NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
65
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE VI
CIRCLE, CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT,
MADURA, FOR THE YEAR 1928-29.
I.—A DMINISTRATION.
Trichinopoly, Madura, Ramnad and Tinnevelly districts
form the jurisdiction of the VI Circle. 1 held charge of the
circle throughout the year. I was on tour for 166 days, in-
spected all the veterinary institutions twice during the year—
once in detail and once in non-detail—except the veterinary
dispensary at Madura City which was inspected only once being
opened in the latter part of the year, and attended the annual
cattle fairs at Samayapuram, Kalugumalai, and Madura. All
the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons were inspected by
me twice during the year except the office of the Touring Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeon, Sivaganga, which was kept vacant
throughout the year. I have also inspected the Government
Livestock at Koilpatti in the course of my inspection of the
Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Koilpatti, and found all
of them healthy.
2. Sites and buildings for the opening of new dispensaries.—
During the year under report I selected one private building
at Madura for the location of the veterinary dispensary. I
also selected a municipal site at Bodinayakanur for the con-
struction of permanent buildings for the location of veterinary
dispensary at Bodinayakanur. The Municipal Council at
Bodinayakanur has promised to construct a building and hand
it over to this department. It has been proposed to convert
the present veterinary dispensary at Kodaikanal into a pucca
hospital and the Collector of Madura district has been addressed
to hand over to this department the adjoining site belonging to
Government. During the recent inspection of this office by the
Director of Veterinary Services, Madras (November last), a
Government site has been selected for the construction of
permanent buildings for the newly opened veterinary dispen-
sary in the town of Madura and the Collector has been addressed
in the matter. It has been proposed to convert the present
veterinary dispensary at Tuticorin into a hospital and two sites
belonging to Government have been selected for the construc-
tion of permanent buildings at Tuticorin.
66
3. During the year under report 21,133 animals were
protected by serum simultaneous method of inoculation against
rinderpest. Of these, two animals belonged to the District Jail,
Madura, six to the Kallar Agricultural Farm, Usilampatti, and
147 to the Trichinopoly Municipality, and the rest namely
20,978 animals belonged to the ryots. The virus for inoculation
was obtained from Madras, Bangalore and Muktesar. Local
virus was also used in some places. I have also attended some
outbreak reports of rinderpest in Tinnevelly and Madura
districts along with the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
concerned. While at headquarters I was able to attend the
Veterinary Hospital, Madura (Thallakulam), only for four times
and the Veterinary Dispensary, Madura City, on all days I
halted at headquarters and rendered professional aid to the
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons.
II.—EXECUTIVE STAFF.
4. The total number of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in
this circle at the close of the year was 30,18 in charge of
Veterinary Institutions including the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Hospital, Veerakeralam-
pudur, and the second Veterinary Assistant Surgeon attached to
the Veterinary Hospital, Trichinopoly, and 12 in charge of
Touring Billets. There were no casualties during the year nor
were there any leave reserve hands.
(a) Hospitals and Dispensaries,
5. One new dispensary was opened at Madura City and the
total number of institutions including the new one was 17 at the
end of the year.
6. The Veterinary Hospital at Veerakeralampudur continued
to be under the management of the Uthumalai Estate. The
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge of veterinary dispen-
saries at Karur, Ariyalur, Periyakulam, Sivakasi and Ramnad
had touring work. But at the close of the year the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons in charge of the veterinary dispensaries,
Karur and Ariyalur, were exempted from touring work and
Karur and Ariyalur taluks were amalgamated with Musiri and
Ariyalur divisions, respectively. The portion of the touring
work done by the above surgeons has been shown under the
itinerating staff.
7. The number of patients treated at the various institutions
of this circle during the year under report was 22,213 as
against 18,860 of the previous year. The number of cases
supplied with medicine but not brought to the institution is 665
as against 362 of the previous year.
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8. Five hundred and forty castrations have been performed
during the year under report as against 407 of the previous
year. Out of the 540 castrations 222 were performed by the
Burdizzo castrator.
9. There was an increase in the number of admissions,
castrations and daily average in the veterinary institutions at
Tinnevelly, Veerakeralampudur, Ramnad, Sivaganga, Kodai-
kaual and Karur as compared with the previous year. An
increase in the admission and daily average but a slight fall in
castrations are observed in the veterinary institutions at
Trichinopoly, Devakotta, Virudhunagar and Tuticorin. The
decrease in the number of admissions, daily average and castra-
tions in the Veterinary Dispensary, Rajapalaiyam, and Veterinary
Hospital, Madura, was very perceptible when compared with the
figures of the previous year. In the former, the fall is attributed
to the fact that the animals were taken to the hills for grazing
on account of the failure of monsoon, in the latter the decrease
is said to be due to the opening of a branch veterinary dispen-
sary in the centre of Madura City and also to the S.P.C.A. cases
not being remanded to the infirmary for treatment during the
year under report. The work in the Veterinary Institutions at
Sivakasi, Periyakulam, Ariyalur and Madura City could not be
compared as the former three were opened in the latter part of
the previous year and the latter was opened on the 10th
December 1928.
10. The Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge of the
Veterinary Dispensary, Virudhunagar, has been attending to the
animals of the Government Agricultural Farm at Koilpatti
whenever there was a call for him from the Farm.
11. A temporary waiting shed and an operation shed have
been constructed at the Veterinary Dispensary, Madura City,
during the year under report. A small platform for dressing
small animals has been put up at the Veterinary Hospital,
Madura. Temporary sheds for S.P.C.A. cases have been
constructed at the Veterinary Institutions at Devakotta, Ramnad
and Rajapalaiyam.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, P. S. Kuppuswami Ayyar,
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
K. Rajaratnam Pillai,
K. R. Lakshminarayana
Ayyar,
S. Vaithianatha Mudaliyar,
G. Avoodanayagam Pillai,
and
P. K Devanayakam Pillai
deserve special mention for doing good work.
68
(b) Itinerating Staff.
12. There were twelve touring billets sanctioned for this
circle and no new touring billets were opened during the year.
13. The touring billet of Sivaganga division remained closed
throughout the year owing to paucity of hands. The touring
billet of Ambasamudram division was kept vacant for about
6½ months on account of the permanent incumbent being posted
to be in charge of the veterinary dispensaries at Sivakasi and
Virudhunagar. Ariyalur division was also closed for a period
of five months duo to the permanent incumbent being transferred
elsewhere. The other Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
were attending to the outbreak reports of the above divisions in
addition to their own whenever occasion arose.
14. A comparative statement of the work done by the
touring staff during 1927-28 and 1928-29 is given below:—
Year.
1927-28 .. .. ..
1928-29
..
..
..
Inoculations.
21,693
27,949
Contagious
cases treated.
1,821
3,614
Non-contagious
cases treated.
4,249
2,838
Castrations.
716
245
15. From the above details it can be observed that there is
an appreciable increase in the number of inoculations performed
and contagious cases treated and a decrease in the non-contagious
cases treated and castrations performed. The increase was due
to the prevalence of contagious diseases especially rinderpest in
a very severe form in this circle; and the decrease is due to the
fact that there were a number of outbreak reports to attend to
and also to the fact that the assistant surgeons were solely
engaged in serum simultaneous inoculation camps.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, R. Krishnamurthi,
Do.
Do.
T. Sivagaminatha Mudali-
yar, and
S. Ramanarayana Ayyar
deserve special mention for their enthusiasm in conducting serum
simultaneous inoculations in different running camps.
69
III.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
16. A tabular statement showing the number of outbreak
reports received and attended by the itinerating staff this year
and the previous year is appended below:—
Disease.
Rinderpest
..
..
..
..
Anthrax
..
..
..
..
Blackquarter .. .. ..
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia ..
Foot and mouth
..
..
..
Ephemeral fever
..
..
..
Spirochætosis .. .. ..
Fowl cholera .. .. ..
Nasal Granuloma
..
..
..
Contagious abortion
..
..
Others
..
..
..
..
1927-28.
Received.
152
30
61
21
29
1
..
..
..
..
1
Attended.
118
25
54
19
23
1
..
..
..
..
1
1928-29.
Received.
669
15
34
30
30
1
1
1
2
1
5
Attended.
563
13
23
21
21
1
1
1
2
1
1
17. Rinderpest.—Six hundred, and sixty-nine reports were
received by the staff during the year as against 152 of the
previous year. Of these 568 reports were attended to, 50
reports were pending, and the remaining 56 reports were lodged
for want of time or progress reports. The disease was very
virulent in Madura and Trichinopoly districts, moderately severe
in Tinnevelly district and Srivilliputtur division of Ramnad
district and mild elsewhere.
18. The source of infection was traced to Travancore border
where sufficient efforts were not undertaken to combat the
disease at the very source. The movement of cattle from
Mysore State and Salem districts to the several annual cattle
fairs in this circle seems also to be responsible for the spread
of the disease.
19. Twenty-one thousand one hundred and thirty-three
inoculations by serum simultaneous method and 6,354 by serum
alone method were performed against rinderpest. The following
table shows the results among the animals inoculated by serum
simultaneous method:—
Number of animals
inoculated
by
serum simultaneous
method.
21,133
Death due to reactors
within four days
of inoculation.
..
Death due to reactors
within 4th and
7th day of inocu-
lation.
4
Death due to reactors
within the 7th and
14th day of inocu-
lation.
6
Death after 14 days
of inoculation.
19
Total number of
deaths.
29
Remarks.
70
There have been in all 29 deaths among the animals
inoculated by serum simultaneous method. Of the 19 animals
in column 5, two animals inoculated with virus containing
Theileria Mutans died of natural causes, one died of Tympanitis,
five died of Piroplasmosis and 11 died of Rinderpest. Out of
the 11 animals that died of Rinderpest—
Three died one month after inoculation.
Two died two months
One died three months
Four died four months
One died ten months
„
„
„
„
The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons were not able to give
Trypan blue injection to the animals that died of. piroplasmosis
since they were not called upon to treat the animals while they
were actually suffering.
20. People have begun to realize the efficacy of serum
simultaneous inoculations in preference to serum alone method
and the department was not able to cope with the demand
owing to the shortage of serum.
21. The provisions of the Cattle Diseases Act of 1866 were
enforced in the following places:—
The Act was in force in Nilakottai and Uttamapalaiyam
taluks of Madura district throughout the year and for three
months from 23rd April 1928 in Palni taluk of Madura district.
In Perambalur and Kulittalai taluks of Trichinopoly
district the Act was in force from the middle of August 1928 to
January 1929.
For six months from the middle of March 1928 the Act
was in force in the whole of Tinnevelly district. Hospital
pounds at Kalakad, Panagudi and Tirukkarankudi which were
opened on 23rd February, 29th February and 6th March 1928
respectively for the isolation of sick animals were closed in the
middle of May 1928.
22. Blackquar fer.—Thirty-four reports were received of
which 23 were attended to. In 11 reports the disease subsided.
The disease was severe in Periyakulam division and moderately
severe in Palni division. Three hundred and ninety-five serum
alone method of inoculations against blackquart or were conducted
in Periyakulam and Palni divisions.
23. Anthrax.—Fifteen reports were received under this
head of which 13 were attended to and in three the disease
subsided. In one outbreak of Periyakulam division the disease
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was severe and in the rest it was sporadic and mild. Two
hundred and sixty-nine serum-alone method of inoculations
against anthrax were carried out in Periyakulam division.
24. Foot and mouth.—The total number of reports received
was 30. Only 21 reports were attended to, three were lodged
after sending written instructions as to the method of treatment
to be followed and in others the disease subsided.
25. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Thirty outbreaks were
reported under this head. Twenty-one were attended to and in
nine progress reports showed subsidence of the disease. No
inoculations were carried out against this disease.
26. Ephemeral fever.—One report was received from
Trichinopoly district and the same was attended to.
27. Spirochetosis.—An outbreak of spirochætosis among
fowls in Musiri division of Trichinopoly district was received
and the same was attended to.
28. Nasal granuloma.—In Tinnevelly and Trichinopoly
districts two reports under this head were received and the
affected cases were successfully treated with Antimonium
Tartarate injection.
29. Fowl cholera.—A severe outbreak of this disease had
broken out at Kodaikanal. Necessary preventive measures
were adopted.
30. Contagious abortion.—An outbreak of contagious abor-
tion was met with at Thevaram of Uttamapalaiyam taluk and the
serological test at the Madras Veterinary College proved positive.
31. Others.—Five reports of other contagious diseases were
received by the staff and one was attended to and the same was
found to be of a non-contagious nature.
32. Rabies.—Twenty-two brains of dogs suspected for rabies
were sent to Coonoor Institute for microscopical examination of
which 21 proved positive and one inconclusive. Besides the
above 13 dogs and two other animals were suspected for rabies
but no confirmation was sought for. Ten dogs were given anti-
rabic treatment—two in Trichinopoly, four in Kodaikanal and
four in Madura hospital.
33. Kumri.—One case was diagnosed as such at Tuticorin
during the year.
IV.—MISCELLANEOUS.
34. Criminal poisoning.—Four certificates were issued under
this head. Two post-mortem examinations were conducted on
two animals suspected for criminal poisoning. Arsenic was
10
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detected by the Chemical Examiner in one case and no arsenic
was found in the other. The result in the former was not
communicated and the latter case was thrown out. In one of
the other two cases the animal was cured and discharged and
the matter reported to the police and the second case, namely,
an attempt to poison, ended in conviction.
35. Malicious injury.—Eighteen wound certificates were
issued and ten post-mortems were conducted. Of these six
ended in conviction, seven were pending trial, one was com-
pounded and the result in the rest not communicated.
36. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge of veterinary institu-
tions issued 299 certificates of which 62 were remanded to the
infirmaries after conviction.
37. Bacteriological work.—The staff in this circle submitted
86 specimens to the Principal, Madras Veterinary College, for
examination. Of these 32 proved positive, 51 negative, one
inconclusive and the result in two not communicated yet. In
addition, 127 specimens were examined at the headquarter
hospitals at Trichinopoly, Madura and Tinnevelly. Out of the
127 specimens 43 proved positive and 84 negative.
V.—MUNICIPAL.
38. Monthly cattle mortality statement.—The municipalities at
Palamcottah, Tinnevelly, Virudhunagar, Sivakasi, Periyakulam,
Bodinayakkanur, Madura, Dindigul, Palni and Kodaikanal
adopted by-laws relating to the control of contagious diseases in
animals. They maintained cattle mortality registers and for-
warded monthly cattle mortality statements to the Circle office.
They are also very prompt in reporting outbreaks of contagious
diseases in their jurisdictions to the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons concerned. The municipalities may be entrusted
with the work of reporting outbreaks.
39. Meat inspection work.—The municipalities at Trichino-
poloy, Dindigul, Kodaikanal, Tinnevelly and Tuticorin and the
union boards at Rajapalaiyam, Devakottai and Ariyalur
utilized the services of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge
of veterinary institutions for meat inspection work.
40. Lethal chamber.—The lethal chamber maintained by the
Municipal Council at Kodaikanal is actually in use and the
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge of the veterinary
dispensary, Kodaikanal, is deputed to perform the periodical
inspection of the same once in three months. No other lethal
chamber is functioning in this circle.
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41. Fairs.—Eighteen annual cattle fairs and eight weekly
cattle fairs were attended to by the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons in this circle during the year under report. One
pony fair held at Thadicombai was attended to by the Touring
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Palni.
42. Cases of unusual interest.—(i) In a case of breach
presentation of a pregnant cow at the veterinary hospital,
Trichinopoly, the calf was removed by Caesarian section. The
cow made a splendid recovery and is quite all right even now.
(ii) Half a dozen bovines were treated for fits at the
veterinary dispensary, Ariyalur, with morphine and atrophine
sulph given subcutaneously. The result was that these animals
never got the disease afterwards.
(iii) Epulis or gum tumour about the size of an orange
was found on the left side of the lower palate and the same was
operated upon and removed at the veterinary dispensary,
Periyakulam. Generally, epulis has its common seat in the lower
jaw between the molars. In this case, however, it was confined
to the gum between the incisors. Hence it is a matter worthy
of note.
(iv) Six cases of bovine lymphangitis were treated with
vaccine successfully—three at Periyakulam and three at Raja-
palaiyam veterinary dispensary.
(v) Fowl cholera had broken out in a severe form at
Kodaikanal. There was a large number of deaths among fowls
and the treatment of affected ones was not very encouraging.
It was decided to obtain vaccine from Haffkine Institute, Parel,
Bombay, at a cost of eight annas per dose. Eighty fowls were
thus protected and all of them are quite all right. But it took
some time to get the vaccine from Bombay. In the meanwhile
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, S. Vaithinatha Mudaliyar, wanted
to prepare a vaccine for the benefit of those who could not
afford to pay for the Parel vaccine. Under instructions from
Dr. D. A. Turkhud, (retired) Director, King Institute, Gruindy,
a vaccine was prepared by emulsifying fresh liver tissue taken
from a bird suffering from the disease on strict aseptic
precautions with sterile normal saline solution and sterilizing
it at 60 degrees centigrade for half an hour for three consecutive
days. This was tried on a few country fowls with variable
amount of success. This appeared to have no effect on fowls
that were in an infected pen, while birds in a clean area were
successfully protected. There was not much scope to try this
in a large scale owing to the disease having subsided and also
owing to the unwillingness of the owners for this kind of vacci-
nation when there was no disease.
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(vi) In a few oases of Agalactia in cows, one per cent
solution of Trypan blue in doses of 80 to 100 c.c. were
injected intravenously by Veterinary Assistant Surgeon S. Vai-
thianatha Mudaliyar. The results so far obtained are not
quite encouraging. No definite conclusions can be arrived at
now with regard to the efficacy of this drug in stimulating
milk secretion.
VI.—GENERAL.
48. Propaganda.—A great amount of attention was paid to
this subject. The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons of Madura
Town participated in the Health and Baby Exhibition held in
February 1929. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon J. D. David
made use of the lantern in showing exhibits of scientific interest.
The booth consisted of charts, specimens, etc., depicting import-
ant cattle diseases and diseases communicable from animals to
man.
44. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon V. P. Subbiah attended
the Health and Baby Week at Tuticorin and delivered a lecture
on Bovine Tuberculosis and milk. The Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon in charge of the veterinary dispensaries at Karur and
Ariyalur attended the ryots' conference held in their respective
places and various departmental leaflets were explained and
distributed among the ryots. The benefits of the serum simul-
taneous inoculation were also explained to them.
45. Research.—One fixed camp was run at Padalayarkulam
of Nanguneri taluk, Tinnevelly district, in which virus con-
taining Theileria Mutans was used in the serum simultaneous
inoculation of 28 country bred cattle and no untoward results
were noticed among the inoculated ones. This virus was used
not only at the fixed camp at Padalayarkulam but also virus
drawn from a control at Padalayarkulam was used in a
running camp at Balasamudram of Palni taluk, Madura
district. In the course of microscopical examination of 50
smears taken from different uninoculated animals in the same
village, I was able to find Theileria Mutans in 89 smears. This
clearly shows that the cattle in those parts had passed through
the attack of Theileria and they did not suffer any disability
thereby. Prom the above observations, it was found that virus
containing Theileria Mutans could with safety be used in the
serum simultaneous inoculations of country bred cattle.
46. Some important recommendations of the Royal Commission
on Agriculture, given effect to in this circle:—In the interest of
cattle owners the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons advised them