NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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Messrs. A. K. Mitra and C. Venkataratnam Chetti continued to
bold charge of the Bellary and Vizagapatam Circles respect-
ively throughout the year. Mr. G. A. Ajwani, who was in
charge of the Madanapalle Circle from the beginning of the
year till 2nd July 1930, was posted to the Madras Veterinary
College as acting Lecturer in Pathology and Bacteriology in
the place of Mr. V. Krishnamurthi Ayyar and he continued
to hold this post till the end of the year.
5. Messrs. A. L. N. Somayajulu Pantulu, C. Suryanara-
yanamurthi and T. S. Alagappa Pillai, probationers in the
Madras Veterinary Service, continued to be in charge of the
Nellore, Rajahmundry and Calicut Circles, respectively,
throughout the year under report
Mr. K. S. Natesa Ayyar,
who was appointed to act as District Veterinary Officer, in
the Madras Veterinary Service, took charge of the Bezwada
Circle on 7th May 1930 and continued to hold it till the end
of the year.
6. During the year under report, the following officers
were confirmed in the Madras Veterinary Service with effect
from the date mentioned against each :—
(1) Mr. W. J. D'Costa, 24th May 1930.
(2)
„
(3) „
(4) „
A. K. Mitra, 4th October 1930.
C. Venkataratnam Chetti, 17th November
1930.
G. A. Ajwani, 10th December 1930.
(d) Madras Veterinary Subordinate Service.
7. The sanctioned cadre of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
on 31st March 1931 was 268 including the temporary post of
Assistant Lecturer in Animal Hygiene sanctioned for the Agri-
cultural College, Coimbatore, but only 261 were on rolls on
that date, the remaining seven posts being left unfilled for
want of qualified men. The manner in which these men were
employed during the year under report is shown in table VII.
Thirteen new Veterinary Assistant Surgeons were entertained
in the department during the year. One Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon died.
II.—EDUCATION.
Madras Veterinary College.
(a) Instruction.
8. In accordance with the recommendations of the Royal
Commission on Agriculture and with a view to raising the
standard of education, the question of the revision of the
4
curriculum of the Madras Veterinary College has for some
time been engaging attention. During the year under report,
Government issued orders sanctioning the scheme for the
introduction of the new curriculum and the appointment of
an additional staff of four lecturers borne on the cadre of
Madras Veterinary Service besides the necessary additional
equipment, etc. The first year course under the new curri-
culum was introduced with effect from 1st July 1930.
9. The period of study under the new curriculum remains
the same as hitherto, viz., three years, but the curriculum is
designed to provide a basic training in most of the essential
subjects pertaining to Veterinary Science and the subjects
have been redistributed among the three classes as shown in
the administration report of the Madras Veterinary College,
appended. An important feature in the new curriculum is
the prominence given to the study of cattle and the changes
introduced in the subjects of Comparative Anatomy, the ox
being taken as the standard instead of the horse.
10. The preliminary educational standard for admission
to the College under the new curriculum is S.S.L.C. with 45
per cent of the marks in English, but with a view to induce
young men with higher educational qualifications to join the
College, 14 of the 40 seats are reserved for Intermediates and
six for Science Graduates. On appointment to the depart-
ment, three years' seniority for pay will be given in the case
of Intermediates and five years' seniority in the case of
Science Graduates. These men are not, however, given sti-
pends as they will be started on a higher initial pay than the
ordinary S.S.L.C. holder.
11. There was an increase in the total number of students
undergoing the course at the Madras Veterinary College during
the year, 117 students being on the rolls on 31st March 1931
as against 109 of the previous year. Of these 117 students,
10 were paying students—5 from Mysore, 2 from Coorg, 1
from Pondicherry, 1 from Travancore, and 1 from Cochin.
12. The Committees appointed for the selection of candi-
dates for admission to the College met at Bezwada and
Madras on 28th June 1930 and 30th June 1930, respectively,
and selected 43 students in all for admission, the three students
selected in excess of the usual 40 being admitted as extra
non-stipendiaries.
13. The annual professional examinations of the College
were held as usual in March 1931 by an Examining Board con-
stituted for the purpose. Out of the 32 students who appeared
5
for the final year examination, 27 students were successful and
were awarded diploma. The Board of Examiners considered
the results satisfactory.
14. The Refresher course was as usual held at the Madras
Veterinary College for a period of six months from July to
December 1930. Six Veterinary Assistant Surgeons from this
department, one from the Corporation of Madras and one from
the Pudukottai State attended the course. An examination
was held at the end of the course.
(b) Hospital.
15. The Veterinary Hospital attached to the Madras
Veterinary College continued to show satisfactory progress.
There was an increase in the total number of admissions
during the year as compared with the previous year, the figures
for the two years 1930-31 and 1929-30 being 3,794 and
3,558, respectively, but there has been a perceptible fall in
the hospital receipts from Rs. 6,633-13-6 in the previous
year to Rs. 4,875-12-6 in the year under report. This fall
is attributed to the free treatment afforded to animals, the
owners of which are in receipt of an income of less than
Rs. 200 per mensem under the revised rules introduced in the
year 1928.
16. The branch Veterinary Dispensary for out-patients at
Royapuram made rapid progress during the year under report
and is increasing in popularity. The total number of admis-
sions in this institution during the year was 2,125 as against
1,309 of the previous year. The daily average attendance also
increased from 23.00 in 1929-30 to 31.3 during 1930-31
Thirteen canines for observation for rabies and 15 animals of
various species were sent from this dispensary to the Madras
Veterinary College for major operations or treatment.
(c) Laboratory.
17. The laboratory attached to the Madras Veterinary
College continued to work satisfactorily. The number of
specimens received and examined in both the Pathological and
Parasitological sections of the laboratory during the year was
4,765. This number does not, however, include the specimens
examined in connexion with the items of research work and
those received from the Rinderpest virus production camp and
is, therefore, not comparable with the last year's figures.
Details of the work done in the different sections of the labora-
tory are given in section IV of the administration report of
the Madras Veterinary College.
6
18. Rinderpest virus production was continued in the
Pathological section of the laboratory and 380, 575 c.cs. of
virus were prepared during the year as against 467,675 c.cs.
in the previous year, the demand for virus during the year
under report being less than that of the previous year.
III.—RESEARCH.
19. Several items of research work were conducted at
the Madras Veterinary College during the year under report
and they are explained in detail in section VI of the report of
the Madras Veterinary College. The new pieces of research
commenced and which were in progress during the year were—
(1) Transmission experiments in Sarcoma and Carci-
noma.
(2) Trematode cercariae.
IV.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
20. There has been an appreciable decrease in the
mortality of cattle from contagious diseases during the year,
the total number of deaths reported being 99,890 as against
158,523 of the previous year. Though this year's figures are
encouraging when compared with the figures of the last two
years, still there has been heavy mortality in some of the dis-
tricts, those which suffered most being Guntur, Ganjam,
Kistna and North Arcot. As in the past, Rinderpest has been
responsible for more than 50 per cent of the total mortality
from contagious diseases.
21. The total number of reports of contagious diseases
received and attended to by the staff was 5,664 and 4,726,
respectively, as against 7,534 and 5,960, respectively of the
previous year. Eighty-six reports were made by the staff
against village officers for slackness in reporting outbreaks of
contagious diseases or for irregular maintenance of mortality
registers.
22. Most of the municipalities which adopted the by-laws
relating to the control of animal diseases and the maintenance
of cattle mortality registers, continued to work the by-laws
satisfactorily and reported outbreaks and mortality promptly.
23. Rinderpest.—There is a noticeable fall in the number
of deaths reported from this disease during the year, the
figures for the two years 1930-31 and 1929-30 being 59,323
and 106,046, respectively. The incidence of this disease in
the Presidency as a whole, may be said to have been milder
during the year in comparison with the previous two years,
With the exception of Guntur, North Arcot, Kistna, Tanjore,
Malabar, Kurnool and Ganjam districts, serious outbreaks and
heavy mortality have not been experienced elsewhere. Gun-
tur district suffered most from this disease, the number of
deaths there being 9,405.
24. The number of outbreaks in which inoculations were
undertaken during the year was 1,452 as against 1,814 in the
previous year. The total number of inoculations performed
against Rinderpest by the serum simultaneous method and
serum alone method was 147,880 and 1,136 respectively as
compared with 169,836 and 13,224 of the previous year. The
fall is due to the lesser number of outbreaks reported during
the year and also to the irregular supply of serum from Muk-
tesar for a period of about five months.
25. In connexion with the proposal for the establishment
of a serum institute in this Presidency, Government sanc-
tioned during the year the conduct of certain experiments in
serum manufacture at the Madras Veterinary College with a
view to finding out whether potent serum can be manufactured
in or near Madras in the hot as well as cold months and to
determine the range of potency of the serum. The work of
producing serum under the experimental scheme was started
on 1st January 1931 and up to the end of the year, a total
quantity of 43,500 c.cs. of both hot and cold weather serum,
sufficient to immunize by the serum simultaneous method
about 1,200 head of cattle was prepared and issued to the
staff after laboratory test, for use in the districts. The reports
so far received on the results of the use of this serum
indicate that the serum has stood the test under ordinary field
conditions.
26. Anthrax.—There has been a perceptible decrease in
the mortality from this disease. The number of deaths re-
ported was 4,983 as against 8,329 during the previous year.
One hundred and forty-eight animals were inoculated with
anti-serum as against 515 animals of the previous year.
The districts largely affected were Nellore and Ganjam.
27. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—This disease also shows
a fall in the number of deaths reported during the year, the
figures for the two years 1930-31 and 1929-30 being 7,104
and 7,516, respectively. Eight thousand and seventy-eight
serum inoculations were performed against this disease as
against 6,670 of the previous year.
28. Black-quarter.—There was an increased mortality from
this disease, the number of deaths reported during 1930-31
and 1929-30 being 8,416 and 6,755, respectively. As against
1A
8
6,342 of the previous year, 18,605 animals were inoculated
against this disease during the year under report, as follows :—
Serum alone, 14,530; Aggressin alone, 773 and Sero-aggres-
sin, 3,302.
29. Foot-and-mouth disease.—The mortality from this
disease was considerably less than in the previous year, the
figures being 1,828 during the year under report and 5,354 in
the previous year. The treatment of this disease by Chemo-
therapy was tried on about 140 animals with satisfactory
results in several cases.
30. Bovine Lymphangitis.—About 50 cases of Bovine
Lymphangitis were confirmed microscopically and were treated
with vaccine prepared at the Madras Veterinary College.
31. Glanders.-—There was an outbreak of Glanders among
ponies in Pennaipuram village, Periyakulam taluk of the
Madura district. Thirty-two ponies were tested with Mallein
of which four proved positive, eight doubtful and the rest
negative for glanders. The four confirmed cases were
destroyed under the Glanders and Farcy Act.
32. Nasal Granuloma.—Ninety-four cases of this disease
were met with during the year and most of these were treated
successfully.
33. Piroplasmosis.—This disease was confirmed in about
43 animals.
34. Trypanosomiasis.—Nineteen
cases were confirmed
during the year for this disease. Of these, eight were destroyed
under the Glanders and Farcy Act.
35. Strangles.—There were outbreaks of this disease
among jutka ponies in several places in the Presidency.
36. Kumri.—Nine cases were diagnosed.
37. Coccidiosis.—The number of cases detected was 26.
38. Rabies.—This disease was confirmed in 175 animals.
Confirmation was not sought for in 71 cases. Eighty-six ani-
mals were given anti-rabic treatment in the several veterinary
institutions in the Presidency.
39. Poultry diseases.—There were outbreaks of fowl
cholera in certain places in the districts of Godavari, Kistna,
Coimbatore, Madura and Tinnevelly and 27 fowls were pro-
tected with fowl cholera vaccine.
40. There were also outbreaks of Pseudo-fowl-pest in the
districts of Malabar, Salem, North Arcot, Chingleput, Madura,
Tinnevelly and East Godavari. The disease prevailed through-
out the year at Kodaikanal. Three hundred and sixteen
Plate
No.
2.—A
CASE
OF
BOVINE
LYMPHANGITIS
9
fowls were protected with vaccine prepared at the Madras
Veterinary College. In addition to these, 88 country fowls
were treated at the Veterinary Dispensary, Kodaikanal, with
a vaccine prepared by Dr. Turkud of Kodaikanal, and it is
reported that 56 of them were successfully protected.
41. Further study on the incidence of this disease was
undertaken by M.R.Ry. K. Kailasam Ayyar during the year.
Details of the experiments conducted and observations made
by him are recorded in section VI of the Administration re-
port of the Madras Veterinary College.
42. Contagious abortion.—Cases of contagious abortion
continued to occur in the Cattle Farms at Chintaladevi and
Hosur. Agglutination tests conducted at the Madras Veteri-
nary College laboratory with the sera of a few suspected cases
did not, however, give positive reaction to B. abortus (bang).
43. Sheep-pox.—Outbreaks of this disease were reported
from some districts and were attended to.
44. Other contagious diseases.—Reports of other conta-
gious diseases were as follows :—
Tuberculosis.—One.
Demodectic Mange.—Six.
Sarcoptic Mange.—Seven.
Actinomycosis.—Three.
Distemper. —Two.
V.—HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
45. The total number of veterinary institutions at the
end of the year was 118, including those attached to the
Madras Veterinary College and the Cattle Farms at Coimba-
tore, Hosur and Chintaladevi but excluding the private insti-
tutions at Parlakimedi, Vizianagram, Pithapuram and Veera-
keralampudur. Seven new dispensaries were opened during
the year at Chidambaram, Tanuku, Mannargudi, Uyyur, Sri-
villiputtur, Razole and Kollegal.
46. Permanent hospital buildings were completed at
Negapatam during the year and the dispensary there was
moved into the new buildings on 16th December 1930.
47. The total number of in and out-patients treated in
the several veterinary institutions in the Presidency was
168,270 as against 149,235 of the previous year. There was
a fall in the number of cases supplied with medicine but not
brought to institutions, the figures for the two years 1930-31
and 1929-30 being 7,783 and 8,381, respectively.
2
10
48. The work done at the following institutions is com-
mendable :—
Name of the institution.
Madras Veterinary College Hospital
Veterinary Hospital, Trichinopoly
„
Coimbatore
Veterinary Dispensary, Conjeeveram
„
Hospital, Salem . .
„
„
Rajahmundry
„
Dispensary, Madura City
„
Hospital, Calient . .
„
Dispensary, Bezwada
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
Number of
admissions.
3,794
4,078
3,710
2,961
2,866
2,856
2,788
2,614
2,558
VI.—ITINERATING STAFF.
49. The number of touring posts was increased from 91
to 97 during the year by the creation of six new posts with
headquarters at Nanguneri, Tiruvarur, Conjeeveram, Tirup-
pattur, Perintalmanna and Bobbili. Some of these billets
were vacant during the year for want of staff. The head-
quarters of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, Musiri
and Villupuram, were changed during the year to Kulittalai
and Tindivanam, respectively. The headquarters of the
Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Russellkonda Agency,
who was stationed at Russellkonda and attached to the Spe-
cial Assistant Agent, were also changed to Gumsur-Udaya-
giri, a place in the Agency proper.
50. The total number of cases treated by the itinerating
staff was 56,541 as against 54,420 of the previous year. Of
these, 22,545 were contagious and 33,996 non-contagious.
VII.—CASTRATIONS.
51. The number of castrations performed by the staff was
almost double the number performed in the previous year,
the figures for the two years being 23,487 and 12,742. This
number is due to the increasing popularity of the Burdizzo
method of castration. The largest number of castrations
performed was in the districts of East Godavari and Ganjam.
VIII.—MISCELLANEOUS
.
52. Criminal poisoning.—The Chemical Examiner to Gov-
ernment examined the viscera, excreta, etc., of 112 animals
during the year and poison was detected in 36 cases. Twelve
cases were prosecuted, resulting in five convictions and six
Plate No. 3.—CASTRATION BY BURDIZZO METHOD—A DEMONSTRATION
11
acquittals. The remaining case was pending trial on 31st
March 1931. One hundred and seventy-two animals were
examined by the staff of the department for malicious injury
and the necessary certificates were issued to the Police.
53. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—
The provisions of the Act for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals were extended to the towns of Hospet, Anantapur,
Cuddapah, Proddatur, Chicacole and Russellkonda during
the year, and the veterinary institutions at these places were
declared as infirmaries under the Act. The total number of
convictions obtained under the Act in the Presidency, exclud-
ing Madras City, was 8,421 as against 8,466 of the previous
year. Out of the total number of convictions, 1,338 cases
were remanded to the veterinary institutions declared as
infirmaries for treatment.
54. Forest livestock.—The condition of the Forest live-
stock continued to be generally satisfactory during the year.
No contagious diseases of any kind was prevalent in any of the
Forest divisions.
55. Meat inspection.—Several municipalities and union
boards availed themselves of the services of the local Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeons for meat inspection work, while a
few continued to employ whole-time assistants for this work.
The Cannanore Municipality and the Ariyalur Union Board
ceased to utilize the services of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
in charge of the veterinary dispensaries at these places for
meat inspection work during the year.
56. Lethal chambers.—Most of the lethal chambers for the
destruction of stray dogs maintained by the local boards and
municipalities in the Presidency were periodically inspected
by the staff of this department. Some were reported to be
working satisfactorily, while certain others have stopped work
owing to defective construction or disorders.
57. The type-design for an electrocutor for the destruc-
tion of dogs to which a reference was made in. last year's
report was prepared during the year by the Sanitary Engineer
to Government and it is now under the consideration of
Government and the Public Health Board.
58. Propaganda.—As in previous years, the department
participated in the Health and Baby Week Shows and exhibited
various items of popular and scientific interest. Advantage
was also taken of cattle fairs and exhibitions to conduct
magic lantern demonstrations and popular lectures. Leaflets
12
published by this department on some of the important
diseases of animals were distributed free to the ryots.
59. Besides four sets of 200 magic lantern slides each
prepared for use in the districts. Two hundred and forty-one
slides and captions and 100 prints were prepared during the
year at the Madras Veterinary College for propaganda purposes.
60. Although it was not always practicable, advantage
was taken of the presence of motor vans of the Agricultural
Department by the District Veterinary Officers for propaganda
work on Veterinary matters in collaboration with the Agri-
cultural officers. In November 1930, one of the motor units
of the Agricultural Department was temporarily placed at the
disposal of this department for two months exclusively for
propaganda work on Veterinary matters and this was carried
out in the Vizagapatam district with satisfactory results.
61. Fairs and shows.—The Cattle and Pony Show at
Tiruppur, Coimbatore district, was not held during the year,
nor was the Pony Fair at Thadicombi. Many annual and
weekly cattle fairs conducted during the year were attended
by the staff of the department. In certain places where the
Cattle Diseases Act was enforced owing to the prevalence of
Rinderpest, the staff, as usual, conducted compulsory inocula-
tions by the ' Serum Alone ' method, but the number of such
inoculations carried out during the year was comparatively
small. Some of the cattle fairs were temporarily closed on
account of rinderpest.
62. Horse-breeding.—The stallion purchased by the Dis-
trict Board, Coimbatore, and referred to in the previous year's
report, was stationed at the Veterinary Dispensary, Pollachi,
for two months, at the Veterinary Dispensary, Nathakadayur,
for six months and at the Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, for
four months during the year under report and performed in
all 20 services. At the close of the year, Government sanc-
tioned the payment to the District Board, Coimbatore, of an
annual grant of Rs. 500 towards the maintenance of this
stallion.
63. Visiting Committees.—The Visiting Committees attach-
ed to certain veterinary institutions continued to function satis-
factorily and rendered valuable help in regard to the working
of the institutions concerned.
64. Levy of fees in veterinary institutions.—The new
scale of fees tentatively sanctioned in G.O. Ms. No. 1546,
Development, dated 14th September 1928, continued to be