NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Report
ON THE
Civil Veterinary Department, Burma
(INCLUDING THE INSEIN VETERINARY SCHOOL)
For the Year ended the 31st March 1927.
I.—GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
1. During the year under report I held charge of the Department
from 1st to 7th April 1926 and again from 17th January to 31st March
1927. During the period 8th April 1926 to 16th January 1927, when I
was on leave, Mr. T. D. Stock held charge.
Mr. T. Rennie, Veterinary Adviser, retired from the service of
Government on 22nd November 1926.
Captain S. R. Rippon held charge of the South-Eastern and
South-West Circles throughout the year.
Captain J. Birkenshaw Idle, on return from leave on the 26th
November 1926, resumed charge of the Central Circle.
2. U. Pe Than, officiating Superintendent, continued to hold charge
of the Northern Circle throughout the year, and made over charge
of the Central Circle of which he was in additional charge, to Captain
Idle on the latter's return from Leave.
U Tun Aung, Deputy Superintendent, remained in charge of the
Magwe Sub-Circle, with headquarters at Magwe.
U Nyan Kyaw, Deputy Superintendent, remained in charge of the
Irrawaddy Sub-Circle, with headquarters at Bassein.
U Kyaing, Deputy Superintendent, remained in charge of the Tenas-
serim Sub-Circle, with headquarters at Moulmein. He was on leave
for one month from 7th January to 6th February 1927, during which
period the post remained vacant.
U San Hla, Deputy Superintendent, continued to hold charge of the
duties of Lecturer and Laboratory Assistant at the Veterinary School,
Insein.
U Po Thin, Deputy Superintendent, held charge of the Lower
Chindwin Sub-Circle, with headquarters at Mônywa. He was per-
mitted to retire from Government service with effect from the 1st March
1927, from which date the post has remained vacant.
REPORT
ON THE
Civil Veterinary Department, Burma
(INCLUDING THE INSEIN VETERINARY SCHOOL)
For the Year ended the 31st March 1928
Rangoon
Supdt., Govt. Printing and Stationery, Burma
1928
Price.—Rs 1-4 = 1s. 11d.
REPORT
ON THE
Civil Veterinary Department, Burma
(INCLUDING THE INSEIN VETERINARY SCHOOL)
For the Year ended the 31st March 1928
Rangoon
Superintendent, Government. Printing and Stationery, Burma
1928
LIST OF AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS.
IN BURMA.
AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION PRESS, Rangoon.
BISWAS & CO., 30, Lewis Street. Rangoon.
BRITISH BURMA PRESS BRANCH, Rangoon.
BURMA BOOK CLUB, LTD., Post Box No. 1068, Rangoon.
INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST BOOK DEPOT, Post Box No. 971. Rangoon.
MODERN PUBLISHING HOUSE, LTD., Rangoon.
NEW LIGHT OF BURMA PRESS, 26 & 26A. Phayre Street. Rangoon.
RANGOON TIMES PRESS, Rangoon.
MAUNG LU GALE, Law Book Depôt 42. Ayo-o-gale, Mandalay.
BURMA PUBLISHING Co., 71, Upper Main Road, Moulmein.
IN INDIA.
BOOK CO.. LTD., 4/4A, College Square, Calcutta.
BUTTERWORTH & Co. (India), LTD.. Calcutta.
S. K. LAHIRI & Co., 56, College Street. Calcutta.
W. NEWMAN & Co., Calcutta.
THACKER, SPINK & Co., Calcutta and Simla.
D. B. TARAPOREVALA, SONS & Co., Bombay.
THACKER & Co., LTD., Bombay.
HIGGINBOTHAM & Co., Madras.
IN EUROPE.
The publications are obtainable either direct from the Office of the
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR INDIA. 42. Grosvenor Gardens. London,
S.W. 1, or through any bookseller.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I.—Introduction ... ... .. ...
CHAPTER
II.—Contagious Diseases—Conditions during the year—
(1) Collection and Compilation of Mortality Statistics
(2) Rinderpest ... ... ... ...
(3) Foot-and-Mouth ... ... ...
(4) Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia, Black Quarter and
Anthrax ... ... ... ...
CHAPTER III.—Segregation Rules ... ... ... ...
CHAPTER IV.—Preventive Inoculation ... ... ...
CHAPTER V.—Veterinary Research ... ... ... ...
CHAPTER VI.—Hospitals and Dispensaries—
(1) Insein ... ... ... ...
(2) Prome ... ... ... ...
(3) Pegu ... ... ... ...
(4) Myingyan ... ... ... ...
(5) Pakôkku ... ... ... ...
CHAPTER VII.—Veterinary Instruction—Insein Veterinary School ...
CHAPTER VIII.—Remarks on General Administration and Organisation ...
APPENDICES ...
...
...
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MAP
...
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...
...
...
...
GRAPH
...
...
...
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PAGE
1
2
3
4
5
5
7
ib.
9
10
ib.
ib.
ib.
11
12
18
27
28
Resolution
ON THE
Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Burma,
(Includes the Insein Veterinary School).
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1928.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Burma, Agricultural Department
(Ministry of Forests), No. 270-O, dated the 5th November 1928.
READ—
(i) The report of the Director of Agriculture and Officer-in-charge, Civil
Veterinary Department, Burma, on the Civil Veterinary Department,
Burma (including the Insein Veterinary School), for the year ended the 31st
March 1928.
(ii) The review of the Report by the Financial Commissioner (Transferred
Subjects), Burma, contained in his Secretary's letter No. 347-1V-58, dated
the 16th October 1928.
RESOLUTION.—His Excellency the Governor, acting with his Minister,
has read Mr. McKerral's report with interest. Perhaps the most
important event of the year was the arrival in Burma of a Specialist in
Veterinary Research, and the results of his experiments will be awaited
with interest. The Ministry realises the difficulties pointed out by Mr.
McKerral in the way of complete segregation of diseased or suspected
animals in face of an outbreak of rinderpest. At the same time it agrees
with the Financial Commissioner (Transferred Subjects), that the
extermination of this scourge is the goal which the Veterinary Department
should set before it. One obvious step in this direction is the raising of
the standard of instruction at the Insein Veterinary School. For the
tackling of this, and the many other problems awaiting solution, the
Ministry of Forests hopes that the report of the Royal Commission on
Agriculture, whose detailed recommendations are under examination,
will render valuable assistance.
By order.
F. H. STEAVENSON,
Secretary to the Government of Burma,
Forest Department.
( 2 )
preventive measures. A graph showing the fluctuations of the Provincial
statistics of rinderpest mortality is included in the report. Other graphs
of District statistics were recently prepared under the instructions of
Mr. Lister, I.C.S., who was then working in the office of the Financial
Commissioner. It has not been found possible yet to draw any
satisfactory inferences from these graphs as to the periodicity of extensive
outbreaks, or even as to the routes by which the disease travels over
the province. In spite of the disappointing results of the graphs and
the defectiveness of the statistics available, Mr. Dunn thinks that graphs
should continue to be included in the annual report of the department
and that the examination and improvement of statistics should be
extended.
5. The question of altering the standard of instruction given at the
Insein Veterinary School must be settled without much further delay.
The Royal Commission on Agriculture did not generally attempt to
solve problems such as this which are more or less peculiar to a single
Province and the Commission seems to have contemplated a class of
Veterinary Assistants able to understand text books in English.
REPORT
ON THE
Civil Veterinary Department, Burma
For the Year ended the 31st March 1928.
CHAPTER I.—INTRODUCTION.
It has previously been the custom to begin this report with a some-
what detailed account of the number and movements of the staff through-
out the year and with certain other matters which can only be of small
interest to the general public. I propose in the present case to dispose
of these matters in a very condensed statement which will appear later
on in the report and to begin by dealing with others of more general
importance. The Veterinary Department is concerned mainly with
the suppression of diseases in animals and especially with the more
dangerous contagious diseases of which rinderpest and anthrax are the
principal. This report, therefore, must of necessity consist mainly of an
account of the incidence of disease during the year, the action taken
to control it and the measure of success achieved. The other matters
discussed, e.g., Veterinary Instruction, Research and General Administra-
tion, are all more or less subsidiary to and take their meaning from the
question of Contagious Disease.
CHAPTER II.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES—CONDITIONS
DURING THE YEAR.
2. The figures in Table II purport to give detailed information
regarding the incidence of contagious diseases during the year under
report. These figures are compiled in the Veterinary Adviser's office
from the monthly and yearly returns submitted by Deputy Commis-
sioners who in their turn obtain the figures from the Township Officers
and village headmen. The latter keep a register in counterfoil in which
all deaths occurring in their villages are supposed to be entered. These
registers are also supposed to be checked and signed by the Veterinary
Assistants in the course of their tours. In districts where the Registra-
tion rules are not in force a rough estimate only is supplied by the
Deputy Commissioner. I believe these figures to be very inaccurate
and to be far below the actuals. The total figure recorded for mortality
2
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
among bovines during the year is 108,747 made up of 41,955 deaths
due to contagious diseases and 66,792 deaths due to other diseases.
The total bovine population as recorded in the Season and Crop Report
is given as 5,994,840. This figure is obtained from a yearly census
made by Deputy Commissioners. It is unlikely to be on the high side
and much more likely to be an underestimate. The figure for total
mortality works out at 1.8 per cent. of the bovine population which
would put the average lite of each bovine at about 50 years whereas it
is known to be not more than 15. Mr. Mitchell, temporary Veterinary
Research Officer, has kindly supplied me with the South African figures
which give a mortality of slightly over 7 per cent. or a life period of about
14 years. There is, therefore, good reason to suppose that the recorded
figure for total mortality is at least three times too small and this figure
will doubtless apply both to animals that have died of contagious diseases
and from other causes. If we assume that the error from year to year
is fairly constant then the figures may be of some value for compara-
tive purposes and it is probable also that the figures for Rinderpest—
the most important of the contagious diseases, outbreaks of which neces-
sitate official interference and supervision—are more reliable than the
others. The recorded figures for Rinderpest are 38,385, the correspond-
ing figures for 1926-27 being 30,610. The result shows a practically
stationary condition. At the end of the report is also shown a graph of
the recorded figures for Rinderpest mortality during the last 20 years.
The graph does not show any steady diminution in the incidence of the
disease although it shows very great oscillations from year to year.
The form of the graph appears to be a succession of peaks which can
be accounted for by the fact that each outbreak must leave behind a
comparatively high percentage of immune animals which have escaped
death and this immunity will only disappear as the proportion of non-
immune young animals increases in the succeeding years. We are not
entitled to draw the inference that the measures taken for the suppres-
sion of the disease have had no effect. If those measures have not been
taken it is very probable that the mortality figures in all the years and
particularly in the bad years would have been much higher than they
are.
3. The outbreaks of Rinderpest took place mainly in the following
districts, against each of which are shown the recorded deaths from the
disease .—
Akyab
Bassein
Amherst
Thatôn
Katha
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
21,555
1,882
1,059
1,168
8,325
Akyab and Katha were, therefore, the two districts which suffered
most. Other districts of the dry zone were practically free from attack.
The only districts from which the disease was not reported were
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1928.
3
Kyaukpyu, Sandoway, the Arakan Hill Tracts and Tavoy. In Upper
Burma the Upper Chindwin, Kyauksè, Yamèthin and Minbu Districts
had a clean sheet.
4. The Akyab Outbreak.—The deaths from Rinderpest in this district
during the past five years have been as follows :—
1922-23
1923-24
1924-25
1925-26
1926-27
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
2
563
4,763
4,797
while daring the year 1927-28, 21,555 head of cattle died of the disease.
The heaviest mortality occurred during the months of June to September
in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Akyab townships. To cope
with the situation five inoculating parties were formed one Inspector
from Sandoway, two Inspectors and seven Veterinary Assistants from
Burma being sent to Akyab on special duty, 44,618 head of cattle were
inoculated with anti-rinderpest serum and of the inoculated cattle only
726 died. The Deputy Commissioner in his report remarks : " Serum
inoculation has now become popular in the district as the cattle owners
appear to have realised the benefit derived from this method of treat-
ment, even Chittagonians." He states that the segregation of cattle is
not strictly observed and that it is a difficult matter to enforce the Cattle
Disease Rules partly owing to the system of communal grazing and to
the difficulty of finding suitable land tor burying carcases, frequent resort
being had to the old practice of throwing the carcases into the creeks.
Two headmen had to be warned and three others fined during the year
for failure to comply with the rules and orders. On the other hand, 37
headmen were rewarded with cash for good work in helping with the
segregation and inoculation of cattle. Four Veterinary Assistants were
punished for neglect, three being removed from their appointment and
one having his increment stopped. At the suggestion of the Deputy
Commissioner the District Council gave Rs. 50 to each inoculating
party to bury carcases wherever they were found lying unburied.
Towards the end of the year the outbreak showed a decided abatement
and it was possible to recall the three special-duty Inspectors in January
as the disease had then come under control by the local staff. At the
time of writing however, a serious recrudescence of the disease has
been reported and the necessary measures are being taken to cope
with it.
5. The Bassein Outbreak.—The deaths in this district showed a fall
from 5,869 in the previous year to 1,882 in the year under report. The
number of animals inoculated was 2,717. The neighbouring district
of Henzada had a reported mortality of 769. The Deputy Commissioner
reports that the segregation and cattle disease rules are understood by
4
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
headmen and are observed except in rare cases in which departmental
action has been taken against the headmen concerned. He states :
" Reports of outbreaks of disease have been promptly attended to by
segregation and the prohibition of movements of cattle into or through
the affected village-tract." The outbreak in this district has apparently
passed its zenith.
6. The Thatôn Outbreak.—The outbreak in this district looks as if
it had come from the neighbouring district of Pegu which had nearly
3,000 deaths last year, but only 147 this year. The Deputy Commissioner
states in his report : " the increase is attributed to the apathy of cattle
owners both in segregating infected cattle and in keeping non-infected
cattle away from infected cattle, also to failure in reporting deaths and
seizures from the disease." The number of animals inoculated during
the year was 8,919.
7. The Amherst Outbreak.—Rinderpest broke out in the Mudon
township in April and later it was reported from various other town-
ships of the district. Altogether 45 outbreaks were recorded. Kya-in,
Ye and Amherst were the only townships free from it. The Deputy
Commissioner reports : " In the matter of the enforcement of the
segregation rules and education of the people this is progressing which
was evident by having outbreaks stamped out by adopting this process."
6,715 head of cattle were inoculated in 34 different localities with, the
Deputy Commissioner remarks, " admirable results." He reports that
prosecutions for breach of the segregation and cattle disease rules in
various townships occurred when the offenders were fined.
8. The Katha Outbreak.—Rinderpest was prevalent throughout the
whole district, the deaths showing an increase of 2,979. During the
year the inoculation rules were extended to the district and 12,889 head
of cattle were inoculated by three inoculation parties. Segregation
rules, generally, are reported by the Deputy Commissioner to be under-
stood by village headmen and cattle owners, and where they were
ignored drastic disciplinary action was taken against them and heavy
punishments inflicted. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, in charge reports that free movements of cattle during the open
season were restricted by the Deputy Commissioner thus localizing the
disease and making it easier for the Veterinary staff to stamp it out by
means of inoculation. The Superintendent delivered lectures at meet-
ings of villagers and headmen on the measures to be taken at the time
of the outbreak.
9. Of the other contagious diseases Foot-and-Mouth was as usual
prevalent in most of the districts of Burma in a mild form, the total
mortality recorded being 1,947, the highest recorded number of deaths
being in Bassein. This disease, while it is a far less dangerous one
FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH 1928.
5
than Rinderpest from the mortality point of view, often seriously
embarrasses the cultivators by incapacitating their plough bullocks at
the time that they are required for cultivation. The disease is amenable
to curative treatment and the existence of dispensaries would be a boon
to cultivators in this respect. All cultivators should know the curative
treatment to be adopted for this disease, but until dispensaries are
established where the required medicines can be obtained little can be
done. The Veterinary Assistants are supposed to treat it, but obviously
can only deal with a very small proportion of the animals affected.
10. For the three diseases which are linked together to form one
group. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia, Black Quarter and Anthrax, the
recorded deaths are 1,598 against 990 for last year. Mr. Mitchell, the
newly recruited Research Officer, is preparing leaflets on Anthrax and
Black Quarter, which it is hoped to distribute widely among cultivators.
He is also working on the production of protective vaccines for these
two diseases. The above figures do not include the mortality among
working elephants which is commented on later in the paragraph
dealing with veterinary research.
CHAPTER III.—SEGREGATION RULES.
11. The measures for segregation prescribed under the Cattle
Disease Rules of the Burma Village Act constitute with the Inoculation
Rules the only legislation which exists in this province for the suppres-
sion of cattle disease. Speaking generally Deputy Commissioners, as
in previous years, state that the rules appear to be fairly well under-
stood, but that they are not always carried out. As mentioned in a
previous paragraph much difficulty was experienced in Akyab owing to
villagers throwing carcases of diseased animals into the creeks. The
reason for the rules not being carried out and disease not being
promptly reported is often put down to apathy on the part of the
people. The reasons, however, are really more deep-seated and are
intimately connected with the conditions under which agriculture is
carried on in this province. The difficulties are—
(1) the village as opposed to the farm system and communal
grazing ;
(2) the fact that bullocks and buffaloes are the transport animals
of the province ;
(3) the existence of large herds of cattle in the possession of
Indians who own no land, pay no land revenue and who, as
they often live outside the villages, are not subject to the
discipline of the headmen.
The first two of these conditions make complete isolation and
" stand-still " measures, such as are practised in England, impossible.
The last great outbreak of Rinderpest in the British Isles took place in
the year 1865, in which year between 400,000 to 500,000 head of cattle
6
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
valued at about £5,000,000 perished from the disease. The measures
taken to suppress it consisted of the complete prohibition of movements
of animals from infected to non-infected areas and the complete slaugh-
ter of diseased and in-contact-with diseased animals in farms where the
disease had broken out. These measures without the use of serum,
which was not then available, completely stamped out the disease. We
cannot, however, put these in force in Burma. We cannot, without
paralysing the economic life of the people, completely stop the move-
ments of animals at times when they are required for cultivating the
land or conveying its produce to the market. The slaughter of animals
is outside the question and in any case, apart from religious objections,
it would be unworkable in a country where the cultivators live in
villages instead of in isolated farms. Bearing in mind these facts the
only conclusion which can be drawn is that, by the measures which are
now available, contagious disease may be mitigated but it will be diffi-
cult entirely to eradicate it. The third of the evils mentioned above—
the existence of Indian cattle breeders—as a matter which, if it cannot
be entirely prevented, might be remedied to some extent and the sooner
the better. Not only do these herds aid in the dissemination of
disease but their owners by the use of Indian bulls are slowly but
surely breaking up the excellent breed of Burmese cattle which is so
well suited to this province. If nothing else can be done these herds-
men could at least be registered and their cattle placed under veterinary
inspection and control. The control should extend to the lands of bulls
they would be allowed to use and to seeing that they obey the segrega-
tion rules when disease breaks out.
12. It is often stated that disease is brought into Burma from without,
i.e., from Siam, China and possibly Bengal and Assam. We are of
course always prone to lay the blame for these matters on our neighbours,
but I am afraid that the conclusion must be accepted that Rinderpest is
enzootic to the province. This does not of course means that it cannot
occasionally come in from outside and that we should not make some
attempt to control the frontier routes. This is done at present by the
posting of extra assistants on the main cattle routes in frontier districts
like Myitkyina, Bhamo, Salween, Thatôn and Amherst. Proposals for
a more systematic quarantine are at present under consideration and
have been circulated to Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners for
their opinion. The general conclusion reached after all opinions have
been taken is that we have not at present legal powers to prohibit the
movements of animals along the frontier routes and that this can only
be done if a comprehensive "Animals Diseases Act" is introduced.
This matter is at present under consideration.
13. I am not satisfied that the Veterinary staff have in the past done
what they might have done to popularise segregation and inoculation
measures. No departmental leaflets have ever been prepared and