NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
105
14. Six hundred and seventeen castrations were performed
during the year as against 550 in the previous year; of these
510 were done by the Burdizzo method.
15. An all round increase in the number of admissions,
castrations and daily average attendance is observed at the
veterinary institutions at Vellore, Salem, Krishnagiri and
Tiruchengode. Of these Krishnagiri and Salem stand well to
the front. The keen interest evinced by Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons V. Periaswami and A. R. Venkatachala Ayyar in
their respective charges, in a great measure, accounts for this
satisfactory progress.
A comparative statement of the
number of admissions, castrations and daily average attend-
ance of these two institutions is appended below :—
Number of
patients
treated.
Cast-
rations
done.
Daily
average
attendance.
Veterinary Dispensary, Krishnagiri.
1930-31 .. ..
1929-30 .. ..
1,826
1,069
90
18
28.43
16.91
Veterinary Hospital, Salem.
1930-31 .. ..
1929-30 .. ..
2,866
2,575
72
66
46.55
39.09
16. An increase in the number of admissions and daily
average attendance and a slight fall in the number of castra-
tions are recorded at the Veterinary Dispensaries at Ranipet
and Namakkal. There is a very perceptible fall noticed in
the number of admissions and daily average attendance at the
Veterinary Hospital, Tiruvannamalai, when compared with
the previous year. The decrease is accounted for partly by
an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease last year, in and about
the town, which contributed a large number of foot-and-mouth
complication cases for treatment, and also partly to the con-
tinuous rains during December 1930 and January 1931. A
fall in the admission and daily average attendance is also
noticed at the Hosur Cattle Farm. But this is as it should
be.
17. The Veterinary Hospital, Vellore, was inspected by
the Director of Veterinary Services, Madras, on 2nd March
1931.
18. Col. A. Olver, Expert Adviser on Animal Husbandry
to the Government of India, and the Director of Veterinary
Services, Madras, paid a visit to the veterinary hospital
attached to the Hosur Cattle Farm.
14
106
19. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon T. Vinayaka Mudaliyar
deserves special mention for the very satisfactory way in
which he has discharged his onerous duties at the Hosur
Cattle Farm Hospital.
20. Building.—One of the top stalls of the veterinary
hospital at the Hosur Cattle Farm was converted into an office
room for the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon stationed
at the Hosur Cattle Farm.
(b) Touring Establishment.
21. At the close of the year there were eight touring
billets in this circle. During the year the post of the addi-
tional Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Ranipet, was abolished;
the vacant post at Namakkal was filled in on 3rd May 1930
and a new billet was opened with Tirupattur as headquarters
from 1st May 1930.
22. A comparative statement of the work done by the
touring staff during 1929-30 and 1930-31 is appended
below:—
Year.
1929-30 .. ..
1930-31 .. ..
Inoculation
serum
simulta-
neous
method.
15,891
13,400
Conta-
gious
cases
treated.
1,302
1,151
Non-
conta-
gious
cases
treated.
697
2,323
Castra-
tions.
188
799
Total.
2,187
4,273
23. From the above statement it will be observed that
there is a fall in the number of inoculations performed and
in the number of contagious cases treated when compared
with last year's figures. The decrease in the number of
inoculations done and contagious cases treated may be attri-
buted to the fact that rinderpest had abated considerably
during the year, as can be seen from the number of out-
break reports received during the year. The increase in the
number of non-contagious cases treated and castrations per-
formed are due to the fact that the Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons spent more time on systematic tour.
24. Seven hundred and ninety-nine castrations were per-
formed during the year as against 188 in the previous year.
Of these 793 were done by the Burdizzo method.
107
III.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
25. A tabular statement showing the number of outbreak
reports received and attended by the touring staff as com-
pared with last year's figures is appended below :—
Disease.
Rinderpest .. ..
Anthrax .. ..
Black quarter .. ..
Hæmorrhagic
Septi-
cæmia
Foot-and-mouth ..
Others .. .. ..
Surra .. .. ..
Malignant sore throat.
1929-30.
Received.
724
28
124
23
30
44
..
..
973
Attended.
517
15
45
5
7
14
..
..
603
1930-31.
Received.
340
35
74
12
16
29
1
1
508
Attended.
312
30
63
9
13
23
1
1
452
26. Rinderpest.—Of the 340 reports received during the
year 312 were attended to as compared with 724 reports
received and 517 attended to in the previous year. The re-
maining 28 reports were not attended to as the disease had
subsided in some outbreaks and the others were lodged for
want of progress reports. The disease was severe in Cheyyar,
Wandiwash, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore taluks of North Arcot
district and Hosur and Omalur taluks of Salem district.
27. The provisions of the Cattle Disease Act were put in
force in Hosur taluk throughout the year.
28. Thirteen thousand four hundred inoculations by the
serum simultaneous method and 66 by serum alone against
rinderpest were done during the year as against 15,891 by the
serum simultaneous method and 78 by serum alone method in
the previous year, the virus for the purpose being obtained
from the Madras Veterinary College. Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons K. Lakshminarayanan and B. Venkataramanayya
were responsible for more than half the number of these
inoculations—they having done 3,724 and 3,017 respectively.
29. During the year under report the following quantities
of serum and virus were spent:—
Class I special anti-rinderpest
serum
...
...
...
...
Class II special anti-rinderpest
serum ... ... ... ...
Ordinary serum
...
...
...
Rinderpest virus
...
...
...
4,150 doses.
134,500
250
910 ounces.
108
30. Anthrax.—Thirty-five reports were received during
this year as compared with 28 reports in the previous year.
Of these, 30 were attended to as compared with 15 in the year
previous. The rest were not attended to as the staff were
otherwise engaged in attending to outbreak reports of rinder-
pest. No inoculations were done against this disease.
31. Black quarter.—Seventy-four reports were received
during the year, of which 63 were attended to. Last year 124
reports were received and 45 were attended to. One hundred
and thirty-five animals were inoculated by the serum alone
method, 773 animals by aggressin alone method and 299
animals by the sero-aggressin method against this disease
during the year.
32. The following quantities of serum were spent during
this year:—
Black quarter serum ... ...
Black quarter aggressin ...
520 doses.
1,250
„
33. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Twelve
reports were
received of which nine were attended to against 23 and 5 of
last year. No inoculations were done against this disease.
34. Foot-and-mouth disease.—Sixteen reports were re-
ceived of which 13 were attended to against 30 and 7 of last
year.
There was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease amongst
the animals at the Hosur Cattle Farm, and advantage was taken
of this outbreak to study the effect of the Chemotherapy in
this disease. As many as 59 animals were affected of which
29 were given Lugol's solution intravenously, and the rest
were treated with the usual external anti-septic dressings.
Nothing very marked in favour of the Chemotherapy line of
treatment was noticed. If anything, a few of the cases treated
with external dressings recovered earlier than those which had
the injections. The disease ran its usual course, and since it
occurred in an inoculation camp where animals were all kept
under strict observance of segregation and disinfection it was
possible to control the disease from spreading to the other
animals on the farm.
35. Others.—Twenty-nine reports were received of which
17 were diagnosed for indigestion; two pneumonia; two natural
causes; and the eight others were not definitely diagnosed.
Twenty-three of these reports were attended to as against 14
of the previous year. The rest were not attended to for want
of progress reports in some and in others as the preference had
to be given to rinderpest reports.
109
36. Nasal granuloma.—Twenty-four cases were success-
fully treated with antimonium tartaratum injections in this
circle during the year.
37. Piroplasmosis.—Fourteen cases of bovine piroplas-
mosis were confirmed microscopically at the Madras Veterinary
College and were classified as follows :—
Theileria mutans—5, and Babesia bigemina—9.
38. Bovine lymphangitis.—Smears from a bullock suspect-
ed to be suffering from the disease were sent to the Principal,
Madras Veterinary College, for examination and the result was
positive.
39. Trypanosomiasis.—Nine cases of trypanosomiasis—six
in horses (surra), two in cattle and one in a hound—were con-
firmed microscopically. Four of the horses and two bullocks
died; the remaining two horses were destroyed under the
Glanders and Farcy Act and the owners compensated. The
hound, the property of the Madras Hunt Club, was treated
with Bayer 205 intravenously at the Hosur Cattle Farm
Hospital, and it made a rapid recovery.
40. Coccidiosis.—Materials from two calves suspected to
be suffering from this affection were sent to the Principal,
Madras Veterinary College, for microscopical examination and
proved positive.
41. Pseudo-fowl-pest.—Materials from a hen suspected to
have died of pseudo-fowl-pest were sent from Hosur Cattle
Farm to the Principal, Madras Veterinary College, who reported
that the post-mortem lesions of the bird inoculated with the
materials were suggestive of pseudo-fowl-pest.
42. There was an outbreak of this disease among the fowls
of the American Arcot Mission Agricultural Institute, Katpadi.
Three live fowls affected with disease were sent to the Madras
Veterinary College. One hundred and fifty-six fowls were
vaccinated against this disease at the Institute with vaccine
obtained from the Madras Veterinary College with good results.
43. A disease among fowls at Tanatampatti village,
Namakkal taluk, responsible for nearly 100 deaths was
reported, and by the time the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon could go and investigate, the ryots had sold away the
remaining fowls.
44. Strangles.—During the year there was an outbreak of
strangles among the jutka ponies at Salem.
110
45. Kumri.—This was diagnosed as such in only one case
at Ranipet.
46. Rabies.—Thirty-two cases were suspected for rabies
during the year. Confirmation was sought for in 19 cases.
Fifteen were declared positive; three were reported as incon-
clusive; and in one the materials sent were unfit for examina-
tion.
47. Anti-rabic treatment was adopted in six dogs with good
results.
48. Bacteriological.—One hundred and twenty-six speci-
mens and smears were submitted by the staff to the Principal,
Madras Veterinary College, for microscopical examination of
which 68 were declared positive and were as given under:—
Trypanosomiasis
...
Mange (demodex species)
Bovine lymphangitis
Coccidiosis ...
Black quarter ...
Strangles ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Atheroma of the anterior aorta
Piroplasmosis—
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Piroplasmosis theileria mutans
„
babesia
bigemina
Pseudo-fowl-pest
Worms ...
Varied organisms
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
8
2
1
2
4
3
1
5
9
3
6
24
68
IV.—MICROSCOPICAL WORK.
49. Regular records of the work done by me with the
microscope are being maintained only from October last. It
is not possible to give a full and detailed account under this
heading for the whole year. The work done from October last
was as follows :—
Number and nature of
materials examined.
Blood smears ..
Do. ..
Fæces .. ..
Blood smears ..
3
3
1
2
9
Disease suspected.
Trypanosomiasis ..
Piroplasmosis .. ..
Coccidiosis .. ..
For presence of orga-
nisms.
Result.
Positive.
2
..
1
Normal
3
Nega-
tive.
1
3
..
2
6
111
50. Besides these 288 smears, scrapings and samples of
fæces were examined microscopically by the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons in charge of Veterinary Hospitals, Vellore,
Salem, and Hosur Cattle Farm.
V.—MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Cases of unusual interest.
51. An interesting specimen sent to the Madras Veterinary
College was a piece of the anterior aorta affected with
Atheroma in a cross bred bullock belonging to the Hosur Cattle
Farm which caused the sudden death of the animal by the
rupture of the vessel. The bullock is one of twins, whose
brother is still alive and who has not shown, so far, any signs
of being similarly affected with this rare disease of the artery.
The bullock was only 7½ years of age at the time of its death.
52. Investigation and Research.—Another
interesting
case was that of a cross bred bullock of the same farm
aged about 12 years, which began to show symptoms
of Johne's disease with profuse, frothy, foetid and inter-
mittent diarrhœa, and was losing condition fast in spite
of good feeding. Materials were sent three times to the Madras
Veterinary College with negative results and finally the Avian
Tuberculin test was conducted and the result was positive.
The bullock was destroyed and on post-mortem, the intestines
—particularly near the illeum—bore the typical corrugated
appearance of the disease.
53. One cross bred bullock which received only 20 c.c.
of anti-rinderpest serum as a desensitising dose the day pre-
vious to inoculation developed severe symptoms of anaphylaxis
and died within 40 minutes of its receiving the serum. On the
whole desensitisation had the effect of lessening the number
and severity of cases of anaphylaxis.
(b) Professional.
54. A special camp was run during the year under report
at Hosur Cattle Farm to test the period of immunity conferred
by serum simultaneous inoculation against rinderpest. Eleven
animals were used for the test of which ten were from the farm
and one a village calf purchased locally. A separate report
was submitted on this interesting experiment. The following
were the conclusions arrived at:—
(1) That the efficacy of serum simultaneous inoculation
as a method of protection against rinderpest is established.
112
(2) That the immunity set up in animals protected as
adults did not wear off even at two years and three months
after the inoculation.
(3) That a calf protected four months ago re-acted,
though in a very mild form. This combined with the fact that
mortality amongst the protected young stock on this farm three
years ago, when there was a natural outbreak of rinderpest,
was severe and also of the fact that the mortality in the annual
serum simultaneous inoculations is also confined to young
calves, as expected, leaves room to doubt the permanency of
immunity set up in young calves.
55. Cattle Disease—Rinderpest—Treatment by indigenous
drugs, etc.—A certain quantity of indigenous drugs sufficient
for treating five cases of rinderpest was received from
Mr. R. G. Sashittal of Bombay for trial in this circle. Though
four of the cases treated recovered, no definite opinion can
be expressed on the value of the drugs on account of the
paucity of the number of cases treated with the drugs.
56. Cresol and carbolic acid are being used in the treat-
ment of cases of rinderpest in this circle. The results obtained
so far are very indefinite.
57. Government Livestock.—The Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons in charge of Veterinary Hospitals, Vellore and Salem,
inspected the Government animals at the Central Jails, Vellore
and Salem, and treatment and advice were given whenever
necessary.
58. Criminal poisoning.—One case (a bullock) suspected
to have died of criminal poisoning was sent by the police
officials for post-mortem. The Chemical Examiner's report
stated that no arsenic or mercury could be detected in the
viscera.
59. Malicious injuries.—Certificates were issued in sixteen
cases of malicious injuries. The results are not known.
60. Snake bite.—A cow of the Central Jail, Salem, was
found dead under suspicious circumstances. The cause of the
death was suspected to be snake bite.
61. Meat inspection.—The Tiruvannamalai Municipality
and Ranipet Union Board continued to avail of the services of
the local Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for meat inspection.
The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons inspected 12,018 sheep
and goats, and condemned 888 animals for various reasons.
113
62. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—
There were 70 cases remanded to the Veterinary Hospital,
Salem, under the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act during the year, as against 48 of the year
previous.
63. Municipal.—Though the municipalities of Tiruvanna-
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 by the Salem, Gudiyattam, Wallaja and
Tiruvannamalai municipalities. The subject is under corre-
spondence.
64. Lethal chamber.—The lethal chamber at Vellore, the
only one that is functioning in this Circle, was inspected by the
local Veterinary Assistant Surgeon.
65. Fairs and shows.—All the four annual cattle fairs held
in this circle during the year, viz., the one at Tiruvannamalai
in North Arcot district and the others at Nangavalli, Kaipatti
and Mecheri in Salem district were attended by the staff. The
Cattle Disease Act was enforced at all the fairs. I attended
the cattle fair at Tiruvannamalai. Magic lantern slides on
rinderpest, black quarter and anthrax were demonstrated at
the fairs held in Salem district.
66. I acted as one of the judges at the animal show held
in December 1930 at Salem under the auspices of the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
67. Propaganda.—M.R.Ry. H. C. Sampath Ayyangar
Avargal during his short stay in this circle delivered a magic
lantern lecture at the Annual Summer School for rural youths
at the American Arcot Mission Agricultural Institute, Katpadi.
68. An Agricultural Exhibition Motor Van toured in all
the taluks of Salem district during the months of December
1930, January and February 1931. The Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons, Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Hosur
Cattle Farm, accompanied the van throughout in their res-
pective jurisdictions and did the following propaganda work :—
(1) Advising ryots on the benefits of scientific treatment
of diseased cattle.
(2) Lecturing on rinderpest and how to prevent it.
(3) Demonstrating the advantages of the Burdizzo
method of castration.
(4) Demonstration of veterinary work by treating sick
animals.
15
114
(5) Magic lantern lectures were also given on rinderpest,
black quarter and anthrax.
69. The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in charge of veteri-
nary institutions, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and Ranipet, deli-
vered lectures on veterinary matters at the ryots' conferences
held in their towns.
70. I, along with the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Namakkal, visited Paramatti, a village in Namakkal taluk when
the motor exhibition van was halting there, and did some
propaganda work.
VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.
71. Financial effect of the introduction of new scales of
fees.—There are two veterinary institutions in this circle, viz.,
Vellore and Salem, where the revised scale of fees has been
introduced from 1st April 1929, and the total receipts of these
two institutions for the year under report as well as the year
previous to it are appended below :—
Veterinary Hospital, Vellore.
Veterinary Hospital, Salem.
1929-30.
Rs.
72
276
A.
6
12
P.
0
0
1930-31.
Rs.
133
174
A.
4
1
P.
0
0
The increase in the receipt of fees is marked at Vellore
while Salem shows a decrease.
72. The touring staff had to report against 11 village
officers for slackness in reporting outbreaks of contagious
diseases.
73. Out of 1,416 castrations done by the staff, 1,303 were
done by the Burdizzo method. This method of castration is
rapidly becoming popular among the ryots.
74. The work of the clerical staff throughout the year was
satisfactory.
W. J. D'COSTA,
District Veterinary Officer, Vellore
115
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE DISTRICT
VETERINARY OFFICER, MADRAS, FOR THE YEAR
1930-31.
I.—ADMINISTRATION.
1. The year 1930-31 saw no change in the jurisdiction of
this circle which consists of the Revenue districts of Chingleput
and South Arcot.
2. Mr. T. J. Hurley was in charge of the circle from the
beginning of the year till 22nd April 1930. He visited the
Veterinary Hospital at Saidapet thrice and was on tour for
three days.
3. I assumed charge of the circle on 23rd April 1930 fore-
noon and remained in charge throughout the year. I paid
18 visits to the Veterinary Hospital, Saidapet, toured for 173
days, inspected all the institutions and touring billets twice
during the year, once in detail. The stationery and stores
of the Head Office were checked by me as usual during the
year. Surprise visits were paid to the Veterinary Dispensaries,
Tiruvallur and Tindivanam. Six mules were tested with
Mallein at Saidapet with negative results. The annual cattle
fairs at Melmalayanur and Mailam were attended by me during
the year and a lantern lecture was delivered in my presence
with anthrax slides at the cattle fair at Mailam. I also
attended the Health Conference held at Madras during January
1931, selected a building for the location of the new Veteri-
nary Dispensary at Chidambaram and inspected the site that
has been chosen for constructing permanent hospital buildings
at Conjeeveram with the Collector of Chingleput district.
4. During the year I treated four rinderpest cases with
indigenous drugs supplied to me by the Head Office but no
definite conclusion could be arrived at as the number of animals
treated was very small. Twenty-eight animals suffering from
rinderpest in its various stages were given plasmoquine and
12 of them succumbed. As the mortality was over 42 per
cent among the treated animals, no credit could be given to
the drug as a curative agent.
5. During my tours I had serum simultaneous inoculations
conducted against rinderpest in various parts of my jurisdiction
and also tried Madras serum on 116 animals in Chingleput dis-
trict with good results. Inoculations against hæmorrhagic
septicæmia by "serum alone method" were also performed in
my presence during the year.
6. I examined 35 blood smears and found seven positive
for various diseases.