NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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there were two messes, vegeterian and non-vegeterian, which was
managed by the representatives of the students themselves under
the guidance of the Superintendent of the hostel.
The health of the students was uniformly good during the year
and their conduct satisfactory. The athletic activities of the
students were also good.
(ii) Hospital.
13. Mr. K. S. Nayar, Lecturer in Surgery, was in charge of the
Veterinary hospital attached to the Madras Veterinary College
during the year and the hospital continued to show satisfactory
progress. There was an appreciable increase in the total number of
admissions to the hospital during the year as compared with the
previous year, the figures for the two years 1932-33 and 1931-32
being 5,410 and 4,680 respectively. The daily average attendance
at the hospital also increased from 70.6 in the previous year to
75.89 during the year under report, and there was also an increase
in the hospital receipts from Rs. 4,303-15-0 in the previous year
to Rs. 4,660 in the year under report.
The branch veterinary dispensary for out-patients at Raya-
puram continued to be under the control of the Principal, Madras
Veterinary College, and it also showed satisfactory progress during
the year. The total number of cases treated at the institution
increased from 2,958 in the previous year to 3,838 during the
year under report. The daily average attendance at the dispensary
also increased from 31.6 in the previous year to 37.37 during the
year. Twenty-seven cases of special interest were transferred
from this institution to the Madras Veterinary College for treat-
ment during the year.
(iii) Shoeing Forge.
14. The shoeing forge attached to the Madras Veterinary
College continued to be utilized to give the students practical
instruction in shoeing. Eight hundred and eighty-three horses
were shod and 46 shoes were repaired during the year as against
870 and 118 respectively, in the previous year. There was a net
profit of Rs. 392-9-3 in the working of the forge during the year,
as against Rs. 441-9-9 in the previous year.
(iv) Laboratory.
15. Messrs. V. Krishnamurti Ayyar, Professor of Pathology
and Bacteriology and M. Anant Narayan Rao, Lecturer in Para-
sitology, continued to be in charge of the Pathological and Para-
sitological sections respectively, of the laboratory attached to the
Madras Veterinary College, during the year. The number of
specimens received and examined in both the Pathological and
9
Parasitological sections during the year was 4,022 as detailed
below :—
(1) From the staff of the Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
(2) From the wards of the College and Veterinary
Dispensary, Rayapuram ... ... ...
(8) From the Agricultural College … …
(4) From the Forest Department … … …
(5) From other Presidencies and States …
(6) From dairy and other farms … … …
(7) From the Corporation of Madras … …
Total …
2,573
1,223
3
3
34
45
141
4,022
This number is exclusive of the specimens examined as a
routine in connexion with the post-mortem examinations con-
ducted in the College. Details of the work done in the two
sections are given below.
16. (a) Pathology section.—Fifteen
samples of industrial
material were received for examination during the year and
Anthrax infection was detected in three of them.
In the course of the examination of the different materials
received in this section as well as of carcasses for post-mortem
examination, special mention deserves to be made of the
following.
17. Johne's disease.—The existence of infection in bovines
was confirmed during the year microscopically in a cow belonging
to the Wellington Dairy Herd and in two cases in the Hosur
Cattle Farm by the bowel washing method.
18. Tuberculosis.—Three cases of tubercular infection in
bullocks belonging to the Corporation of Madras and one in an
elephant belonging to the Forest department were confirmed
microscopically. Cases of tuberculosis in fowls have been met
with in materials from two cases among fowls received from the
Veterinary hospitals, Calicut and Tiruvannamalai respectively,
and from a case used for experimental purposes at the College.
19. Anthrax.—In addition to the confirmation of anthrax in
bovines, two cases from elephants belonging to the Tirupati
Devastanam were confirmed microscopically.
20. Contagious abortion.—Serum from a cow suspected for
contagious abortion was received twice from the Agricultural
College, Coimbatore, and it gave negative results on both the
occasions.
21. Spirocerca sanguinolenta.—The occurrence of tumours
caused by the parasite in some unusual situations in the course of
routine post-mortem in this section forms an interesting finding
hitherto not recorded.
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22. Post-mortems. — The total number of post-mortems con-
ducted in this section on requisition was 94. This excludes the
number of post-mortems made on experimental animals in con-
nexion with the routine diagnostic work and research.
23. Vaccine.—During the year autogenous vaccines were made
for 52 cases of which 42 were cases of bovine lmyphangitis. The
results of treatment in all cases were reported to be very satis-
factory.
24. (b) Parasitology section—Nasal granuloma in cattle.—
Nasal washings from 271 cases of nasal granuloma in cattle were
examined in the laboratory and ova of Schistosomes was detected
in 228 cases and Rhinosporidium in one case. Forty-two cases
proved negative. It is interesting to note that Rhinosporidiosis
can be easily diagnosed when the nasal scrapings or washings are
cleared in 3 per cent potassium hydroxide solution. The sporangia
can be very easily recognized under the microscope. This appears
to be an easy method to arrive at a diagnosis rapidly.
25. Helminthes.—Forty-nine bottles containing specimens of
helminthes were received from the different parts of the Presidency.
Besides these, 28 bottles of specimens were collected by the staff
of the section.
The following worms were added to the collection of the
College Museum :—
(1) Physaloptera sp. … … …
(2) Taenia taeniaformis … … …
(3) Toxocara mystax … … …
(4) Paragonimus westermani … …
(5) Filaria sp. (vomitted by a dog) …
(6) Anaplocephala mammilana …
(7) Globocephalus sp. … … …
(8) Schistosome (New sp.) … …
(9) Uncinaria sp. … … … … …
(10) Arduenna strongylina … …
(11) Physocephalus sexalatus … …
(12) Stephanurus dentatus (liver) …
(13) Gnathostoma sp. … … …
(14) Physaloptera sp. … … …
(15) Diphyllobothrium sp. … …
(16) Toxocara mystax … … …
(17) Schistosomes from nasal lesions …
(18) Cysticercus cellulosæ … … …
Tiger
„
„
„
Dog
Horse
Pig
„
„
„
„
„
Wild cat
„
„
„
Cattle
Pig
26. Ectoparasites.—Thirty-four bottles containing ticks, etc.,
collected from cattle, sheep and goats were received during the
year. The following were found among the specimens:—
(1) Hæmophysalis bispinosa.
(2) Rhipicephalus sanguineus.
(3) Rhipicephalus hæmophysaloids.
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(4) Margaropus annulatus.
(5) Hyalomma ægyptium.
(6) Ornithodorus savignyi.
(7) Larvae of oestrus ovis.
(8) Stomoxys calcitrans.
(9) Tabanus sp.
(10) Ctenocephalus canis.
One bottle containing parasites from the pharynx of a dog
was received from Ootacamund and it was found to be a Pentas-
toma sp, This is the first record of its kind in this Presidency.
Infection of Cysticercus cellulosæ was detected in a few of the
pigs slaughtered at the Madras slaughter-house and they have
been reported to have come from the North Arcot district.
With a view to find out if a dog could be an occasional host for
Tænia solium, one was fed with pork containing a very large
number of live cysts with negative results.
27. (c) Clinical laboratory.—During hospital hours, the
clinical laboratory continued to examine smears, fæces and scrap-
ings from the different wards of the College hospital as well as
from the cattle depots of the Corporation of Madras. It also
afforded facilities for the students to gain a practical knowledge
in the different methods adopted for the examination of specimens
with a view to arrive at a correct diagnosis.
28. (d) Physiological laboratory.—A systematic examination of
urine was started during the year. In all, 206 samples were
examined and it was found that albumen was present in 36 samples
(one equine, seven bovines and 28 canines). Sugar was detected
in four samples (one equine and three canines) and blood was
present in six samples (one bovine and five canines).
III.—SERUM INSTITUTE.
29. The Institute for the manufacture and supply of anti-
rinderpest serum in this Presidency referred to in the previous
year's report, was opened on the 7th April 1932 and the office was
located in the Madras Veterinary College buildings at the begin-
ning. Later on, the Institute was transferred to its present
buildings at Perambur.
30. (a) Staff.—The staff of the Institute, besides the necessary
clerical and other subordinate and menial staff, consisted of one
Superintendent and seven Veterinary Assistant Surgeons. Mr. K.
Kailasam Ayyar, Madras Veterinary Service Officer was appointed
as Superintendent of the Institute and he held charge of it from
the date of its opening to the end of the year. During the year,
he visited some of the cattle centres in the Presidency for examin-
ing the types of buffaloes available for serum production. He
also visited during the year the Imperial Institute of Veterinary
Research, Muktesar, the Imperial (Branch) Veterinary Serum
Institute, Izatnagar, and the Haffkine Institute, Bombay, with a
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view to acquaint himself with the methods adopted in those
institutions in the manufacture of sera and vaccines.
31. (b) Serum section.—The actual manufacture of anti-rinder-
pest serum in the Institute commenced on 21st June 1932 and the
supply of local serum, from the 18th August 1932. From the
beginning of the year until serum was manufactured at the Insti-
tute, the total quantity of anti-rinderpest serum obtained from
Muktesar was 252,000 doses of 5 c.c. each. From the commence-
ment of manufacture to the end of March 1933, 920,700 unit doses
(5 c.c. each) representing 22 brews of serum were manufactured
and issued to the staff of the department, and at the close of the
year, one brew of serum was under test and three others were
awaiting completion of the process. All the manufactured brews
of serum, in point of potency and freedom from bacterial conta-
mination were such as could be issued for use in the field. The
total number of serum makers (he-buffaloes) purchased during the
year was 1,032 and the number of calves purchased and used as
serum testers, 138.
The results of the inoculations conducted in the districts with
the anti-rinderpest serum issued from the Institute were satisfac-
tory. During the year, 101,115 head of cattle were inoculated
by the Serum Simultaneous method in this Presidency and 151
animals by the ' Serum alone ' method. The number of outbreaks
in which inoculation was undertaken is 492. The number of
animals which died before inoculation during the year was 7,050
and this number is very small when compared with the previous
years' figures, viz., 16,262 in 1931-32 and 33,361 in 1930-31, and
it is due to a large extent to the prompt supply of serum made
available from the Institute which ensured the protection of cattle
in time against rinderpest by the Serum Simultaneous method of
inoculation. The anticipations in regard to the possibility of
producing anti-rinderpest serum at a cheap cost have also been
fully realized, as there has been a saving of over a lakh and a half
of rupees in the expenditure on anti-rinderpest serum during the
current year as compared with the cost of serum obtained from
Muktesar in the previous year.
32. (c) Virus section.—With the opening of the Serum Institute,
the work of the manufacture and supply of rinderpest virus which
was previously done at the Madras Veterinary College was trans-
ferred to the Serum Institute from 20th June 1932. From this
date to the end of the year under report, 167,200 doses of 1 c.c.
each of bull virus and 325 doses of 1 c.c. each of goat virus were
produced and supplied to the staff. Three hundred and thirty-
eight calves and 81 sheep and goats were purchased for virus manu-
facture during the year.
33. (d) Laboratory work.—Some items of research incidental
to the propagation and preservation of potent strains of the virus
were introduced during the year. The total number of specimens
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examined microscopically is 15,842 comprising of 15,786 blood
smears and 56 samples of fæces. Of these, 1,437 and 27 respectively
proved positive as shown below :—
(i) Blood smears.—Trypanosomes 123, Piroplasma 195, Thei-
leria 944, Microfilaria 136, Anthrax 1, Hæmorrhagic Septi-
cæmia 16, Piroplasma and Theileria 16, Piroplasma and Trypa-
nosomes 3, Theileria and Microfilaria 3.
(ii) Fæces.—Coccidia 11, Strongyles 13, Hæmonchus 2,
Amœba 1.
34. (e) Diseases among serum makers and virus producers.—A
sporadic case of Anthrax occurred in the rinderpest virus camp on
the 20th November 1932 which was fortunately controlled without
further spread. An outbreak of Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia broke
out amongst the serum makers and resulted in eighteen deaths
between 10th and 19th February 1933. Prompt measures were
taken and the outbreak was suppressed without any serious inter-
ference with the work of the Institute.
35. (f) Storage of sera and vaccines.—The work of storing and
supplying of all other kinds of veterinary sera and vaccines which
was previously being done by the King Institute, Guindy, and
the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, was transferred to the Serum
Institute during the year where adequate provision for cold
storage has been made.
IV.—INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH.
(a) Rinderpest Investigation.
36. A reference was made in the previous year's report to the
investigation of the incidence and the methods adopted for the
control of rinderpest in this Presidency, by a special officer
appointed for the purpose temporarily for a period of two years.
Mr. C. Suryanarayanamurti Pantulu Garu, Madras Veterinary
Service Officer, held this special post throughout the year under
report, and towards the close of the year he completed his investi-
gations and was engaged in the preparation of his report. Since
the close of the year, the Special Rinderpest Officer has submitted
his report and the report is being examined with a view to its
publication.
(b) Experiments with goat virus.
37. During the year under report, experiments were conducted
on the use of goat virus in inoculating cattle against Rinderpest
as an alternative to serum simultaneous inoculations, and
Mr. R. Narasinga Rao, District Veterinary Officer. Madras, con-
ducted these experiments in his jurisdiction. The experiments
were conducted in ten villages and as many as 129 cattle were
inoculated with goat virus of which 84 reacted. It was necessary
to give serum to nine Mysore animals to modify the reaction
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which was observed to be more severe in these breeds than in the
local breeds. Fifteen goats were used as virus producers in the
field. Only two of them died—one from Anthrax on the 17th day
after inoculation and the other from a severe rinderpest
reaction on the 8th day after inoculation. This goat received
22nd passaged goat virus of the Serum Institute. The reactions
observed in the animals inoculated with the 28th passaged goat
virus of the Serum Institute were more severe than those which
occurred in animals inoculated with the 2nd and 3rd passaged
goat viruses. On testing the immunity of two animals with
bull virus they were found to be fully protected. There was
only one death among the inoculated cattle and this was due to
Piroplasma Bigeminum. The following are the results of the
experiments :—
First passaged goat virus … … ...
Second passaged goat virus … … ...
Third passaged goat virus … … ...
Twenty-third passaged goat virus … ...
Twenty-eighth passaged goat virus … ...
Total ...
Number
of animals
inoculated.
9
49
2
51
18
129
Number
of
reactors.
9
33
1
30
11
84
Although the experiments so far conducted indicate that cattle
can be successfully immunised by this method of inoculation, no
definite conclusions can be arrived at before conducting further
experiments on a larger scale, for which arrangements are being
made.
(c) Indigenous Methods of Treatment.
38. In the previous year's report, a reference was made to the
scheme for the appointment of a reseach staff to make an investi-
gation on scientific lines of the indigenous drugs from the
Veterinary standpoint of view. Although the scheme was con-
sidered and accepted by the Advisory Board of the Imperial
Council of Agricultural Research, with slight modifications, as
early as in 1931, the sanction of the Council to the scheme has
not yet been received.
(d) Diseases Investigation—General scheme of the Imperial
Council of Agricultural Research.
39. The general scheme for the appointment of a Veterinary
Investigation Officer sanctioned by the Imperial Council of
Agricultural Research, and referred to in the previous year's
report is to be given effect to in this Presidency in 1933-34.
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Since the close of the year 1932-33, Government issued orders
appointing the Veterinary Investigation Officer and the officer is
now undergoing preliminary training at the Imperial Institute
of Veterinary Research, Muktesar.
(e) Research Work at the Madras Veterinary College Laboratory.
40. The following items of research work were in progress in
the Pathological and Parasitological sections of the laboratory
attached to the Madras Veterinary College :—
(i) Black-quarter.
41. Government in their Order Ms. No. 1275, Development,
dated 27th September 1932, sanctioned a scheme for the conduct
of an investigation into the extent of incidence of Black-quarter
in the several districts of the Presidency, the existence or other-
wise of any special endemic centres of the disease, the organism
or organisms responsible for such outbreaks and the seasonal
conditions affecting the endemicity, if any. This investigation
was started in October 1932 and specimens consisting of smears
and muscle strips from 101 cases have been examined and infor-
mation with regard to other particulars is also being collected.
The investigation so far conducted reveals that while there have
been authenticated cases of Black-quarter, there have been other
cases in which neither the biological tests nor the examination of
smears have proved that they were really cases of Black-quarter.
The study of the subject is being continued.
(ii) Pseudo-fowl Pest.
42. An investigation into the study of the nature of the virus
of pseudo-fowl pest, its behaviour in the different species of
poultry during its passage and the manner in which the virus
could be kept up without deterioration, was undertaken with a
view to formulating a scheme for necessary investigation into the
several aspects of this disease which has been causing heavy
economic and financial loss among poultry owners. The necessary
materials to aid in the investigation were obtained from the staff
from various centres in this Presidency, and also locally from
several centres within the city where the disease was prevailing.
An insight into its incidence with a view to establishing the
identity or otherwise with the conditions as prevalent in the
different outbreaks in the Madras Presidency, and with what has
been described by other workers, was obtained. The course of
the disease was observed in the naturally-infected poultry as well
as upon experimentally-infected ones. The infectivity of certain
tissues and body excretions was also studied with special reference
to the nervous system to which the virus appears to have a great
predeliction.
3
16
Of the different species of poultry experimented with, fowls
were found to be most susceptible and ducks least. Pigeons,
however, appear to show comparatively greater resistance to
infection by contact as has been observed in natural outbreaks.
'A start was made in the preparation of a vaccine from the brain
of infected birds for prophylactic use. The vaccine so prepared
was tested on fowls and pigeon's. The results indicated that there
had been undoubtedly some effect as there was a definite pro-
longation of the incubation period in the vaccinated birds, and
some of the birds even withstood a very severe test of the virulent
virus. Certain modifications in the preparation of the vaccine,
perhaps, may improve its quality and experiments in this
direction are in progress.
(iii) Preparation of anti-pituitary hormone.
43. With a view to adopting the Zondek and Aschheim test
urine hormone from pregnant cows was prepared and sent out to
be tested in the field.
(iv) Nasal Schistosomiasis.
44. Having found that ova of schistosomes could be detected
in the nasal washings collected from cattle suspected to be
suffering from nasal granuloma and with a view to finding out
the extent, incidence and study of infection in cattle, materials
were not only obtained from the staff of the Civil Veterinary
Department but also collected by the Lecturer in Parasitology
personally. The number of specimens received from the staff in
the shape of nasal washings was 271 and the number of cases from
which the Lecturer had collected exceeded 120. The disease has
also been found by him to occur in buffalœs. For the study of
cercarial fauna, over 6,000 fresh water snails from different areas
were collected by him with a view to finding out the predominat-
ing species of schistosome cercariæ and the probable one concerned
in the production of nasal schistosomiasis. The cercaria con-
cerned resembled C. indicæ *** (Sewell 1922) and were obtained
from two species of snails, viz., (a) Limnea leutiola and
(b) Planorbis exustus. The percentages of infection in the res-
pective snails collected were 1.7 and 1.27 respectively. Govern-
ment in their Order Ms. No. 1277, Development, dated 27th
September 1932, sanctioned a scheme for the conduct of research
on this condition and three calves were selected and infected with
cercariæ by three different modes. All the calves experimented
with are reported to have shown ova in their nasal washings and
two of them tumefaction of the nasal mucous membrane and
small abscesses. Further study of this disease is in progress.
(v) Trypanosomiasis.
45. Government in their Order Ms. No. 92, Development, dated
23rd January 1933, sanctioned a scheme for the investigation into