NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
81
The Headquarters hospital was frequently visited by the
officers while at Headquarters and the Assistant was helped
and advised whenever necessary.
3.The Government Live-Stock at Hosur Cattle Farm and
Vellore Central Jail were inspected during the year; and 326
animals were protected by the serum simultaneous method
against Rinderpest at the Farm.
4.The District Veterinary office was inspected by the
Director of Veterinary Services, Madras, on the 30th January
1930.
II.—EXECUTIVE STAFF.
5.The total number of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in
this circle at the close of the year was 15. Eight were in
charge of institutions, five in charge of touring billets, one was
on leave and one was employed as Additional Veterinary Assist-
ant Surgeon.
6.During the year there was one casualty among the staff,
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon G. P. Srineevasa Ayyar having
succumbed to an attack of suspected erysipelas.
(a) Hospitals and Dispensaries.
7.There were 8 institutions at the end of the year in this
circle including the one at Hosur which is under the control
of the Agricultural department.
8.The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge of Veteri-
nary Dispensaries at Namakkal, Tiruchengode and Krishnagiri
had touring work to do in addition to their duties at their
dispensaries. Towards the close of the year the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Namakkal, was exempted from touring work as the work at
the institution had considerably increased.
9.There is an appreciable increase in the number of in and
out-patients treated during the year over the previous year, the
figures being 11,897 and 8,824 respectively. All the different
institutions contributed towards this increase, except the insti-
tution at the Hosur Cattle Farm which recorded a fall in the
number of cases treated during the year thus testifying to the
greater care that is being bestowed on the Cattle at the Farm.
10. The number of castrations performed during the year
was 550 against 257 of the previous year. Out of this number
478 were done by the Burdizzo method.
11
82
11. There were 144 cases supplied with medicines which
were not brought to the institutions during the year against 96
in the previous year.
12. The dispensary at Namakkal which was opened towards
the end of the previous year has made such good progress that
it is under contemplation to have it converted into a hospital.
13. Buildings.—The following new buildings were com-
pleted during the year.
(a) Quarters for the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon at
Salem.
(b) Construction of compound wall between the Veteri-
nary hospital and the District Board Office at Salem.
(c) Temporary waiting shed at Krishnagiri.
(d) An octogonal thatched operation shed at Namakkal.
(e) A microscopical room for the Veterinary Hospital at
the Hosur Cattle Farm.
The Government have approved the acquisition of buildings
for the Veterinary Dispensary, Ranipet,
(b) Touring Establishment.
14. As it stood on 31st March 1930, the touring billets
were 7 in number of which the one at Namakkal was vacant
throughout the year for want of Veterinary Assistant Surgeon.
An additional billet at Ranipet was opened temporarily during
the year.
15. The following comparative statement gives an idea of
the work done by the touring staff in this circle:—
Year.
1928-29 ..
1929-30 ..
Contagious
cases.
.. 986
.. 1,302
Non-contagions
cases.
555
697
Castrations.
214
188
Out of the 188 castrations done during the year 147 were
done by the Burdizzo method. The fall under castrations was
due to the staff being otherwise engaged attending to outbreak
reports of Rinderpest which was raging in this circle throughout
the major part of the year under report.
III. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
16. Rinderpest.—Seven hundred and twenty-four reports
were received during the year and 517 were attended. The
remaining were not attended as the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons were instructed to concentrate their attention in
83
combating the disease to particular taluks and as the diseases
had subsided in some outbreaks. The rest were pending
attendance at the end of the year.
The disease was severe in Arkonam, Cheyyar and Tiruvanna-
malai taluks of North Arcot district and Omalur taluk of Salem
district. It was prevalent in other parts of this circle in a less
severe form.
15,891 inoculations by the serum simultaneous method were
done during the year as against 7,671 of the previous year, and
78 animals were inoculated by the serum alone method as
against 8,447 of the previous year. The serum alone method
of inoculation has been given up completely in favour of the
serum simultaneous method ; and this accounts for the very
great fall noticed under the serum alone method of inoculations.
17. Anthrax.—Twenty-eight reports were received during
the year. Of this number 15 were attended to. The others
were not attended to as the staff were engaged in combating
Rinderpest. No inoculations were done against this disease.
18. Black quarter.—One hundred and twenty-four reports
were received of which 45 were attended to. Forty-seven animals
were protected with black quarter serum and 1,067 animals
were aggressined.
19. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—Twenty-three reports were
received, of which number only 5 were attended to as preference
was given to the attendance of Rinderpest reports. Three
hundred and seventy-one animals were inoculated against this
disease.
20. Foot and mouth disease.—Thirty reports were received
of which 7 were attended.
21.Other contagious diseases.—Forty-four reports were
received under this head and 14 were attended and the rest
were not attended to for want of progress reports in some and in
others as preference had to be given to Rinderpest reports.
22. Rabies.—Four cases were microscopically confirmed.
Three dogs and a buffalo were given Anti-Rabic treatment
successfully.
23.Trypanosomiasis (Surra).—Two cases of surra were
confirmed microscopically at the Madras Veterinary College.
24. Piroplasmosis.—Seven cases of bovine piroplasmosis
were confirmed microscopically for this disease. Smears exa-
mined from two cases proved positive for Theileria Mutans
84
25. Nasal granuloma.—Six cases of this disease were
successfully treated during the year.
26. Bovine Lymphangitis.—Two cases which were confirmed
microscopically were successfully treated with vaccine from the
Madras Veterinary College.
27. Kumri.—No case was diagnosed as such.
28. Swine pox.—There was an outbreak of swine pox
during the year at Hosur Cattle Farm. Twenty piglings were
affected. Two died and the rest recovered.
29. Coccidiosis.—In a case from which specimens were sub-
mitted for examination the result was : " Very few bodies
simulating degenerated forms of coccidia could be deducted."
30. Johne,s disease.—One cross-bred bullock of the Hosur
Cattle Farm was suspected for Johne's disease and was destroyed.
The typical corrugated appearance of the intestines, more
particularly at the ilium, was very marked. Scrapings sub-
mitted for examination proved positive.
31. Strangles.—During the latter part of the year many
ponies at Salem were affected with severe catarrh and strangles.
32. Bacteriological cases.—One hundred and twenty-five
specimens and smears were submitted to the Principal, Madras
Veterinary College, for microscopieal examination of which 55
were declared positive for various diseases. Besides these 176
smears, scrapings and samples of fæces were examined micros-
copically by the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons at the Veteri-
nary Hospitals at Vellore, Salem and Hosur Cattle Farm.
IV.—MISCELLANEOUS.
33. Criminal poisoning.—The viscera from one case suspect-
ed for criminal poisoning were sent to the Chemical Examiner
for examination. The result is not yet known.
34. Malicious injury.—Certificates were issued in five cases.
In one the accused was punished with fine; and the results of
the other cases are not yet known.
35. Meat inspection.—The municipalities of Tiruvanna-
malai and Ranipet continued to avail of the services of the
local Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for meat inspection. The
meat inspection work which was being done by the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Krishnagiri, was discontinued from 2nd December 1929, as the
union authorities had decided to stop meat inspection till they
got certain by-laws sanctioned by the District Board.
85
36. Government livestock.—The Government animals at
Vellore Central Jail were inspected by the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Hospital, Vellore, and
advice given whenever necessary.
87. Investigation and research.—There was an unusually
high mortality among crows during the year in Vellore. The
symptoms observed were as follows:—The birds would drop
down from their perches or while flying ; flap their wings for
a while ; the legs get paralysed ; and the temperature rises to
about 106 degrees. Death followed within periods varying
from a few hours to a few days. A sick bird was sent to the
Madras Veterinary College for examination and the report was
that the symptoms shown by the bird and the lesions were
suggestive of Pseudo Fowl Pest.
One Scindhe cow of the Hosur Cattle Farm which had been
suffering from udder complaint for over two and a half years, was
tested with tuberculin by Mr. A. J. Wilson with highly suspi-
cious reaction. It was destroyed and the udder was found to be
filled with pus. The result of microscopic examination of the
pus did not reveal any acid fast bacilli but only cocoid bodies.
38. S.P.C.A. cases.—Forty-eight cases were remanded to
the Veterinary Hospital, Salem.
39. Municipal.—Though the Municipalities of Tiruvauna-
malai and Vellore have adopted the by-laws relating to the
control of animal diseases, the cattle mortality reports are not
being received from them. The cattle mortality register is not
being maintained at Salem, Gudiyattam, Wallajah, Tiruppattur
and Vaniyambadi municipalities and the matter is under corre-
spondence.
40. Lethal chamber.—There are no lethal chambers in use in
this circle.
41. Fairs and shows.— All the annual cattle fairs held
during this year in this circle were attended to by the subordinate
staff. M.R.Ry. H. C. Sampath Ayyangar Avargal attended the
annual cattle fairs at Tiruvannamalai and Mecheri, and Labora-
tory Assistant G.R. Viswanathan demonstrated magic lantern
slides at these fairs.
42. Propaganda work.—The Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Veterinary Hospital, Vellore, delivered a magic lantern lecture
at the Arcot American Mission Agricultural Institute, Katpadi.
He also participated in the Health and Baby Week celebrations
held at Vellore and delivered lectures on cattle diseases at these
functions.
86
43. There has been an appreciable increase under receipts
at the Veterinary Hospitals at Salem and Vellore over the pre-
vious years' figures owing to the introduction of the revised
scale of fees, the figures being as below—
Veterinary Hospital, Salem. ..
„
Vellore ..
1928-29.
RS.
131
69
A.
14
1
P.
0
0
1929-30.
Rs.
276
72
A.
12
6
P.
0
0
V.—GENERAL REMARKS.
44. The touring staff had to report against six village
officers for slackness in reporting outbreaks of contagious
diseases.
45. Office staff.—The work of the staff continued to be
satisfactory.
87
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MADRAS
CIRCLE FOR THE YEAR 1929-30.
Consequent on the creation of five more District Offices
the jurisdiction of the IV Circle, Madras, which comprised the
districts of Chingleput, South Arcot, Nellore and Tanjore had
to undergo a change during June 1929 with the result that the
districts of Nellore and Tanjore were removed on the 1 5th and
12th June 1929 respectively and the jurisdiction of the present
Madras District Veterinary Officer consists of Chingleput and
South Arcot districts only.
2. Mr. W. J. D'Costa continued to hold charge of the
circle from the beginning of the year up to 3rd June 1929
afternoon when in connexion with the formation of new
District Offices, he was transferred and was relieved by M.R.Ry.
A. L. N. Somayajulu Pantulu who continued up to 14th June
1929 afternoon. The latter having been posted to open a
new District Office at Nellore, was relieved of his duties by
Mr. H. C. Sampath Ayyangar who remained in charge of the
office up to 22nd October 1929 forenoon. Mr. Hurley was then
posted and he held charge of this circle to the end of the
official year. When he went to Bangalore for military
training from 4th February to 21st February 1930, M.R.Ry.
G. Krishnaswami Mudaliyar acted for him.
3. Mr. D'Costa spent 29 days on tour, checked the field
work of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Tirutturaip-
pundi, visited the veterinary institutions at Tanjore and Maya-
varam once, Saidapet thrice, Tiruvalur once (surprise) and the
lethal chamber at Sembiam ; inspected the Veterinary Hospital,
Kumbakonam, the animals of the Borstal Institute, Tanjore,
selected a rented building for a new dispensary at Peravallur
and checked also the head office stationery.
4. M.R.Ry. A. L. N. Somayajulu Pantulu counted a day for
his tour by visiting Saidapet once.
5. During the period Mr. H. C. Sampath Ayyangar was in
charge of the circle, he toured for 67 days, visited the Veteri-
nary Hospital, Saidapet, thrice, Pallavaram cattle fair twice,
paid a surprise visit to the field work of the Touring Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeon, Ponneri, and conducted a detailed
inspection of the veterinary institutions at Saidapet, Chingle-
put, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur, Tindivanam and Conjeeveram. He
inspected the Veterinary Dispensary, Kallakurchi (partially),
the building selected for the Veterinary Dispensary, Peravallur,
88
and the jail animals which were castrated by the Burdizzo
method at Cuddalore. Lantern lectures were caused to be deli-
vered twice at Ponneri in connection with Health Week
Exhibition and once Kandamanadhi in Villupuram taluk under
the auspices of the Rural Reconstruction Union. He investi-
gated the cause of mortality among the inoculated animals at
Pondur which proved to be due to trypanasomes and he caused
the animals at the King Institute, Guindy, to be inoculated by
the serum alone and the serum simultaneous methods and
inspected them a second time as to their condition, etc. He
also visited Conjeeveram to inspect the sites selected for the
construction of permanent buildings and attended the Collec-
tor's Darbar held in Madras. The offices of the Second Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeon, Saidapet, and the Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons of Chingleput, Ponneri, Cuddalore and
Tirukkoyilur were inspected in detail and the field work of the
Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Villupuram, was inspec-
ted during the period. In addition to the above, he visited
some of the rinderpest infected villages where the ryots had
refused inoculation and convinced them of the advantages to
be gained in submitting their animals for inoculation.
6. Mr. Hurley was on tour for 33 days. He visited the
Veterinary Hospital, Saidapet, six times, the Veterinary Dispen-
sary, Peravallur, twice and the Veterinary Dispensaries,
Chingleput and Conjeeveram once along with the Director of
Veterinary Services and inspected certain sites for the construc-
tion of permanent buildings. He inspected in detail the work
of the institutions at Cuddalore, Chingleput, Saidapet and the
Second Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Veterinary Hospital,
Saidapet, and the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons,
Villupuram, Cuddalore and Chingleput and the Probationary
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Chingloput, once ; attended also
the meeting of the site selection committee as a member, to
inspect the site selected by the Executive Engineer for con-
structing permanent buildings for a Veterinary Dispensary at
Chingleput, served as a member of the Board of Examiners
constituted to conduct the annual examinations of the Madras
Veterinary College and also the Post-Graduate class. He
underwent military training at Bangalore and inspected and
issued the necessary instructions with regard to a case of surra
at Saidapet Veterinary Hospital. In addition, he visited some
of the rinderpest infected villages in both the districts, did
propaganda work and assisted the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons concerned in conducting inoculations by serum
simultaneous method.
Plate No. 2.
DERMOID
GROWTH
IN
THE
EYE—BEFORE
OPERATION.
89
7. M.R.Ry. G. Krishnasamy Mudaliyar while on tour for 10
days inspected the Veterinary Dispensary at Kallakurichi and
the Government animals at the Agricultural Farm at Palla-
kuppam; checked the field work of the Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons, Villupuram and Tirukkoyilur and visited
the Veterinary institutions at Saidapet, Tindivanam and Pera-
vallur. He also inspected the head office stores as usual.
II.—EXECUTIVE STAFF.
8. On 31st March 1930 there were in all 16 Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons attached to this circle. One of them was
a Probationer. No casualty occurred among the staff during
the year.
(a) Hospitals and Dispensaries.
9. A new dispensary was opened at Peravallur on 14th
January 1930 thus bringing up the number of dispensaries and
hospitals to 6 and 2 respectively. Most of the institutions
worked very satisfactorily as there was a large increase in the
number of cases treated and castrations performed, viz., 10,442
as against 9,802 of the previous year. The institutions at
Cuddalore and Conjeeveram showed a marked increase in the
number of in- and out-patients treated and castrations performed
whereas in the institutions at Chingleput and Kallakurichi
there has been a slight fall under castrations but an increase
under in- and out-patients. The work turned out in the institu-
tion at Tindivanam was more or less the same as that of the
previous year. The fall in the number of both in- and out-
patients and castrations performed in respect of Veterinary
Hospital, Saidapet, is striking and it is said that the fall is due
to the introduction of the new enhanced fee, the prevalence of
Rinderpest in Saidapet taluk and the non-attendance of the
mules of the military due to their general healthy condition.
The prevalence of contagious diseases in Trivellore taluk was
largely responsible for the decrease in the work of the institu-
tion at Trivellore. A visiting committee was, however, formed
during the year with a view to suggest ways and means by
which the work of the latter institution could be increased and
it remains to be seen what good it may accomplish. The fall
in the number of castrations in general is due to the prevalence
of Rinderpest throughout my jurisdiction and it is very appre-
ciable that out of the 237 castrations done, the staff were able
to use the Burdizzo instrument in 175 cases.
10. The total number of cases supplied with medicines but
not brought to the institutions was 432, the figure for the
previous year under the head being 400.
12
90
11. "With regard to the conversion of the dispensaries into
hospitals, the dispensary at Kallakurichi has not been raised to
the rank of a hospital during the year as the additional struc-
tures necessary for a hospital were completed late in the year.
The construction of permanent buildings for the Veterinary
Dispensaries at Chingleput and Conjeeveram is under
correspondence.
12. The following new constructions have been carried out
during the year, viz., (1) conversion of a horse stall into a
canine operation room at Saidapet, (2) kennels for four dogs at
Cuddalore, and (3) cattle ward, dressing shed and the com-
pound wall at Kallakurichi.
13. Owing to the wide prevalence of Rinderpest in both the
districts the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge of the some
of the veterinary dispensaries were instructed to attend the out-
break reports of their respective taluks whenever urgency
demanded and this they did willingly.
(b) Touring Establishment.
14. On the 31st March 1930 there were five permanent
Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons attached to this circle.
On account of heavy work an additional Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon's post was created. In addition, the Second Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeon attached to the Veterinary Hospital,
Saidapet, was also deputed, as usual to attend outbreak reports.
15. It will be seen from the following statistics of the cases
treated for non-contagious diseases and castrations performed,
that the touring staff were, in addition to their strenuous in-
oculation work, able to treat a large number of animals ailing
from non-contagious diseases and perform castrations on a large
scale:—
Year.
1928-29 . .
1929-30
..
Contagious
cases treated.
..2,795
.. 1,660
Non-
contagions
cases
treated.
763
1,658
Castrations
performed.
356
822
Total.
3,914
4,140
16. The fall in the number of cases treated for contagious
diseases is due to the touring staff having devoted their atten-
tion mostly to inoculation work. Castrations by the Burdizzo
method were performed in 656 out of 822 cases.
III.—CONTAGIOS DISEASES.
17. Rinderpest.—This disease having been widely prevalent
in a virulent form in the districts of Chingleput and South
Arcot, as many as 799 reports were received of which 731 were
Plate No. 3. DERMOID GROWTH IN THE EYE—AFTER THE OPERATION.
91
attended to. Of the rest, some were left unattended for want
of progress reports and time, some owing to the subsidence of
the disease while others were pending attendance as they were
received very near the end of the official year. Additional men
had to be posted to the worst-affected localities according to
necessity. The efforts on the part of the staff were not relaxed
in any way which may be seen from the statement of inocula-
tions done by the Veterinary Assistant Surgeens, given
below:—
Year.
1928-29
1929-30
... ...
... ...
Serum alone
method.
15,512
..8,366
Serum sinul-
taneous method.
22,806
32,575
it may be mentioned in this connexion that many more animals
would have been protected had the supply of serum and virus
been steady throughout the year.
18. Though the practice of protecting animals by serum
alone method was not encouraged as a matter of rule, the
method was adopted in one of the weekly cattle fairs near
Madras, viz., Pallavaram, to see whether compulsory inoculation
of all. animals attending a fair afforded sufficient security against
the spread of Rinderpest if fairs are allowed to be held in the
affected localities. This experiment was responsible for the
large number of inoculations by the serum alone method. There
had been 72 and 3 deaths among the animals inoculated by
serum simultaneous and serum alone methods respectively. Out
of the 72 deaths among the animals inoculated by serum
simultaneous method some were due to other causes.
19. The Cattle Disease Act was in force in South Arcot
district throughout the year and in Chingleput district till the
middle of February 1930. There were no prosecutions under
the Act.
20. With regard to the source of infection the disease
continued to prevail in both the districts from the previous
year.
21.Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—During the year 189 reports
were received under this caption and in 136 reports attended by
the staff 2,404 inoculations were performed. This figure com-
pares very favourably with that of the previous year. The
large number of reports left unattended was due to want of time
as the staff had to give precedence to Rinderpest reports. Only
three casualties resulted among the inoculated animals. The
disease was severe in Chingleput district and moderate in South
Arcot district.