NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
8
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
Foot-and-Mouth Disease was recorded throughout all the districts in
the circle and occurred in a mild form causing a small mortality. The
total deaths resulting from the disease were 17.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia was of comparatively rare occurrence in
this circle during the year. Sixteen deaths occurred in three districts.
Anthrax occurred in the following districts:—Lower Chindwin,
Upper Chindwin, Mandalay, Shwebo, Katha and Bhamo Districts.
The total mortality was 65. Blood smears were occasionally sent for
examination to the Veterinary Research Laboratory, Insein.
Blackquarter occurred in Mandalay, Katha and Bhamo Districts.
The total mortality was only 3.
Surra was recorded in six districts, the heaviest mortality being
shown in Mandalay District, namely 9. The total mortality for the year
was 24.
Strangles.—There were three outbreaks of strangles in the Katha
District. No deaths were reported. Pus smears of 2 cases sent to
Veterinary Research Laboratory, Insein, showed positive results.
Control Measures.—In Yinmabin Subdivision of Mônywa District
the villagers were doubtful about the benefits of inoculation and pre-
ferred to watch for results in inoculated animals. After several inocula-
tions in Salingyi Township had given good results, the villagers
willingly submitted their cattle for inoculation. The Indian cattle
owners in Htandaw and Ledi villages would not agree to inocula-
tion until the Cattle Disease Rules were enforced, compelling
them to segregate their cattle. Gurkha cattle owners in the Myitkyina
area handicapped the work of Departmental officers by resistance to
inoculation of animals in the rinderpest outbreak there. In general
there was willingness on the part of the villagers to comply with the
Segregation Rules. In the Lower Chindwin District where some
cases of unlawful disposal of flesh and hides were traced, prosecutions
were instituted and fines imposed.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES IN THE ARAKAN SUB-CIRCLE..
No outbreak of rinderpest occurred throughout the year in the Sub-
Circle.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease occurred in all the districts of the Sub-
Circle. The returns showed a mortality of 435, the majority of which
occurred in Akyab District. The figures show an increase on the
previous year's total.
Anthrax is becoming increasingly prevalent in Arakan. A heavy
mortality totalling 568 was reported from the three districts. Four
hundred and fifty-eight deaths occurred in Akyab alone. Many deaths
reported as anthrax are undoubtedly hæmorrhagic septicæmia.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1931.
9
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—With the exception of Akyab the other
districts were free from this disease. The total mortality was 20.
Control Measures.—Strict precautionary measures have been adopted
to prevent the re-entry of rinderpest into this Sub-Circle from Bassein,
Henzada or Minbu. The Cattle Disease Rules are not understood or
obeyed in the Arakan Sub-Circle. Disposal of carcases by floating off
in the creeks is a common and dangerous practice. Segregation is diffi-
cult on account of flooding and distribution of paddy areas of the same
owner in different parts of the township. There is little desire on the
part of the owners to co-operate with the district and veterinary staff.
A system of rewards for assistance has been introduced which promises
well at present.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
Rinderpest.—The number of animals inoculated against rinderpest
by the serum-alone method during the year was 78,053 as compared
with 72,038 during the previous year.
Inoculations by this method were carried out in the various circles as
follows:—
South-Eastem Circle ... ...
South-Western Circle ... ...
Northern Circle ... ...
Central Circle ... ...
Arakan Sub-Circle ... ...
14,791
14,927
33,812
14,523
Nil.
In addition to the above 1,370 sheep were inoculated in the Northern
Circle.
Double inoculation (Serum plus Virus) was carried out in two lots of
Government-owned cattle at the Mandalay and Tatkon Agricultural Farm,
162 cattle and 12 buffaloes being inoculated. The results were consid-
ered to be successful and considerable information was gained as a
result of these tests. Arrangements will be made in the future for
inoculations to be carried out by this method in village cattle where
consent is given and supervision can be carried out effectively.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease was dealt with in all outbreaks by standstill
measures and by medicinal treatment of cases only.
Anthrax.—A number of cattle and buffaloes were inoculated during
the year successfully by anthrax vaccine prepared at the Insein
Research Laboratory. The method was extensively employed for
immunisation of elephants of ti
mber firms working in areas where the
disease was sporadic or epizootic.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—One batch of animals (buffaloes) in
Maliwun, Mergui District, was inoculated with hæmorrhagic septi-
cæmia vaccine procured from the Imperial Veterinary Research
10
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
Laboratory, India. The results were good but it was not possible to
maintain continuous supervision and no comments can be made on the
protection afforded.
Arrangements are being made with a view to introducing this pre-
ventive inoculation for the disease during the coming year as outbreaks in
the coastal districts and riverine areas appear to be on the increase.
Surra.—No prophylactic inoculations against this disease were
carried out during the year. Arrangements are being made for testing
out the efficacy of injections of various drags at the Insein Laboratory
during the coming year in horses and if successful the results will be
applied in the districts.
CATTLE DISEASE RULES.
It must still be accepted that segregation measures to be effectively
carried out require the continuous supervision of the Veterinary Staff in
the village-tracts, a task which under existing conditions is impossible.
One of the chief factors in spread of disease is the uncontrolled
movements of trade cattle. The bringing together of cattle at halting
places and sale yards from various centres provides a most efficient
method of disseminating diseases.
The control of local epizootics can be brought about with a con-
siderable degree of success by inoculation and segregation, but no efficient
control has yet been attempted in connection with trade cattle. This is
a problem which must be seriously considered in the future.
CHAPTER IV.—VETERINARY EDUCATION.
(A) Veterinary College, Insein.—Towards the end of September 1930,
Mr. G. Pfaff, B.Sc, M.R.C.V.S., was recruited and appointed to fill the
post of the Principal of the College. U San Hla held the post of
Assistant Principal of the College during the year under report and was
in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary attached to the College.
The opening of the College was postponed pending decision of
Government on the reorganisation of the department. During the year
under report instruction was confined to Veterinary Assistants on
Refresher Course. Two such courses were held during the year—the
first from 7th July 1930 to 5th October 1930 was attended by 14
Veterinary Assistants, and the second course was held from 17th
November 1930 to 25th February 1931, at which 12 Veterinary Assistants
attended.
New Rules and Regulations for the Veterinary College at Insein were
prepared and published in an incomplete form during the year for the
information of prospective candidates. The complete rules will be
published when final decisions are arrived at by Local Government on
questions of pay of the new service and syllabus of studies.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1931.
11
(B) Veterinary Instruction in the Districts.—Veterinary
Officers
employed in the district work delivered lectures, and held demonstra-
tions in villages when on tour, to headmen and villagers. Lectures
by senior members of the staff were delivered at District and
Township Conferences and also at Agricultural and Co-operative Con-
ferences held during the year. Special demonstrations were arranged at
different centres. These demonstrations included lantern slides of
animals and parasites, specimens of diseases and a microscopical exhibi-
tion of the causal organisms of various specific diseases.
CHAPTER V.—VETERINARY RESEARCH.
(A) LABORATORY RESEARCH.
Staff.—The Research Laboratory was under the direction of the
following officers during the year for the period indicated:—
Mr. J. Bhattacharjee, M.R.C.V.S., April to 20th June 1930.
Mr. S. R. Rippon, M.R.C.V.S., 5th July to 28th September
1930.
Mr. G. Pfaff, M.R.C.V.S., 29th September 1930 to 3lst March
1931.
Mr. J. Smith, B.Sc, M.R.C.V.S., was recruited in January and
placed in charge of Field Veterinary Research Operations.
Two Veterinary Inspectors and a Veterinary Assistant were
employed in the Laboratory as technical assistants with an office staff of
one temporary clerk.
The equipment of the laboratory was added to during the year by
purchases from overseas and the laboratory may now be regarded as
having the equipment necessary for carrying out ordinary routine
investigation and research work. A commencement was made in the
establishment of a reference library of books and current literature.
Rinderpest.—A strain of rinderpest virus was maintained during the
year, with intermissions, in susceptible cattle procured from Cheduba
Island. It was found on a survey initiated in 1929-30 that the cattle
from this Island are highly susceptible to rinderpest. The cost of
transit was found to be excessive and the supply could not be maintained
during the monsoon period on account of loading difficulties. Cattle
from Kyaukpyu were tested out at the close of the year and found to be
equally susceptible. From Kyaukpyu a constant supply of animals can
be procured and it is anticipated that supplies of susceptible animals
from there will meet the virus requirements in the future. The risk of
spread of rinderpest to Cheduba Island and Kyaukpyu has been
guarded against as far as possible. The issue of virus during the year
amounted to 184 doses.
12
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
Anthrax.—The preparation of anthrax vaccine was recommenced
in the latter part of the year and work is in progress testing out batches
for use in the field inoculations during 1931-32.
2,771 doses of anthrax vaccine were issued, of which 1,806 were
ordered for elephants, 309 for buffaloes and 656 for cattle.
Examination of Smears and Specimens.—A total of 1,003 smears were
received for examination, of which 412 were sent by employees of timber
firms and the balance 591 from Veterinary Assistants. An outbreak
of Navel ill in foals was investigated in material sent from the Pyawbwe
Stud Farm.
The results of the examination of smears are as follows:—
Species of Animals.—Horses
150, cattle and buffaloes 359,
elephants 410, others 84.
Disease.—Anthrax 33, piroplasmosis 4, bovine lymphangitis 1,
hæmorrhagic septicæmia 1, surra 42, negative 922.
Instructions in Special Inoculation Work.—Sixteen Jemadars of the
Military Police were instructed during a three days' course in two
batches, in the technique of the Edwards Method of Inoculation of Bayer
205 for the curative treatment of surra in horses. The horses used in
the demonstrations were cast ponies supplied by arrangement with the
Military Police.
Remarks.—With the appointment of a permanent staff for the
Research Laboratory and the addition of necessary equipment it is
anticipated that this section of the department will show considerable
progress during the coming year.
(B) FIELD RESEARCH.
Rinderpest in Cattle.—The inoculation of Government-owned cattle
on the Agricultural Farms at Mandalay and Tatkon by the serum-virus
method was carried out during the year.
The virus used was freshly drawn citrated blood from a case react-
ing to a local strain of rinderpest maintained in the Insein Laboratory
in susceptible cattle procured from the Island of Cheduba off the
Sandoway coast.
Virus was transported in ice boxes to the farms and used within 48
hours after being bled. The serum used was special rinderpest serum
obtained from the Imperial Veterinary Research Laboratory, Muktesar.
A dose of 9 c.c. per 100 lbs. body weight of serum plus 1 c.c. virus
was given to each animal. The inoculations were carried out on each
farm in two batches at intervals of about a month.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1931. 13
Tatkon Farm.—One hundred cattle of Burmese type were inocu-
lated on this farm. These animals were a mixed lot comprising males,
females, working oxen and calves—all of various ages.
The reactions shown were very mild and were noted in 5 cases
only. An outbreak of rinderpest had occurred among these cattle in
1929 resulting in the loss of 10 animals, so it was anticipated that the
reactions to the double-inoculation would be comparatively mild as
most of the animals would possess considerable immunity. No deaths
occurred as a result of the double inoculation.
Mandalay Farm.—Sixty-two
cattle of Indian type were inoculated
on this farm. The animals were mostly bullocks and a few bulls, Sindi
cows and calves.
The majority of the animals showed a mild reaction to the inocula-
tion. More severe reactions were shown in 12 animals, of which two
died on the 11th and 21st clay after inoculation. A third reacting
animal died on the 40th day although recovery from the inoculation
had apparently been complete for some time.
General Remarks.—The
more severe reactions shown by cattle on
the Mandalay farm were undoubtedly due to the fact that many of the
animals were old and had previously never been in contact with
rinderpest. As a result, their resistance to the disease was low. The
animals which showed the most severe reactions were old bullocks
with a considerable admixture of Indian blood, and it was noted during
the tests that this latter factor had a marked influence in increasing the
severity of the reactions.
Microscopic examination of blood films taken from reacting animals
on Tatkon or Mandalay farms did not reveal any inter-current blood
disease.
Rinderpest in Burmese type Buffaloes.—An
experimental lot of 12
animals were used during the year to ascertain the safe dose of serum
to be used in preventive inoculation against this disease. The animals
were young Burmese buffaloes over two years old, males in good
condition, which were obtained on loan against repayment for deaths
from villagers in the neighbourhood of the Tatkon Agricultural Farm.
The test was carried out under departmental control at this farm.
Serum in doses of 8 c.c., 10 c.c., 12 c.c., 15 c.c. and 20 c.c. per
100 lbs. were given to each of a pair of buffaloes and simultaneously a
dose of 1 c.c. freshly drawn citrated virus from a reacting bovine.
Two controls received 1 c.c. virus each but no serum.
Buffaloes receiving up to 10 c.c. per 100 lbs. body weight showed a
severe reaction with lesions and symptoms of rinderpest. A moderate
2
14
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
reaction was shown by the animals receiving 12 c.c. per 100 lbs. and
a very mild reaction was shown in the animals which received 15 and
20 c.c. per 100 lbs.
Both control buffaloes died of acute rinderpest on the 9th and 10th
day. No deaths occurred in the serum treated animals. It is evident
from these results that a dose of 12—15 c.c. per 100 would be a safe
dose for this species of animal in carrying out serum virus inoculations
in the field against rinderpest.
This dose is about double the dose required to protect Burmese
cattle. Practical experience in the field in connection with serum-
alone inoculation for buffaloes shows that, normally, about twice the
amount of serum per 100 lbs. is required to protect against natural
infection, so this result may be taken as approximately correct.
ANTHRAX.—Protective Vaccination of Elephants with Spore Vaccine.—
Preventive inoculations against anthrax in elephants were carried out on
1,167 animals, aged from five years upwards, during the rest period in
the hot weather of 1930 in forest areas where, from previous experience,
anthrax was known to be prevalent. The animals belonged to various
timber firms and in the case of one small batch to the Burma Forest
Department.
The inoculation work was carried out for the most part by
Assistants of the timber firms who had been trained in the technique
of the operation by Departmental Officers.
The vaccine used was a suspension of attenuated spores in
glycerine from a bovine strain of South African origin prepared at the
Insein Laboratory and which had been tested out under laboratory
and field conditions for reaction and immunity production.
Results of the Inoculation.—The records of the observations are
incomplete but it is indicated that a fairly high percentage of animals, up
to 20 per cent., showed swelling of over 12 inches diameter at the seat
of the inoculation or at other points in the body occurring between the
8th and 38th day after inoculation. The inoculation produced very few
marked reactions in animals of either sex under 30 years, but animals
over 35 showed a severe reaction in a number of cases and there was
a protracted period of convalesence in the severe cases which
recovered.
The local swellings resulted from serous effusions into the sub-
cutaneous tissues and, where the genital organs were affected, caused
interference with urination. These severe reactions were not equally
distributed in the groups of animals inoculated but showed a higher
percentage in groups in certain districts.
The total mortality amongst the inoculated elephants in the period
of approximately 2½ months following inoculation was 31, of these
9 were due to other causes:—debility, old age, sun-stroke, etc., and the
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1931.
15
remaining 22 animals are accepted as having died as a result of
vaccination or infection picked up before immunity was established,
i.e., approximately 1.8 per cent.
In considering the factors to which the severe reactions and
mortality may have been due, the following were accepted as being the
predisposing causes:—
(1) Absence of any immunity against the disease at the time of
inoculation or hyper-susceptibility in a percentage of the
animals.
(2) Low condition of the animals as a result of the immediately
preceding working season.
(3) Inoculation carried out during the dry season when the
average temperature was very high.
(4) Scarcity of food and water necessitating vigorous work by the
animals during the reaction period in the process of collect-
ing food and water supply in the jungle.
(5) Rubbing of primary swellings at the site of inoculation against
trees to relieve irritation.
(6) Comparative inexperience of many of the inoculators and
possible resulting contamination.
(7) Difficulty of exercising continuous supervision.
The exudation of large quantities of dropsical effusion into the
dependent portions of the body which was shown in many cases indi-
cated a decrease in the coagulability of the blood due to deficiency
of mineral salts which may have been caused by overwork, low condi-
tion or inter-current disease (parasitosis, surra, etc.).
These dropsical swellings were not incised in the early stages of the
inoculation campaign on account of the possible risk of soil contamina-
tion, but this was done later with very rapid and beneficial results.
The immunity conferred by single inoculations of vaccine appears to
have been effective in preventing any further deaths from naturally
contracted anthrax infection during the remainder of the year.
Inoculations were only carried out in areas where recent outbreaks
had been diagnosed or where in previous years there had been a
constant animal mortality from the disease during the early monsoon
period.
The increase in mortality during the reaction period of approximately
three months when compared with similar periods in previous years
was under 1 per cent. The mortality was limited to one firm which
supplied a total of 88.8 per cent. of the animals inoculated.
Plans were made early in 1931 for extending vaccination against
anthrax in elephants, and as a preliminary step, test batches of animals
were inoculated under Departmental supervision during the months
January to March in various parts of the Province. A total of 80
animals in 5 batches were inoculated.
16
REPORT ON THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
The factors concerned in the production of swellings in 1930 were
eliminated as far as possible and Calcium Lactate in doses of 2 ounces
daily was administered to a proportion of the inoculated animals before
and during the reaction. Some of the groups of elephants had not been
immunised during the previous year.
No ill effects were noted in these animals and the local swellings
except in rare cases did not exceed a few inches in diameter. The
effect of dosing with Calcium Lactate was not sufficiently striking to
warrant its general use but there was evidence to show that it exercised
some effect in controlling serous effusions and local swellings at the
site of the inoculation.
These results were considered to be sufficiently good to warrant the
introduction on a wider scale during the ensuing year and arrangements
are being made accordingly.
Anthrax Vaccination in Cattle and Buffaloes.—Three hundred and
nine buffaloes and 656 cattle were immunised with spore vaccine during
the year in areas where anthrax was actually present at the time of the
inoculation or in which heavy losses had been experienced in previous
years. The results of the inoculations were not reported in all groups
of animals vaccinated but no ill effects from the vaccination have been
recorded and the resulting immunity has been satisfactory.
The majority of the buffaloes inoculated were the property of
contractors working for timber firms and the inoculations were carried
out to prevent the disease spreading to neighbouring groups of
elephants.
CHAPTER VI—SURVEY OF THE YEAR'S WORK,
RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Animal Mortality during the year.—The total recorded mortality
in stock from all causes was 79,558 or 1.2 per cent. of the cattle and
buffalo population of Burma. This figure may be accepted only as
indicating the margin of error in the statistical returns of general
mortality. Six or 8 per cent. might probably be more correct figures.
The figures for mortality from contagious diseases are somewhat
more reliable.
(A) CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.—The total recorded deaths from
contagious disease during the year was 8,360. This figure is a decrease
of 967 on last year's totals. Rinderpest accounted for 5,281 of these
deaths which represents a decrease on the 1929-30 figures of 1,195.
Rinderpest has been completely eradicated from Arakan and re-
infection was successfully prevented during the year. In the remaining
circles with the exception of the South-Western Circle there has been