NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
149
29 Castrations by Burdizzo method.—In all, 1,055 cas-
trations have been performed both by the touring staff and
the Hospital Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in this circle as
against 532 of last year. Of these, 596 have been done by the
Burdizzo method.
III.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
30. Rinderpest,—This disease prevailed during the year
in both the districts, though it was not so severe and wide-
spread as in the previous year, the affected places being Pol-
lachi and Coimbatore taluks of the Coimbatore district and
Wellington and Ootacamund of the Nilgiris district.
31. There were only 57 reports of this disease received
during the year as against 179 of the preceding year. Of
these, only two were not attended as the disease was report-
ed to have completely subsided. The Cattle Disease Act was
in force throughout the year in the Nilgiris and cattle pounds
were established under the Act. Some of the outbreaks of
were established under the Act. Some of the outbreaks of
me.
32. Four thousand two hundred and sixty-five inocula-
tions by serum simultaneous method and 191 inoculations by
serum alone method were done during the year as against
8,566 by serum simultaneous method and 864 by serum alone
method of the previous year. The fall in serum simultane-
ous inoculations is evidently due to the smaller number of
outbreaks of rinderpest received during this year and the
prevalence of the disease in much smaller areas than those of
last year, or in other words, the wave of rinderpest has been
timely and successfully blocked.
33. Anthrax.—Only one report of this disease was re-
ceived during the year and it was duly attended to.
34. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Two outbreaks of this
disease were reported, of which one was found to be of a
non-contagious nature.
35. Black quarter.—Twenty-three reports of this disease
were received and all of them were attended except one which
was reported to have subsided. The disease was very severe
in Kangayam division in Coimbatore district and anti-black
quarter serum inoculations were carried out. At the Patta-
gar's farm at Palayakottai, 462 animals were protected
against black quarter by me by the sero-aggressin method
150
of inoculations and 50 animals were protected against black
quarter by the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Kolle-
gal, at Honamatti Estate by the sero-aggressin method of
inoculations.
36. Foot-and-mouth disease.—Twelve reports of this dis-
-ase were received and attended. The outbreaks were mild.
37. Rabies,—Of 28 cases suspected of this disease ten
were confirmed microscopically; in two the results were re-
ported to be inconclusive and in the rest, confirmation was
not sought for.
38. Surra.—One case was observed during the year. As
soon as the microscopical examination of the blood smears
was positive for surra the pony was ordered to be destroyed
under the Glanders and Farcy Act and a sum of lis. 50 fixed
by the Committee was paid to the owner of the animal as
compensation.
39. Sheep-pox.—Three reports were received from Gobi-
chettipalayam taluk of Erode division and they were attended
to. One of these occurred in one of the farms of the Pattagar
of Palayakottai and was received very late. No ovination
could be performed as most of the sheep had either died or
recovered from the disease by the time the outbreak was
attended and there were no fresh herds affected.
40. Fowl cholera.—An outbreak of fowl cholera was
attended by the Hospital Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Coimbatore, and 18 fowls were inoculated with fowl cholera
vaccine.
41. Fowl pest.—Two outbreaks of this disease were
attended to by the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge,
Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, and 44 fowls have been
protected with fowl pest vaccine obtained from the Madras
Veterinary College. One outbreak of this disease has been
attended to by the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge
Veterinary Hospital, Coonoor, and 26 fowls have been
vaccinated.
IV.—MISCELLANEOUS .
42. Bacteriological work.—Twenty-three specimens and
smears were submitted by the staff to the Madras Veterinary
College Laboratory for microscopical examination for various
diseases. The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge, Veteri-
nary Hospitals at Ootacamund, Coonoor and Coimbatore
examined 369 specimens and smears from cases of their own
institutions or those from the touring staff. The brains of
twelve animals were sent to the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor,
and ten of them were positive for rabies.
151
43. Details of microscopical work done by me and the
staff.—Veterinary Assistant Surgeon A. Castelino in charge
of the Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, examined 211 speci-
mens microscopically as detailed below :—
(1) Scrapings from skin lesions ... ... ...
(2) Fæces ... ... ... ...
(3) Blood smears ... ... ...
(4) Pus smears from submaxillary abscess of a pony.
(5) Smears from rectal scrapings of a bullock
...
...
(6) Pus smears of a bullock ... ... ... ...
(7) Smears from muscle juice of two bullocks ...
(8) Blood smears of an elephant after death ... ...
(9) Blood smears of a dead sheep
...
...
...
(10) Liver smears ... ... ... ... ...
(11) Smears from heart blood ... ... ... ...
(12) Spleen smears ... ... ... ... ...
39
122
40
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
211
No specimens have been submitted by this Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon to the Madras Veterinary College during
the year.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon R. Swaminatha Ayyar in
charge of the Veterinary Hospital, Ootacamund, examined
69 specimens microscopically and specimens were submitted
by him to the Madras Veterinary College laboratory. The
latter is included in the number of specimens shown in para-
graph 42.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, P. T. Chakko, in charge of
the Veterinary Hospital, Coonoor, examined 61 specimens
and smears in the months of January, February, and March
1931 after a microscope was supplied to his hospital. These
consisted of blood smears, fæces and scrapings of skin, etc.,
of which six were positive for piroplasma bigeminum, three
for ova of intestinal parasites, and the rest were negative.
Apart from these, four specimens were examined at the
Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, of which, one showed ova of anchy-
lostomes and the rest were negative; and six specimens were
submitted by him to the Principal, Madras Veterinary College,
for microscopical examination, one showed urocystitis hæmor-
rhagica, two showed pappiloma and the rest were negative.
152
In addition to the 369 specimens and smears examined
by the staff in this circle, 84 specimens and smears were exa-
mined by me under the microscope. Of these 84 specimens
nine were positive for diseases such as black-quarter, piro-
plasmosis, fowl cholera, follicular mange, surra, etc., and
the rest were negative.
44. Municipal.—The municipalities of Coimbatore and
Erode of the Coimbatore district and those of Ootacamund
and Coonoor of the Nilgiris district have adopted the by-laws
and were regular in sending their monthly cattle mortality
statements.
45. Meat Inspection work.—At Ootacamund and Coimba-
tore the municipalities continued to employ separate Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeons. The services of Veterinary Assis-
tant Surgeons in charge of veterinary institutions at Coonoor,
Gobichettipalaiyam, Erode, and Tiruppur were utilized by
their respective local bodies towards meat inspection.
46. Lethal chamber.—Lethal chambers for the destruction
of stray dogs are in existence and use at Coimbatore and
Coonoor, and those at Tiruppur and Pollachi have not been in
use.
47. Fairs and shows.—No cattle and pony show was held
at Tiruppur. Two annual cattle fairs one at Tiruppur and the
other at Pudupalayam near Andhiyur, Bhavani taluk, were
held during this year. The Cattle Disease Act was not enforced
during any of the fairs. About 15,200 head of cattle and
100 ponies (country bred) were offered for sale in these fairs.
V.—GENERAL.
48. Propaganda work.—In the villages affected by rinder-
pest in Coimbatore taluk propaganda work was carried out
with magic lantern slides on cattle disease obtained from the
Madras Veterinary College and I brought home to the minds
of the ryots the importance of early intimation of outbreaks of
cattle disease to the Veterinary Department and the advantages
of preventive measures against such diseases as rinderpest,
etc. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon D. A. Ramanadhan helped
me in this work. The Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
of Erode and Tiruppur took advantage of the Agricultural
Motor Unit when it passed through their jurisdiction by
accompanying it and doing propaganda and demonstration
work.
153
49. Cattle and pony breeding.—During this year also two
stud bulls of the District Board, Coimbatore, were stationed
for some time at the Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, and
two others were in the Veterinary Hospital, Tiruppur, under
the supervision of the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge.
The District Board stallion was stationed at the Veterinary
Dispensary, Pollachi, for two months, at Nathakadayur for
six months and at the Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, for
four months.
50. Government live-stock.—The Government live-stock
at the Wellington Dairy Farm at Wellington, Naduvattam, and
the Agricultural College Farm, Coimbatore, were inspected
by me and the concerned Veterinary Assistant Surgeons.
51. Criminal poisoning.—Five post-mortem examinations
were conducted by the staff, of which two cases were com-
pounded, one was pending and in the remaining two, no
criminal poisoning was proved.
52. Malicious injury.—Nine certificates were given for
malicious injuries on lawful requisition from the Police.
In four cases the results were not known and in five the
cases were not proceeded with.
53. Investigation.—(1) Regarding cases of Chronic Hæma-
turia amongst cattle in the Niligris, samples of urine from fresh
or acute cases have been examined and no ova of Bilharzia
have been detected. Attention has been diverted to their
feeding ferns, bracken, and wattles which are commonly used
on the hills as their bedding, and the article written by the
Principal, Ireland Veterinary College. The ætiological factor
has not been arrived at.
(2) Experiments were conducted to find out the efficacy
of the oral administration of carbolic acid and the subcutaneous
injection of carbolic lotion in cases of rinderpest in both
indigenous breeds and the highly susceptible foreign breeds
of cattle. It was concluded that, whatever may be the stage
of the disease, the drug carbolic acid is of some use in the
treatment of rinderpest cases in country-bred cattle, but is
absolutely of no use in the cure of rinderpest cases amongst
pure-bred or cross-bred foreign cattle.
(3) A half-bred animal which was actively immunized
against rinderpest about three years ago was left with the
rinderpest affected animals in the serum simultaneous inocula-
tion camp at Wellington to gauge the immunity the animal had
against a natural infection and was found to show no reaction
whatsoever.
20
154
54. Financial effects of the revised scale of fees.—Fees are
levied at four institutions only in this circle, viz., those at
Coimbatore, Erode, Coonoor and Ootacamund. The introduc-
tion of revised scale of fees during the year under report has
affected all the four institutions so far as revenue is concerned,
but the popularity of the institutions has in no way been affected
considering the fact that the total number of admissions in
the above institutions during the year is more than that of
the previous year.
VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.
55. During the year, there was no report made by the
staff against any village officer for slackness of work in report-
ing contagious diseases.
56. The work of the office staff appears at present to be
fairly satisfactory after the acting head clerk of this office
has been removed from here on charges of several
irregularities.
A. J. WILSON,
District Veterinary Officer, Coimbatore.
155
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE DISTRICT
VETERINARY OFFICER, CALICUT, FOR THE YEAR
1930-31.
I.—ADMINISTRATION.
1. The Calicut circle comprises Malabar and South Kanara
districts.
2. I held charge of the circle during the year under review.
3. I spent 194 days on tour. All the touring billets except
that of Mangalore, and all the veterinary institutions except
those of Calicut and Palghat were inspected by me in detail,
and non-detail during the year. The touring billet at Manga-
lore, and the veterinary institutions at Calicut and Palghat
were inspected in detail only. The additional billet at
Mudabidri was also inspected during the year.
I visited the Headquarters hospital frequently whenever I
was at headquarters, and helped the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon in charge in professional matters.
4. I inspected the Government livestock at the Paddy
Breeding Station, Pattambi, and the cocoanut plantation farm
at Nileshwar, and the mules belonging to the Military Depart-
ment stationed at Muttanur camp; attended the annual cattle
fairs at Kulgunda of South Kanara district, and Kizhur of Mala-
bar district, helped the touring staff in propaganda along with
the agricultural exhibition motor van; toured with the touring
staff sufficiently long to combat outbreak of rinderpest and
personally attended outbreaks, organized serum simultaneous
camps, and gave the staff practical demonstrations and instruc-
tions in the use of local virus.
The local conditions have shown signs of improvement
during the year, and the veterinary profession is becoming
more and more popular in the Malabar district, especially in
Ernad, Walluvanad, and Wynad taluks which may be attribu-
ted to the opening of a new touring billet at Perintalmanna. It
is hoped that with the opening of more touring billets in
Malabar and South Kanara districts, further improvement will
be noticed among the ryots.
Under my personal supervision 121 head of cattle were
inoculated with Madras Veterinary College serum against
rinderpest by serum simultaneous method at Calicut town, and
the result was satisfactory.
156
II.—EXECUTIVE STAFF.
5. At the close of the year, there were 17 Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon of whom seven were in charge of institu-
tions, eight in charge of touring billets, and two on reserve
duty of whom one was a probationer.
(a) Hospitals and Dispensaries.
6. No new dispensary was opened during the year. The
dispensary at Tellicherry was shifted to another building in
the centre of the town, and this seems to have had the desired
effect. The total number of institutions at the end of the
year in this circle was seven.
7. The total number of in and out-patients treated at the
veterinary institutions during the year was 10,530 as against
9,532 of the previous year, thus showing an increase of 998
over the figures of the last year. Almost all the institutions
in this circle have contributed towards this increase; special
mention may be made with reference to the institutions at
Tellicherry, Palghat, Calicut and Cannanore, which show an
increase of 212, 187, 166 and 125 cases respectively.
It is satisfactory to note that there was a rise of four in the
average daily attendance at the Veterinary Hospital, Manga-
lore, during the year.
The Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge of the
Veterinary Dispensary, Puttur, continued to attend outbreaks
in Puttur taluk in addition to dispensary work. It may be
added that the work done at the Veterinary Dispensary, Udipi,
was not encouraging, and the question of shifting the dispen-
sary elsewhere in the district is under consideration. The
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge had also to do touring
work during the absence of the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon, Udipi, on leave.
8. The total number of cases not brought to the institution
but supplied with medicines during the year was 495 as against
550 of last year.
9. Three hundred and sixty-one castrations were done at
the veterinary institutions during the year under review as
against 273 of the previous year. Of the above, 226 castra-
tions were performed by Burdizzo method as against 80 of
last year.
10. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals'
cases.—Only 36 cases under Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act were remanded to the infirmaries for
treatment during the year as against 82 of the last year. The
157
fall is mainly attributed to the fact that the magistrates did
not send all the animals to the institutions for treatment, but
disposed of the cases by the imposition of fines, and the fact
has been brought to the notice of the District Magistrate, and
other members of the Society at one of the meetings at
Calicut.
11. Buildings.—A permanent dressing shed was sanctioned
to the Veterinary Dispensary at Puttur, and the Public Works
Department commenced the work. It has been finally decided
to put up wire-fencing in place of the mud compound wall
sanctioned for the dispensary.
Improvements for providing weather-boards to the veran-
dahs of the Veterinary Hospitals at Calicut and Mangalore, and
the Veterinary Dispensary at Puttur, and sun-shades to the
windows of the latter were sanctioned, and the work was
carried out in the last two institutions.
A temporary operation shed at Palghat, and a temporary
dressing-shed and a temporary in-patient shed at the Veterinary
Dispensary, Tellicherry, were constructed during the year.
12. Stud-bulls.—The stud-bulls stationed at the Veterinary
Hospital, Mangalore, and the Veterinary Dispensary, Canna-
nore, were looked after by this department.
(b) Touring Establishment.
13. At the beginning of the year, there were seven touring
billets, including the vacant one at Mangalore, and two addi-
tional billets at Manjeri and Perintalmanna in this circle. The
additional billets were closed during the year, and the new
touring billet for Ernad and Walluvanad taluks with head-
quarters at Perintalmanna was opened on 13th May 1930. As
rinderpest was raging in a severe form in Karkal taluk, an
additional touring billet with headquarters at Mudabidri was
also opened. The touring billet at Mangalore which had been
kept vacant for want of hands was re-opened on 18th January
1931.
14. A comparative statement of cases treated, castrations
performed and serum simultaneous inoculations against rinder-
pest done by the touring staff is given below :—
Year.
1929-30 ..
1930-31 ..
Serum-
simultaneous
inoculations.
15,420
14,085
Contagious
cases.
2,596
2,018
Non-
contagious
cases.
1,584
2,109
Castrations.
133
458
158
Of the total number of 458 castrations, 404 were by
Burdizzo method. From the figures it may be seen that this
method is gaining popularity with the ryots, and will completely
replace the other methods when each and every touring billet
is supplied with a Burdizzo's castrator.
All the 136 castrations performed by the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Puttur, on tour were by Burdizzo method, and out of the
102 castrations done by the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon, Manantoddy, 101 were by the same method.
III.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
15. Rinderpest.—This disease was prevalent in a severe
form in both the districts of this circle, especially in Walluva-
nad, Ernad, Palghat, Wynad and Kottayam taluks of Malabar
district, and Puttur, Karkal and Mangalore. taluks of South
Kanara district. As the disease was very severe in Mangalore
division, an additional hand was posted at Mudabidri to combat
the disease in Karkal taluk, where the Cattle Disease Act was
put in force for a period of three months from 6th January
1931. The Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Tellicherry,
was deputed to work in Puttur taluk of South Kanara district
to help the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge of the
Veterinary Dispensary, Puttur, in combating outbreaks of
cattle disease.
Three hundred and seventy-three reports were received
by the staff during the year out of which 360 were attended
to, eleven were not attended to as the disease subsided, and
the remaining two were pending.
Fourteen thousand
eighty-five inoculations were performed by the staff by the
serum simultaneous method against the disease, as against
15,420 of the previous year. One hundred and sixty-two
animals were also protected by serum alone method. The staff
were able to do the serum simultaneous method in the areas
also where the Cattle Disease Act was in force.
16. Cattle Disease Act.—The Cattle Disease Act continued
in force from the previous year in the Walluvanad taluk till
8th April 1931. The Act was again enforced for a period
of three months from 3rd November 1930 in certain areas of
Walluvanad taluk.
On account of the prevalence of rinderpest in a severe
form the Act had to be enforced from 8th September 1930 to
16th January 1931 in certain villages of Kottayam taluk.
Under similar circumstances the Act was put in force for a
period of eight months from 15th July 1930 in certain villages
of Wynad taluk.
159
Owing to the persistent outbreaks of rinderpest the Cattle
Diseases Act was put in force for a period of three months from
6th January 1931 in Karkal taluk. As a precautionary
measure, the Act was enforced during the annual cattle fair
at Kulgunda of South Kanara district from 3rd November 1930
to 24th November 1930.
Four prosecutions were made in all under the Act, of
which three resulted in fine, and one in acquittal.
17. Anthrax.—Forty-one
reports of this disease were
received during the year, of which 33 were attended to. The
disease subsided in five outbreaks, one report was not attended
to for want of time and the remaining two were pending.
One hundred and forty-eight inoculations against this disease
were done by the serum alone method by the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon in charge of the Veterinary Dispensary,
Puttur.
18. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Out of 18 reports received
by the staff, 17 were attended to and I was not attended to
as the disease subsided. The Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon, Palghat, did 71 inoculations against this disease by
the serum alone method.
19. Black quarter:—Four reports were received during the
year, and three were attended to, and one was not attended
to for want of time, as the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon had to attend to urgent rinderpest reports in his
division. The Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Calicut,
protected 53 animals by the serum alone method against this
disease.
20. Fool-and-mouth disease.—Out of the 29 reports
received during the year, 27 were attended to by the staff,
and two could not be attended to owing to the staff being
engaged in rinderpest work elsewhere. A very mild outbreak
of foot-and-mouth disease broke out at the close of the Kul-
gunda cattle fair in which the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon, Kasargod, tried Lugol's (Iodine) solution treatment
on 25 cases. The reaction could not be watched as the fair
was closed the next day.
21. Glanders.—Nil.
22. Surra.— Nil.
23. Strangles.—Nil.
24. Epizootic lymphangilis.—Nil.
25. Kumri.—Nil.