NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Proceedings of the Hon ble the Chief Commissioner and Agent to the Governor-General in the North-West
Frontier Province, No, 789 Ag., dated Peshawar, the 12th August 1912.
READ—
Report on the working of the Provincial Civil Veterinary Department for the year ending 31st March 1912.
REMARKS.—The following officers were in charge of the Department:—
Mr. Carless from 1st April 1911 to 2nd May 1911.
Mr. Cattell from 3rd May to 29th October 1911.
Mr. Woodley from 30th October 1911 to 31st March 1912.
Messrs. Cattell and Woodley made extensive tours in the Province
and inspected all the Veterinary Hospitals and Tonga lines.
Veterinary instruction.
2. Of the 5 students deputed by the District Boards of the Province for
training in the Punjab Veterinary College,
two passed the final examination.
Two Veterinary Assistants were sent during the year to Bareilly for
training in inoculation.
Veterinary establishment.
3. One Veterinary Assistant was dismissed during the year ; otherwise
the work and conduct of the staff was
satisfactory. The staff was short by one
man at the close of the year, but the deficiency has since been made good.
Disease and its treatment.
4. Cases of contagious diseases fell from 25,724 last year to 19,674.
Of these 5,245 cases were fatal, as com-
pared with 7,362 deaths in 1910-11. The
improvement is satisfactory and was the result of a dry and healthy year.
Veterinary institutions.
5. No new hospital was opened during the year, but the record of the
institutions is highly commendable.
48,134 cases were treated in the hospitals,
an increase of nearly 6,000 over the figure of last year, while Veterinary Assis-
tants on tour visited 1,352 villages and attended to 12,671 animals. Thus in
all over 60,000 animals were treated. These figures clearly demonstrate the
popularity and utility of the institutions, as well as the appreciation by the
public of the services of the Veterinary Assistants. At the same time structural
additions are required at several stations and it is hoped that the District
Boards concerned will be able to provide the requisite funds during the next
few years.
Breeding operations.
6. There was no change in the sanctioned scale of stallions, but the
Province was short by 2 horse and 2
donkey stallions. The
impoverished
condition of the District Boards is responsible for the shortage in horse
stallions, while the inability of the Hissar Farm to comply with the Provincial
indent accounts for that in donkey stallions. The Punjab Government have
been asked if they can guarantee a certain number of donkey stallions per
annum in future.
The merino ram experiment in Hazara is being continued, but it is a
costly undertaking, and there are at present no prospects of its leading to any
industrial or useful enterprise. The proposal to import merino ewes will be
considered when the Superintendent's promised report is received.
Shows and Fairs.
7. The scarcity and dearness of fodder throughout the Province pre-
vented the usual cattle fairs and horse
shows from being held.
General.
8. The question of a separate Superintendent for the Province is still
in abeyance : it has been referred to the
Government of India.
( 2 )
9. In conclusion the Chief Commissioner desires to express his appre-
ciation of the good work performed by the officers of the department during
the year.
ORDER.—Ordered, that a copy of the Report and Review be submitted
to the Government of India in the Revenue and Agriculture Department, and
the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab and North-
West Frontier Province ; and that copies be circulated for information.
By order of the Hon'ble the Chief Commissioner
and Agent to the Governor-General,
C. B. RAWLINSON, LIEUT.-COLONEL,
Revenue Secretary to the Chief Commissioner
and Agent to the Governor- General,
North- West Frontier Province.
No. 238.
FROM
V. DE. V. H. WOODLEY, ESQUIRE, M. R. C. V. S.,
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
North- West Frontier Province and North Punjab,
Rawal Pindi,
To
THE REVENUE COMMISSIONER,
North- West Frontier Province,
Peshawar.
Dated Rawal Pindi, the 2nd July 1912.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to submit the Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary
Department, North-West Frontier Province, for the year 1911-1912.
I have the honour to be
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
V. DE V. H. WOODLEY,
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
North-West Frontier Province and. North Punjab.
Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department,
North-West Frontier Province, for the
year ending 31st March 1912.
PART I.—GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
Officers in charge.
1. Mr. Carless held the appointment of officiating Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary
Department,
North-West
Frontier Province and North Punjab from
1st April 1911 to 2nd May 1911. Mr. Cattell also officiated as Superintendent
of both circles from 3rd May 1911 to 29th October 1911.
Mr. Woodley on being relieved of the post of officiating Chief Superin-
tendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Punjab, resumed charge of the above
circles from 30th October 1911 to the end of the year under report.
Extent and duration of tour.
2. Mr. Carless spent 3 days on tour in North-West Frontier Province
and travelled 218 miles by rail and 42
miles by road.
Mr. Cattell spent 41 days on tour in the Province and travelled 768
miles by rail and 477 by road.
Mr. Woodley was also on tour in the Province for 49 days and travelled
1,248 miles by rail and 672 by road. Thus a total of 93 days were spent on
tour in the Province and 74 days in the North Punjab circle by the three
Superintendents.
Work performed on tour.
3. Mr. Carless attended an outbreak of
glanders in the Peshawar District.
Mr. Cattell inspected the following hospitals :—
Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur and
Charsadda.
He also inspected the following tonga lines :—
Hasan Abdal to Abbottabad and Pabbi to Cherat.
He checked inoculations in the Peshawar District and purchased two
bulls for the Kohat District Board.
Mr. Woodley inspected the following hospitals in the North-West Fron-
tier Province once or more than once :—
Peshawar, Charsadda, Kohat, Teri, Hangu, Parachinar, Dera Ismail
Khan, Tank, Chowdhwan, Bannu, Serai Naurang and Miranshah.
He also inspected the following tonga lines :—
Darya Khan to Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ismail Khan to Draban, Dera
Ismail Khan to Tank, Dera Ismail Khan to Bannu, Bannu to Miranshah, Bannu
to Kohat, and Thal to Parachinar.
During the course of his tours he interviewed district and agency officers
with a view to discussing veterinary matters and inspected bulls and stallions
wherever they were. He also checked inoculations on three occasions and
attended outbreaks of contagious disease twice.
PART II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASES.
Mortality.—Table II.
4. During the year under report 19,674 cases of epidemic diseases
were reported, of which 5,245 proved fatal,
compared with 25,724 cases and 7,362
deaths for last year.
( 2 )
Examination and collection of specimens.
5. During the year 51 pathological specimens were submitted by the
subordinate veterinary staff of which 25
and 26 were examined by Messrs. Cattell
and Woodley, respectively.
Maps showing the distribution of disease.
6. As usual maps showing the distribution of epidemic diseases that
prevailed in the North-West Frontier
Province were prepared and submitted to
the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, but in consequence of the
abolition of the office of the said officer such maps will not be submitted hence-
forward.
Section I (a).—Equine contagious disease.
Mortality—Table II.
7. Equine contagious disease numbered 392 of which 19 proved fatal,
against 256 cases and 49 deaths last year
in the non-selected districts of the Pro-
vince.
Glanders—Table II.
8. Eleven cases of glanders occurred against three last year. The
diagnosis was confirmed by the Superin-
tendent and the animals were destroyed.
Compensation to the value of Rs. 190 was paid to the owner of six animals
only. It was not admissible in the other five cases as these animals had been
destroyed before compensation was sanctioned by Government. The rates of
compensation are very low and so far no one has voluntarily reported the exis-
tence of the disease.
Surra—Table II.
9. Thirteen cases of Surra were reported but no deaths occurred.
There were 44 deaths last year.
Other contagious diseases—Table II.
10. Under this head 358 cases were reported of which 8 died of
strangles.
Section 1 (b)—Bovine contagious disease.
Mortality—Table II.
11. During the year 1,829 deaths and 11,509 cases were reported
against 3,718 deaths and 17,394 cases last
year.
Rinderpest—Table II.
12. There were 1,394 cases of rinderpest reported with 707 deaths,
against 4,305 cases and 1,543 deaths last
year. The disease occurred in three dis-
tricts and two agencies. Peshawar suffered the most.
Preventive inoculation—Table III.
13. In 38 outbreaks 8,848 animals were inoculated. Last year 16,790
animals were inoculated in 57 outbreaks.
Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.
14. Outbreaks of hæmorrhagic septicæmia occurred in the districts of
Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Hazara and
Kurram Agency 997 cases were reported
of which 888 proved fatal, against 2,094 cases and 1,863 deaths last year.
Preventive inoculation—Table III.
15. One hundred eighty-nine healthy animals were vaccinated against
this disease in 12 villages where it usually
occurs. Out of the vaccinated animals
only one died after four days showing symptoms of the disease and as it did
not appear again in the above villages after the vaccinations had been performed
and no deaths took place even in the non-vaccinated animals, hence nothing
can be said regarding the efficacy or otherwise of the vaccinations.
( 3 )
Foot and mouth disease.—Table II.
16. Foot and mouth disease occurred in all the districts and two agen-
cies. 8,827 cases were reported of which
48 died, against 10,569 cases and 95
deaths last year. As usual the necessary preventive measures were adopted by
the subordinate veterinary staff.
Black-quarter.—Table II.
17. Black-quarter was reported from Peshawar, Hazara, Kohat, Dera
Ismail Khan and Malakand. 194 cases
occurred and 166 proved fatal, compared
with 164 cases and 152 deaths last year.
Vaccinations against black-quarter.—Table III.
18. No vaccinations were performed against this disease during the
year. There were a few casualties during
the previous year apparently the result of
the vaccination, consequently owners were not willing to accept it. Preventive
treatment does not appeal to the ignorant especially when the disease does not
exist. The same remarks apply to this disease as in paragraph 15.
Anthrax.—Table II.
19. No cases of anthrax were reported during the year from the
districts, but the military authorities
reported 6 cases from Nowshera.
Other contagious disease.—Table II.
20. Ninety seven cases were reported, of which 20 died, compared with
258 cases and 61 deaths last year.
Section I (c).— Contagious disease, other animals.
Contagious disease.—Table II.
21. The following
contagious
diseases occurred among other animals :—
Disease.
Rinderpest …
Foot and mouth disease
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia
Black-quarter
Surra
Diseases not diagnosed
TOTAL
Attacked.
... 2,619
... 2,250
... 1,100
… 4
… 14
...
1,786
... 7,773
Died.
1,355
177
1,087
4
9
765
3,397
Section II.— Other diseases.
Treatment of disease on tour.—Table IV.
22. During the year 1,352 villages were visited by Veterinary Assis-
tants on tour and 12,671 animals were
treated. Last year 1,369 villages were
visited and 11,397 animals treated. 584 castrations were performed chiefly in
equines as compared with 383 last year,
Section III.— Veterinary Hospitals.
Veterinary Hospitals.—Table V.
23. During the year there were 19 hospitals in the Province and the
total number of animals treated in these
institutions was 48,134. Last year 42,202
cases were treated in the same number of hospitals. The increase in the figures
show how popular the hospitals are and that the services of Veterinary Assistants
are appreciated
Levy of fees for treatment of animals.
24. The total number of doses of anti-rinderpest serum used in the
Province was 9,956 and the price viz.
Rs. 1,244-8-0 was paid out of the Revenue
Commissioner's budget. It was suggested that a small fee should be charged
from the income-tax payers for the treatment of their animals at the hospitals
but the Chief Commissioner thinks the time has not yet come to charge such
fees. This procedure has been adopted for several years in the Punjab.
( 4 )
Buildings.
25. Peshawar District.—A complete new hospital with stallions stables
is being built in Peshawar city at a very
heavy expense. Unfortunately it was not
ready for occupation at the end of the year under report and the work is still
being carried on in the Makri Bazar under most unsatisfactory conditions.
Charsadda is complete and has a very good daily attendance.
Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera still require operating sheds. New
stallion stables are also required at Swabi. Nowshera is the least important of
the hospitals in the district.
Malakand Agency.—The attendance at the Dargai hospital has improved
since last year. The buildings are sufficient.
Hazara District.—The hospitals at Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra
are all complete and doing very good work.
Kohat District.—Kohat hospital is complete and has a good attendance.
The Hangu and Teri hospitals are not quite complete yet, the attendance
is not large.
Kurram Agency.—The Parachinar hospital requires a contagious ward
but otherwise is complete and in good order and is very popular. Recently a
serum pit has been added in which anti-rinderpest serum can be stored all the
year round. The Agency is very subject to rinderpest and it will greatly
facilitate preventive measures having serum on the spot.
Bannu District.—The hospital at Bannu is now complete and does a
great deal of work.
Serai Naurang requires operating shed. New stallion stables have been
constructed here.
Tochi Agency.—The buildings at Miranshah are sufficient for the
requirements as owners are unwilling to allow their animals to remain as
in-patients owing to the unsettled conditions. The hospital does a fair amount
of work, and the Arab stallion there is popular.
Dera Ismail Khan District.—The Dera Ismail Khan hospital is com-
plete and well patronised.
Additions are being built at Chowdhwan.
A new hospital at Tank is being constructed.
On the whole the buildings of the hospitals and stallion stables in the
Province are very satisfactory and have gone ahead at a great rate and compare
more favourably with those in the North Punjab Circle.
Treatment.
26. Treatment at all the institutions is free.
PART III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
Section I.—Bovines.
Stud bulls.—Table VIII.
27. At the close of the year there were 12 stud bulls at work in the
Province against 17 last year. There were
7 casualties and 2 additions.
Supply of bulls.
28. Only two bulls were indented for and both were purchased by Mr.
Cattell from Chakwal for the Kohat
District Board.
As stated last year the number of bulls in the Province is quite inade-
quate, but generally speaking bulls are not popular, with perhaps the exception
of Hazara, and there is a certain amount of difficulty in getting men to keep
them. The Peshawar District Board decided not to spend any more money on
the purchase of bulls as their services were not appreciated.
( 5 )
Section II.—Equines.
The number of stallions.—Table X.
29. The standard scale for the Province is 19 horse and 17 donkey
stallions. At the close of the year there
were 9 horse and 8 pony stallions at stud
in the non-selected districts and agencies of the Province against 10 horse and
8 pony stallions in the previous year. The decrease is due to death of a horse
in Bannu district. Thus the Province is short of two stallions, one having died
the previous year. Neither of the animals could be replaced during the year
under report as the District Boards expressed their inability to provide funds.
There were 15 donkey stallions at the close of the year. The number being
the same (two short of standard scale) as last year.
Indent for two donkeys was sent to the Hissar Farm but it was not
complied with.
Services of stallions.—Table XI.
30. Ten horse and 8 pony stallions were actually employed at stud
against 9 horses and 8 ponies last year.
They covered 724 and 393 mares respec-
tively, giving an average of 72.4 and 49.12 per stallion against 58.33, and 52.12
in the preceding year. Fifteen donkey stallions covered 783 mares against 700
by 13 donkeys last year. This gives an average of 52.2 and 53.84 respectively.
The decrease is chiefly due to the donkey standing in the Malakand Agency
which only covered one mare during the year. Endeavours are being made to
replace him.
Feed and keep of stallions.—Table XII.
31. The average cost of feed, keep, &c., of stallions for the year was
Rs. 350-12-9 per horse, Rs. 311-14-7 per
pony and Rs. 232-10-10 per donkey
stallion, against Rs. 327-4-3, Rs. 328-15-3 and Rs. 235-2-1, respectively, during
the previous year.
Section III.—Fairs and Shows.
Horse and Cattle Fairs and Shows.—Tables XIII
and XIV.
32. Tables XIII and XIV are blank as no horse or cattle fairs were
held in the Province during the year
chiefly on account of scarcity of fodder.
Section IV.— Other breeding operations.
Merino rams.
33. At the close of the last year there were 6 merino rams in the
Hazara District. During the year under
report 20 more were imported but one was
stolen at Calcutta and thus only 19 could be sent to the above district.
There were 3 casualties and 2 additions by transfer from Wano and thus
24 rams remained at the close of the current year.
Early in the year Mr. Cattell made a tour in the Hazara District in con-
nection with these breeding experiments and submitted a report on the subject.
He considers that the experiment of crossing the merino ram with the indi-
genous ewe has been a success especially in the Kaghan valley where the
people take an interest in the improvement of the fleece.
PART IV.—SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT
Numerical strength—Table VII.
34. At the end of the year the Subordinate Veterinary Staff consisted
of 28 men being one short of the sanctioned
scale as detailed below. The number being
the same as last year :—
Veterinary Inspectors …
„
Assistants, 1st grade
„
„
2nd grade
„ „ 3rd grade
TOTAL
...
...
...
...
...
... 2
... 6
... 9
... 11
... 28
( 7 )
43. There is difficulty in obtaining donkey stallions and the Hissar Farm
did not comply with the annual indent. The difficulty in future will probably
be increased as the Hissar Farm has recently been handed ever to the Punjab
Government and it is likely that the stallions will all be reserved for that pro-
vince. The matter has already been referred to the Revenue Commissioner.
There is also difficulty in obtaining horse stallions for District Boards as these
bodies are unable to provide the funds to purchase Arabs in the Bombay market.
Country breds may take their place in time but so far it is very difficult to get
a really good animal fit for breeding purposes. The Superintendent has been
trying to purchase locally suitable Arabs which have broken down in racing or
polo but they generally are too small.
44. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, desires to
appeal to all district officials to visit, as often as convenient, while they are on
tour, all hospitals and stallion stands and to record a few notes in the visitors'
books kept for that purpose, and also to impress on leading Zamindars the
usefulness of these institutions and more especially to report at once on the
first appearance of an outbreak of contagious disease. Reports of disease are
often received too late for any useful action to be taken. Out of 315 outbreaks
reported by Patwaries 100 were reported after the disease had actually died out.
45. It is an admitted fact that the charge of the North Punjab and
North-West Frontier Province Circles is too large for one Superintendent and
little more than ordinary administration can be done under the circumstances.
The Frontier Government have recognised this and asked the Secretary of
State for a separate officer for the Province. The Superintendent although he
was absent from head-quarters on tour for six months could only perform his
tour in a hurried manner and much of this time was spent in ordinary routine
office work. He concludes by recording his thanks to all the district officers
for their assistance and courtesy rendered to him in the performance of his
duties.
V. DE. V. H. WOODLEY,
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
North- West Frontier Province and North Punjab.
( i )
TABLE I.
Statement showing the Main Results of Veterinary Colleges and Schools during 1911-12.
Veterinary Colleges and Schools.
1
Total
Name of course of instruction if more than
one course followed.
2
NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
Admitted
during the
year.
Scholarship-holders.
3
No.
Others.
4
No.
Passed Final Examination during
the year.
5
No.
Failed to pass Final Examination.
6
No.
Remaining
under instruc-
tion at end
of year.
In ordinary course.
7
No.
Instruction prolonged by
reason of failure to pass.
8
No.
Students
admitted
during the year
classed by education-
al qualifications.
Matriculated with higher
qualifications.
9
No.
Knowing some English,
but not matriculated.
10
No.
Knowing no English or
very little English.
11
No.
Receipts.
From fees.
12
Rs.
Nil.
From other sources.
13
Rs.
Total.
14
Rs.
Expenditure.
Salaries of Instructing
Staff.
15
Rs.
Other expenses.
16
Rs.
Total.
17
Rs.
Employment of Students who
passed out during the three
years
preceding.
Total number passed.
18
No.
In service of Government
or Local Bodies.
19
No.
In service of other bodies
or institutions.
20
No.
In private practice.
21
No.
Number unemployed.
22
No.
REMARKS.
23
( ii )
TABLE II.
Statement showing number of deaths from contagious diseases amongst animals during 1911-12.
DISTRICT.
1
Peshawar ...
Hazara ...
Kohat ...
Bannu ...
D. I. Khan ...
Kurram ...
Tochi ...
Malakand ...
TOTAL ...
EQUINES.
Glanders.
2
5
...
...
...
6
...
...
...
11
Anthrax.
3
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Surra.
4
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Dourine.
5
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Other
conta-
gious diseases.
6
...
3
...
...
5
...
...
...
8
Total.
7
5
3
...
...
11
...
...
...
19
BOVINES.
Rinderpest.
8
561
...
14
...
21
86
...
25
707
Foot & mouth.
9
4
19
7
11
7
...
...
...
48
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia.
10
93
643
...
...
144
8
...
...
888
Black-quarter.
11
19
70
7
...
44
...
...
26
166
Anthrax.
12
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Other
conta-
gious diseases.
13
...
...
3
...
17
...
...
...
20
Total.
14
677
732
31
11
233
94
...
51
1,829
OTHERS.
Rinderpest.
15
...
...
979
...
...
376
...
...
1,355
Foot & mouth.
16
...
...
175
2
...
...
...
...
177
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia.
17
...
...
...
...
...
1087
...
...
1,087
Black-quarter.
18
...
2
...
...
2
...
...
...
4
Surra.
19
...
8
1
...
...
...
...
9
Other
conta-
gious diseases.
20
85
342
216
10
109
3
...
...
765
Total.
21
85
344
1,378
13
111
1,466
...
...
3,397
REMARKS.
22