
excluding village headmen, are still frankly apathetic. In the Lawksawk
State where Rinderpest had prevailed for the whole year practically, ten
prosecutions took place during March for breach of these rules. The
fines imposed were sharp and had an immediate and salutary effect. It
is the passing caravan, however, that is the greatest source of danger,
and the most difficult to detect and punish. An infection is picked up
in one locality, laden bulls are then driven perhaps 100 miles into some
other state, diseased and dying bulls are left by the wayside and local
cattle become infected before the residents are aware of the danger."
10
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPT., BURMA,
In the South-Eastern Subdivision there were five cases, and in the
Central Subdivision ten cases, in which all persons responsible were
fined by the Sawbwas for infringement of rules. Twol pupils from
the Taunggyi School were given appointments during the year.
One Assistant was sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment
(sentence was afterwards reduced) on a charge of house trespass,
while one was removed in June.
The Assistant Superintendent,
Yawnghwe State, observes, that " the results of the Veterinary
Assistant's work and the distribution of copies of the manual of cattle
disease and notifications amongst the cattle owners appears to have had
a good effect. The state has been very free from cattle diseases and this
is particularly satisfactory in view of the fact that the neighbouring
subdivisions, Western and Central, have had very heavy mortality
amongst cattle due to Rinderpest.
The Inspector visited eleven villages, attended twenty-one outbreaks
and was three days out on tour, treating 226 cases.
The Assistants treated 21,387 cases, attended 236 outbreaks and were
70.4 days out on an average.
The Veterinary School, Taunggyi, was inspected twice during the year
by me. The usual examinations were held, and considering the extremely
restricted course and means of instruction, the results were not less
satisfactory than one could expect.
Eight pupils were under training at the School towards the close of
the year. Maung Po Ku, Veterinary Inspector, has been in charge of
the school throughout the year.
The school has now been moved to a new building, more commodious
and, as it is off the main road, more conducive to concentration on
their work on the part of the pupils.
(2) Preventive Inoculation.
Table III.
11. Anti-Rinderpest inoculations were carried out in thirteen districts
in Lower Burma, viz. Akyab, Rangoon, Hanthawaddy, Insein, Pegu,
Prome, Tharrawaddy, Toungoo, Thayetmyo, Bassein, Henzada, Amherst
and Thaton, and ten in Upper Burma, viz. Shwebo, Sagaing, Mandalay,
Kyaukse, Meiktila, Myingyan, Yamethin, Magwe, Minbu, and Bhamo, in
addition to both the Shan States. Sixty-three thousand, two hundred
and five animals were inoculated, viz. 22,843 in Lower Burma, 38,289 in
Upper Burma, 1,868 in the Northern and 205 in the Southern Shan
States. The demand for serum was so great that stocks were frequently
exhausted and owing to the fact that Burma has no serum station of its
own, and serum has still to be obtained from Muktesar, inoculation
operations were seriously hampered on many occasions.
The Deputy Commissioner, Bhamo, observes that " the benefits of
inoculation are plain to the Shan-Burmese and Shan-Chinese
inhabitants of remote villages who looked upon this measure with
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1925.
11
suspicion in the past." The Deputy Commissioner, Kyaukse, remarks
as follows :—" Rinderpest broke out in the district during the latter part
of the year and might have swept away a good number of cattle had not
the Veterinary Assistants and two other Assistants of the Flying Column
visited the infected villages and inoculated the cattle in time. Most of
the villagers in this district know fully well that serum inoculation is the
most effective preventative against the disease, and they usually come
forward to have their cattle inoculated."
In the Thayetmyo District, except in parts of Allanmyo Township,
the villagers are reported to be generally unwilling to have their cattle
inoculated.
In the Pegu District, where 2,800 head of cattle were inoculated, the
Subdivisional Officer, Nyaunglebin, observes that " a much more
vigorous campaign of inoculation, rendered possible through the
assistance of the local officers, brought the outbreak under control
within a short duration of its visit and reduced the death-rate to a
minimum."
Some 4,578 head of cattle are reported to have died before the
operations began, while 380 animals are reported to have died from
Rinderpest within a few weeks after inoculation, i.e. 6 per cent. of the
total number of cattle inoculated. The highest percentage of deaths
amongst inoculated cattle, viz., 3.6 occurred in Minbu, whereas in four
other places the death-rate was nil.
Six Deputy Superintendents,
16 Inspectors, 104 Assistants and the whole of the school staff and
pupils were employed on inoculation duties at different times during the
year.
(3) Other Diseases.
12. The registered number of deaths from non-contagious diseases
from Lower Burma were :—
Arakan Division
Rangoon Division
Pegu Division
Irrawaddy Division
Tenasserim Division
... ...
... ...
... ...
... ...
... ...
Total ...
8,311
7,180
12,921
18,160
6,963
53,535
(4) Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries.
13. There are five of the above institutions, viz. at Insein, Pegu,
Prome, Pakokku and Myingyan respectively.
Table V.
The working of the Insein Hospital has been reviewed separately
under Veterinary Instruction.
With respect to the number of animals treated, Pegu stands first
with 3,114 cases, Myingyan second with 2,522.
Pakokku and Prome dispensaries have not done so well during
the year as regards the number of animals treated, but the Deputy
12
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPT., BURMA,
Commissioner, Prome, remarks that " the Veterinary dispensary in
spite of its short existence is a boon to the public. The people in
general are now more or less getting familiar with the good work done
both in the dispensary and by the Veterinary Staff."
The Agricultural Committee considered the question of the increase
in the number of dispensaries, when discussing the reorganisation of
this Department, and came to the conclusion that many more could be
established with benefit, and now that the experimental stage has been
passed, proving their usefulness, it is to be hoped that District Councils
and Municipalities, who are mainly responsible for their maintenance,
will see their way to cooperate with the Government in the opening
and maintaining of many more of these institutions.
III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
14. This important work has hitherto been carried out by an officer
of the Indian Veterinary Service under the Director of Agriculture, but
the Agricultural Committee, after mature consideration, came to the
conclusion that the actual breeding of cattle is primarily the duty of this
department. They further recommended that pony breeding such as is
required in this province should be concentrated at Pyawbwè under the
Military Police, and that the Agricultural and Veterinary Departments
should have no concern with it.
The small stud consisting of one stallion and six mares was therefore
transferred to the Military Police and the services of Captain Idle, who
had hitherto been in charge of these, were retransferred to this
department.
Proposals have been submitted for the establishment of a cattle stud
farm, which has now been recommended to be located at Tatkon.
Horse and Cattle Shows were held at Meiktila, Mandalay, Allanmyo.
Shwebo, Thatôn, Maymyo, Hsipaw, Kyauksè, and Rangoon.
These shows are becoming increasingly popular, especially the cattle
shows in the Agricultural districts and serve a very useful purpose.
IV.—SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT.
Tables IV &
TIL
15. Veterinary Inspectors.—Three of the permanent Inspectors were
promoted to the grade of Deputy Superintendent, two in October and one
in January. They are on probation at present, one continuing in his
position as lecturer and laboratory assistant at Insein School, another
posted to Mandalay and the third to Sagaing.
Two Inspectors were sent on special duty, one to Yamethin and the
other to the Kyaukse District.
Two newly qualified graduates from the Bengal Veterinary College
were given appointments as Inspectors during the year. One was posted
to Toungoo and the other to Yamethin. The latter, however, has been
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1925.
13
placed on special duty in connection with cattle mortality and insurance
at the request of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies.
The Inspectors in Lower Burma visited 1,213 villages and attended
206 outbreaks. On an average each Inspector was 139.9 days on
tour.
In Upper Burma 2,093 villages were visited and 289 outbreaks
attended to by the Inspector, while 234.6 days were spent on tour by
each.
In the Southern Shan States the one Inspector in addition to his
duties at the Taunggyi School visited 11 villages, and attended four
outbreaks, and was out for three days.
16. Veterinary Assistants—Fourteen passed pupils were appointed
Veterinary Assistants during the year viz., eight to Lower Burma
and 6 to Upper Burma. One Assistant who had resigned during the
previous year memorialized to Government to be allowed to rejoin and
was reinstated in October.
There were four casualties during the year—three by deaths and one
by retirement—of the three who died two were ailing for a considerable
time previously and had taken leave on medical certificate ; the third
died at Moulmein while on duty.
The Assistant who retired was also on leave on medical certificate
and was obliged to take invalid pension after 16 years' service in the
Department.
In addition to Flying Column 8 Assistants were transferred as an
emergency measure to districts where contagious disease was prevalent,
from time to time during the year, viz. 7 to Upper and 1 to Lower
Burma.
The Assistants in Lower Burma visited 19,906 villages, and attended
1,078 outbreaks of contagious diseases, and were on tour for 189.6
days on an average.
In Upper Burma the Assistants visited 19,902 villages, attended 1,217
outbreaks and spent 208.9 days on tour on an average.
V.—GENERAL REMARKS.
17. Cattle disease.—In no district in particular has a serious mortality
from any of the contagious diseases been recorded during the year, and
the increase in the total deaths registered from these diseases is due to
their being generally spread all over the Province in an enzootic form.
This may be seen from the large number of districts in which inoculation
operations were carried out during the year.
The mortality graph of the Province indicates that the year under
review is one in which the quinquennial rise should ordinarily have been
observed, and it is a matter for congratulation that with this factor in
view, the mortality has not been excessive.
14
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPT., BURMA,
Some of the rise in the recorded figures is quite possibly due to the
greater interest which is being displayed by district officials in endeavour-
ing to obtain more correct figures than has hitherto been the case.
In many previous reports my predecessors have continually drawn
attention to the obviously incomplete and incorrect methods of recording
the deaths of animals both from Contagious and non-Contagious diseases.
The following table which has been compiled for the last four
quinquennial periods from figures returned from the districts makes this
even more emphatic.
Table showing average number of Cattle mortality from Contagious diseases—
deaths from other causes with percentage—since 1905 in
quinquennial
periods.
Quinquennial
period.
(1)
1905-09 ...
1910-14 ...
1915-19 ...
1920-24 ...
Average number of ani-
mals in the Province.
(2)
5,096,162
5,775,659
5,984,338
5,780,544
Reported average mor-
tality from Contagious
disease.
(3)
43,576
25,284
22,999
33,827
Percentage mortality
from Contagious disease.
(4)
.86
.44
.38
.59
Reported average mor-
tality from other causes.
(5)
82,256
84,927
88,607
77,156
Percentage average mor-
tality from other causes.
(6)
1.61
1.47
1.48
1.33
Total reported average
percentage mortality.
(7)
2.47
1.91
1.86
1.92
Average life of cattle in
years calculated on col.
7.
(8)
40.8
54.0
56.1
53.1
Average number of Hides
exported less those im-
ported.
(9)
790,324
806,150
668,950
485,121
Average mortality as
calculated in col. 9.
(10)
15.51
13.96
11.18
8.39
Difference
between col.
7 and col. 10.
(11)
13.04
12.05
9.32
6.47
It will be seen that, while making full allowances for slaughtered
cattle, the number of hides exported is far in excess of the deaths
recorded. I think it may be assumed that the figures regarding the
exportation of hides, which have been obtained from the Collector
of Customs are approximately correct.
Attention also is directed to column 8 which shows the average age
to which cattle would have lived if the statistics of the number of animals
in the province and the recorded deaths are correct, whereas those
in column 11 approach much more nearly what we know to be the
correct one.
The highest mortality recorded from Rinderpest during the year was
2,187 in the Thayetmyo District, from Anthrax 299 in Kyaukpyu, from
Foot-and-mouth disease 1,072 in the Mandalay District.
18. Segregation Rules.—From the point of view that ignorance and
apathy of the people in matters of sanitation, health and hygiene are
great, that old-rooted ideas are not got rid of easily, and progress and
reforms out in the East in such matters are but slow, one can safely say