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RESOLUTION
ON THE
Report of the Veterinary Department, Burma (including
the Insein Veterinary College)
For the Year ended the 31st March 1930.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Burma, Agricultural Department
(Ministry of Forests),—No. 313O, dated the 4th April 1931.
READ —
(i) The Report of the Director of Veterinary Services, Burma (including the
Insein Veterinary College), Burma, for the year ended the 31st March
1930.
(ii) The Review of the Report by the Financial Commissioner (Transferred
Subjects), Burma, contained in his Secretary's letter No. 116—IV-30,
dated the 6th March 1931.
RESOLUTION.—The year 1929-30 marks the opening of a new era in
the Veterinary Department in Burma.
Additional staff has been
recruited, and Mr. Mitchell's careful survey of the problems which
confront the Department shows that he and his officers are fully
alive to the needs of the situation.
The technical work may safely be left in their hands, but in the
opinion of Government, a great deal more propaganda must be under-
taken to popularise the use of prophylaxis, and to secure the co-operation
of the public in enforcing segregation and other restrictive measures.
For this purpose, the Ministry will have prepared pamphlets in
English and Burmese, and possibly in Indian vernaculars, and with the
assistance of administrative officers and officers of the Agricultural as
well as of the Veterinary Department will endeavour to disseminate
an elementary knowledge of Veterinary lore in rural areas. The
existing rules and orders on Veterinary subjects will also be re-examined
to see if they can be made more effective.
Government has noted the importance of control over cattle disease
at ports of entry into Burma.
Government has also noted the dangers attendant on the continued
freedom from restriction of large herds of cattle in the suburbs of
Rangoon. This is an acute phase of a problem which exists in
( 2 )
practically every town in Burma, but now that the fact is demonstrated
that disease has been imported through Rangoon, and has spread
through the agency of these herds, the question assumes especial
importance for this particular area. Another problem which will require
early consideration is the concentration of control over Epizootic
disease, at present divided among the Veterinary Department, the Civil
Department and Local Authorities. Relations amongst these different
controlling authorities have always been cordial, but it may be found on
examination that better results could be obtained by more centralisation.
The question is at present engaging the attention of the Ministry.
In conclusion, His Excellency the Governor, acting with his
Ministers desires to record his thanks to Mr. Mitchell and the officers
of the Department for the energy and enthusiasm with which they
have tackled their work in the past year. He desires also to take this
opportunity to convey to Mr. McKerral his special thanks for the
efficient manner in which he has, during the past four years, combined
the duties of head of the Veterinary Department with those of his
own appointment. The preliminary work done by Mr. McKerral
during his incumbency of the post laid the foundation of the reorganisa-
tion now in progress, and kept the Department alive through a
difficult transition period.
By order,
R. M. MACDOUGALL,
Secretary to the Government of Burma,
Local Government
Department.
Letter No. 116—1V.*30, dated the 6th March 1931, from U Thein Nydn, B.A.,
Secretary to the Financial Commissioner, (Transferred Subjects), Burma, to the
Secretary to the Government of Burma, Local Government Department.
SUBJECT.—Report on the working of the Veterinary Department for the
year ending the 31st March 1930.
I am directed to submit the report on the working of the Veterinary
Department for the year ending the 31st March 1930.
2. The report has been given a different arrangement from the
reports of the last two years, and four new tables Nos. III, IV, V and
XI have been added in the Appendices. When a convenient arrange-
ment is found it is desirable that it should be adhered to in order to
facilitate references from year to year : and it is usual for Government
to prescribe the general arrangement of departmental reports. In the
case of the Veterinary Department's report the orders issued by the
Government of India in 1905 are obsolete. The Director will be asked
to obtain the approval of Government for the arrangement of the
annual report and appendices before submitting the next annual
report.
3. The most noteworthy matters in the report are :—
(1) that the high figures of reported deaths from rinderpest of
the previous three years have not been repeated and the
reported deaths have dropped abruptly from 22,061 to
6,472;
(2) the strengthening of the staff of the Department has began
by the appointment of Mr. D. T. Mitchell first as Research
Officer and from January 1930 as Director of Veterinary
Services. From the latter date the Department ceased to
be under the control of the Director of Agriculture. A
recruit for the executive side of the superior staff
(Mr. Bhattacharjee, M.R.C.V.S.) also joined the Department
in January 1930 on completion of his training in England
as a State Scholar ;
(3) the Research branch of the Department made a start. Some
experimenting was done with the serum-cum-virus method
of inoculation against rinderpest : and experimental work
on vaccine for inoculation of elephants and other draught
beasts against anthrax was completed and the vaccine issued
for use before the end of the year.
4. The graphs showing the reported mortality from the principal
contagious diseases have not been printed with the report this year.
Although, as the Director mentions in this report, the diagnosis by village,
headmen is untrustworthy, and although the statistics of cattle mortality
as has been pointed out in previous reports, are otherwise very defective,
( 2 )
the Financial Commissioner thinks that the graphs showing the variation
of the reported figures from year to year should continue to be annexed
to the annual reports.
5. Generally speaking, the methods used for control of rinderpest in
the year under report have been the same as in previous years. Some
Deputy Commissioners complacently report that the rules for segrega-
tion and control by stand-still orders are understood by the rural
population and effectively carried out. Other Deputy Commissioners
admit that the rules are not understood or effectively enforced. The
fluctuation of the line in the graphs which shows the mortality figures
while the Deputy Commissioners have been repeating these reports
from year to year and the Department has continued to use the same
methods of preventive inoculation show that there is little ground for
claims that the reduction of the mortality in 1929-30 was the result of
enforcement of the Cattle Disease Rules or of preventive inoculation
by the Department. The Director's explanation of the abatement of
rinderpest in 1929-30 will be found in Section X of the Report. The
high mortality of recent years appears to have been concentrated in
certain areas, particularly in the Akyab District. The Director
mentions on page 32 of the report the risk of severe loss in the Lower
Chindwin District owing to the loss of natural immunity in areas which
have not been visited by rinderpest for several years. As has been
pointed out before it is necessary for the Department to be prepared
to encounter a severe and widespread outbreak of this disease in the
dry zone districts similar to the severe outbreak of 1906-07 in those
parts. The Department in recent years has not been sufficiently strong
in its. superior staff to make any notable progress in preparing for more
effective action.
6. The overlapping responsibility for the control of contagious
diseases shared by the District Councils, the District Revenue Officers
and the Veterinary Department continues. A proposal has been sub-
mitted to Government for relieving the District Councils from respon-
sibility in respect of contagious diseases. The matter is still under
discussion.
7. Some progress has evidently been made towards the introduction
of the serum-cum-virus inoculation against rinderpest. This method
gives an estimated period of three years' immunity to the inoculated
animals instead of six to twelve days' immunity which is given by the
system of inoculation by serum alone which has hitherto been practised
in Burma. It is of good promise for the introduction of the serum-
cum-virus method that inoculation is reported to be not unpopular
among rural owners of cattle. Expense still remains a drawback to
this improvement method of preventive inoculation. It was estimated
in the review of the 1927-28 report to cost about Rs. 1-14-0 per head
on account of the serum and virus used without other expenses.
( 3 )
8. No progress can yet be recorded in providing legal powers for
enforcing quarantine upon herds of cattle on droving routes for which
powers do not exist at present unless the route passes through village
tracts in which cattle disease is present. Proposals for the amendment
of the law in this respect has been suspended in order to await the
production of the all-India legislation which has been proposed by the
Indian Agricultural Research Council. Quarantine on the land frontiers
and against cattle coming from Indian Provinces by land or sea also
await the production of the Indian proposals.
9. The recruitment of the subordinate staff of the Department has
now been for several years at a stand-still, the last batch of recruits
were admitted to the Veterinary School in 1926 and completed their
training in 1929. The proposals which, after consultation of Commis-
sioners of Divisions, were submitted to Government in 1929
to substitute gradually a class of Veterinary Assistants, who will
have sufficient knowledge of English to study text-books, and
who will be analogous to the subordinate services of the Agricultural,
Medical and other Services, are still under discussion. Meanwhile the
Veterinary College teaching staff has therefore not been fully recruited
and the College is being used only for refresher classes for the old type
of subordinates. Post graduate courses, which are prescribed for these
men as a qualification for the highest rates in their scale of pay, have not
yet been held. A modification of the proposals by the addition of a
a new class of lower subordinates corresponding to fieldmen in the
Agricultural Department is likely to cause some further delay for con-
sultation of the local officers.
10. The Director has been giving attention to the improvement of
cattle mortality returns and of the arrangements for reporting out-
breaks of contagious disease. The rules under the Burma Village Act,
1907, for recording deaths of cattle were extended to several areas
which had formerly been left out of the operation of the rules. But
there are still some tracts in the plains of Burma to which these rules
are not extended. The proposal to transfer the compilation of the
mortality returns from the Deputy Commissioners' offices to the offices
of the Veterinary Circle Officers, as the Director says, could not be
carried out for want of clerical staff in the offices of the Deputy
Directors. The Financial Commissioner thinks that not much improve-
ment of the returns can be hoped for as long as they continue to be
compiled in the Deputy Commissioners' offices and that the transfer of
this duty to the Veterinary Circle Officers should be carried out as soon
as Government can afford the necessary staff.
11. The Deputy Directors have only one clerk in their offices and
it is the practice to employ Veterinary Assistants in these offices in order
that they may be kept open while the Deputy Directors are on tour
( 4 )
and in order to assist the single clerk when the Deputy Director is at
headquarters. The Veterinary Assistants have a higher scale of pay than
District office clerks and the employment of men with technical training
for clerical posts is regrettable. But the Financial Commissioner has
come to the conclusion that the practice must continue until the Pro-
vincial finances are sufficiently restored to enable the clerical staffs to be
increased and has reported accordingly to Government.
12. There is no progress to report in the development of Veterinary
Dispensaries. The Burmese public, with the exception of a few
benevolent individuals, take little interest in them; and the District
Councils, which are responsible for maintaining them, desire to abolish
the existing Veterinary Dispensaries and have been disputing with the
Municipal Committees, in whose territories these dispensaries are
situated, about the responsibility for the cost of maintenance. It is pro-
bable that all the four existing dispensaries will shorlty be abolished.
The treatment which can be given in a brief visit by Veterinary Assist-
ants on tour is not considered to be satisfactory, and Mr. Dunn thinks
that the abolition of the four dispensaries experimentally established in
Pegu, Prome, Pakokku and Myingyan Municipalities should not be the
end of attempts to make improved provision for veterinary services
other than control of contagious diseases and that some form of small
dispensaries should be tried in more favourable circumstances.
REPORT
ON THE
Veterinary Department, Burma
For the Year ended the 31st March 1930.
SECTION I.—ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Staff Changes.—Mr. A. McKerral, Director of Agriculture, Burma,
continued to hold charge of the Department in addition to his own
duties up to the 17th January 1930 when Mr. D. T. Mitchell, M.R.C.V.S.,
relieved him on being appointed Director of Veterinary Services.
(b) Superior Staff.—The superior staff of the Department consists of
a Director and seven Deputy Directors of Veterinary Services. Of these
latter posts three remained unfilled during the year. During the year
under report the official designations of the superior staff of the depart-
ment were substituted by new titles based on the recommendation of
the Royal Commission on Agriculture. The table annexed below shows
their past and present designations :—
1.
2.
3.
Old designation.
Veterinary Adviser to the Government
of Burma.
Superintendents
Civil
Veterinary
Department, Burma.
Deputy Superintendents, Civil Veteri-
nary Department, Burma.
1.
2.
3.
New designation.
Director of Veterinary
Services,
Burma.
Deputy Directors of
Veterinary
Services, Burma.
Veterinary Superintendents.
(c) Distribution and Leave.—For the purpose of administration the
department is divided into four circles, and one independent sub-circle.
Each of the four circles is sub-divided into two sub-circles making a total
of nine sub-circles in the province. The circles are under the control of
Deputy Directors of Veterinary Services, while the sub-circles are looked
after by Veterinary Superintendents.
2
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
South-Eastern Circle (comprising the districts of Amherst, Thatôn,
Salween, Tavoy, Mergui, Toungoo, Pegu and Hanthawaddy) and South-
Western Circle (comprising the districts of Bassein, Henzada, Maubin,
Myaungmya, Pyapôn, Insein, Tharrawaddy and Prome)—Headquarters
at Insein.
Captain S. R. Rippon, I.V.S., Deputy Director of Veterinary Services,
was in charge of these two circles until the 13th April 1929, when he
proceeded on leave ex-India for a period of eight months. He returned
from leave on the 13th December 1929 and remained in charge of the
circles to the end of the year. During Captain Rippon's absence on
leave Captain J. Birkenshaw Idle, I.V.S., held charge of the circles. To
assist the Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, there were three
Veterinary Superintendents (at Moulmein, Bassein and Pegu), 12
Veterinary Inspectors and 84 Veterinary Assistants.
Central Circle (comprising the districts of Meiktila, Kyaukse,
Yamèthin, Myingyan, Magwe, Minbu, Thayetmyo, and Pakôkku)—
Headquarters at Meiktila.
Captain J. Birkenshaw Idle, I.V.S., Deputy Director of Veterinary
Services, was in charge of the circle up to the 8th April 1929 when he
was transferred temporarily to the charge of the South-Eastern and
South-Western Circles. On being retransferred, he assumed control of
the Central Circle on 19th December 1929 and remained in charge to
the end of the year. During Captain I die's absence on transfer U Pe
Than held charge of the circle in addition to his own duties. There
were two Veterinary Superintendents (at Meiktila and Magwe), four
Veterinary Inspectors and 42 Veterinary Assistants for district work in
the Central Circle. Of the two, one Veterinary Superintendent was
transferred to the charge of the Shwebo Sub-Circle (in the Northern
Circle) from the beginning of October 1929 (5th October 1929).
Northern Circle (comprising the districts of Mandalay, Sagaing,
Lower Chindwin, Upper Chindwin, Chin Hills, Shwebo, Katha, Bhamo
and Myitkyina)—Headquarters at Mandalay.
U Pe Than, G.B.V.C., Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, was
in charge of the circle throughout the year To assist him in his
duties he had under him one Veterinary Superintendent (at Katha from
the 16th October 1929), 6 Veterinary Inspectors and 50 Veterinary
Assistants. Owing to a shortage of the superior staff the charge of the
Central Circle was also held by U Pe Than in addition to his own
duties for a period of eight months.
Arakan Sub-Circle (comprising the districts of Akyab, Sandoway,
Arakan Hill Tracts and Kyaukpyu)—Headquarters at Akyab.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1930.
3
During the year under report the sub-circle was removed from the
control of the Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, South-Eastern
and South-Western Circles, Insein, and formed into an independent
sub-circle with effect from the 12th April 1929.
U Aung Tun U, G.B.V.C., Veterinary Superintendent, held charge
of it from 12th April 1929 to the end of the year. To assist him in the
work he had under him 2 Veterinary Inspectors and 13 Veterinary
Assistants.
(d) Subordinate Staff.—The total number of Veterinary Inspectors
during the year was 28 of whom 6 were in the Northern Circle, 4 in the
Central Circle, 6 in the South-Eastern Circle, 6 in the South-Western
Circle, 2 in the Arakan Sub-Circle, 2 on duty at the Veterinary College
and 2 in the Research Laboratory at Insein. The number of days
spent on tour by the Veterinary Inspectors give an average of 253 days
in the Northern Circle, 198 days in the Central Circle, 166 days in the
South-Eastern and South-Western Circles and 219 days in the Arakan
Sub-Circle.
The total number of Veterinary Assistants on the staff during the
year was 194. The total number of villages visited by them was 35,621
with an average of 17 days of touring per assistant per month.
As stated in the last year's report frequent complaints were received
regarding the inefficiency of the Veterinary Assistants particularly in the
South-Eastern and South-Western Circles, and as a result of this, one of
them had to be removed from the service. Refresher courses for
Veterinary Assistants were arranged for and held at the Veterinary
College, Insein, during the year.
The draft rules for the Burma Veterinary Service Classes II and III
referred to in last year's report as being under preparation have been
kept in abeyance pending orders of Government on the reorganisation
of the Subordinate Grade (Class III) of the Service.
(e) Vacancies in the Veterinary Department.—Of the eight posts
provided for in the Burma Veterinary Service (Class I) five have been
filled. Two of the three vacant posts, are being advertised in the press
and it is anticipated that recruits will be appointed by direct recruitment
in the course of few months. Owing to financial stringency it has been
decided to allow the remaining vacant post in the superior service
to remain unfilled for the present. In the sanctioned cadre of 15
Class II Veterinary Superintendents there were 8 vacancies during
the year which included 5 vacancies in the Lecturing Staff at the
College and in the Subordinate Class III Service of 28 Veterinary
Inspectors and 280 Veterinary Assistants there were nil and 86 vacancies
respectively.
4
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
SECTION II.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASE IN THE
DISTRICTS.
(a) South-Eastern Circle.
(1) TENASSERIM SUB-CIRCLE.
AMHERST DISTRICT—
Rinderpest occurred in five townships and inoculation was carried
out in 116 outbreaks. One thousand eight hundred and nine deaths
from the disease were recorded. The number of cattle inoculated was
14,399. The disease was particularly difficult to deal with in the Kya-in
township where not only was it reported late but segregation was not
strictly carried out. The disease spread to the Forest Camp of the
timber firms and to the adjoining township of Mudôn, during the paddy
treading season when cattle were collected together, spreading from
there to Amherst township by movements of buffaloes. Inoculation
was generally accepted. " Stand still" orders were imposed and traffic
was prohibited along specified roads. The segregation rules were not
adequately carried out in all cases and this with the delay in reporting
the outbreaks accounted for the spread of the disease. The disease
continued to be present in the district throughout the whole year.
The mortality recorded during the last month being the highest for the
period.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease occurred in the district and 22 animals
were reported to have died.
Anthrax accounted for 52 deaths, outbreaks being distributed
throughout the year.
THATÔN DISTRICT—
Rinderpest.—This disease occurred in outbreaks in four townships.
The townships Kyaikto and Paung remained free.
The total mortality from this disease was 478. Serum inoculation
was carried out in 24 outbreaks, 1,603 cattle being inoculated.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease was endemic in all townships with the
exception of Paung and 44 deaths from this cause are recorded.
Anthrax.—Cases of this disease occurred in all townships with the
exception of Thatôn and resulted in 40 deaths of which 21 occurred in
Kyaikto and 13 in Pa-an townships.
The Deputy Commissioner reports " that the Cattle Disease Rules
have been widely made known to all village headmen in the district and
villagers understand the rules and appreciate the value of the
inoculations."