NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
17
the pathogenicity or otherwise of the trypanosomes found in
cattle on the equine species. The experiment was started in the
latter part of the year. Two strains of trypanosomes were
obtained, one from a bovine and the other from a canine. A pony
injected with the bovine strain died after 35 days. Further
experiments are in progress.
(vi) Helminthic Infection.
46. Apart from the study of nasal schistosomiasis, an insight
into the incidence and extent of infection of schistosomes in the
different species of animals was obtained by the examination of
cattle, sheep and pigs, slaughtered at the slaughter-houses at
Madras. The schistosomes found in cattle and sheep were mostly
of the schistosoma spindalis type (Montgomery, 191G). None of
these cases are reported to have shown nasal lesions. From only
one sheep out of 170 sheep and goats examined, a large number
of schistosoma spindalis was recovered from the portal vein.
Eighty-one pigs were examined at the pig slaughter-house in
Madras and from five of them five pairs of new species of schis-
tosomes were recovered.
V.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
47. There has been an appreciable decrease in the mortality of
cattle from contagious diseases during the year, the total number
of deaths reported being 40,196 as against 56,634 of the previous
year—the lowest figure recorded for many years. Kurnool, Nellore
and Chittoor are the districts which suffered most during the
year, the number of deaths in these districts being 6,299, 4,563
and 3,275 respectively. As usual, the largest number of deaths
was from Rinderpest although, as anticipated, the incidence of
this disease in the Presidency during the year has been milder
than in the previous years.
The total number of reports of cattle diseases received and
attended to by the staff during the year was 3,998 and 3,299
respectively, as against 3,956 and 3,442 respectively of the pre-
vious year. There was no change in the arrangements for the
reporting of outbreaks of cattle diseases during the year, the
village munsifs remaining responsible for the same. Ninety-three
reports were made against the village officers for slackness in
reporting outbreaks or for irregular maintenance of mortality
registers during the year.
48. Most of the municipalities which adopted the by-laws
relating to the control of animal diseases and the maintenance of
cattle mortality registers continued to work the by-laws satis-
factorily and reported outbreaks and mortality promptly.
49. Rinderpest.—In the previous year's report it was stated
that the peak of the " wave " seemed to have been reached and
that it was expected that the incidence of Rinderpest would not
18
materially increase again for two or three years. This expectation
appears to have been realized in that the incidence of this disease
throughout the Presidency during the year has been considerably
less than in the previous years. There were no virulent outbreaks
or heavy mortality in any of the districts as compared with the
previous years and, in fact, judging from the absence of reports
of outbreaks and from the remarkable fall in mortality figures,
most of the districts, particularly Salem, the Nilgiris, Coimbatore,
Malabar, Trichinopoly, Tanjore and Vizagapatam were com-
paratively free from the disease during the year. The total
number of deaths from this disease reported during the year was
12,735 as against 28,412 in 1931-32. The only districts whore
the mortality can be said to have been heavy, are Kurnool and
Nellore, the figures for the two districts being 3,806 and 2,473
respectively.
The number of outbreaks in which inoculations were under-
taken during the year was considerably less than in the previous
year, the figures for the two years 1932-33 and 1931-32 being 492
and 902. The total number of inoculations performed during the
year against Rinderpest by the serum simultaneous method and
serum alone method was 101,115 and 151 respectively as against
113,566 and 759 of the previous year. The necessary serum being
readily available as the result of the establishment of a Serum
Institute in this Presidency, arrangements were made during the
year to carry out inoculations against Rinderpest on a large scale
even in the absence of outbreaks, to protect cattle against a
possible recrudescence of the disease, and a number of inoculations
were performed in this way, and the total number of serum
simultaneous inoculations for the year given above, includes those
performed in the absence of outbreaks.
50. Anthrax.—There has been a perceptible decrease in the
mortality from this disease during the year, the number of deaths
reported being 3,605 as against 4,734 in the previous year. Four
thousand three hundred and eighteen cattle were inoculated with
anti-serum as against 1,794 animals of the previous year.
51. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—There
has been a slight
increase in the number of deaths reported from this disease during
the year, the figures for the two years 1932-33 and 1931-32 being
6,464 and 6,145 respectively. Thirty-six thousand one hundred
and fifty-nine serum inoculations were performed against this
disease during the year as against 24,377 of the previous year.
52. Black-quarter.—The incidence of this disease during the
year has been rather severe and comes next to Rinderpest. This
disease was responsible for a large percentage of the total mortality
from contagious diseases during the year. The number of deaths
from this disease reported during the year was 9,351 as against
5,358 in the previous year. A far larger number of inoculations
than in the previous year was performed against this disease
19
during the year, the figures for the two years being 46,179
in 1932-33 and 18,112 in 1931-32. Of the 46,179 inoculations,
37,177 were performed by the serum and aggressin method and
9,052 by the serum alone method.
53. Foot-and-mouth disease.—The number of deaths from this
disease reported during the year was 1,346 as against 1,753 in the
previous year.
54. Bovine Lymphangitis.—This disease was confirmed micro-
scopically in 49 cases and 42 cases were treated with the vaccine
prepared at the Madras Veterinary College with very satisfactory
results.
55. Glanders.—As in the previous year, there was no outbreak
of Glanders and Farcy during the year under report. Of the 182
horses tested for Glanders and Farcy in the Madras City by the
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon on Glanders duty, none gave a
positive reaction.
56. Trypanosomiasis.—A few outbreaks of this disease were
reported during the year. Fifty-one cases were confirmed
microscopically for this disease, of which 28 were equines, 21
bovines and 2 canines. Of these 28 equines, 6 ponies were des-
troyed under the Glanders and Farcy Act and compensation paid
to owners.
The treatment of this disease with Naganol (Bayer 205) was
tried in several cases with satisfactory results.
57. Nasal Granuloma.—About 460 cases of Nasal granuloma
were met with during the year and microscopical confirmation was
obtained in several of the cases. Antimonium tartaratum was
used in the treatment of this condition and proved to be a very
satisfactory drug.
58. Piroplasmosis.—This disease was confirmed in 90 case3
during the year, several of which were successfully treated with
intravenous injection of trypanblue.
59. Strangles.—About 52 cases were treated for Strangles
during the year.
60. Kumri.—A few cases of this disease were diagnosed during
the year.
61. Coccidiosis.—This disease was confirmed in 14 bovine
cases.
62. Sheep-pox.—There were a few outbreaks of sheep-pox
during the year and they were promptly attended to.
63. Rabies.—This disease was confirmed in 163 animals.
Confirmation was not sought for in about 15 cases. Seventy-seven
animals were given anti-rabic treatment in the several veterinary
institutions in the Presidency.
20
64. Poultry diseases—(i) Fowl cholera.—There were outbreaks
of fowl cholera in some of the districts in the Presidency and 350
fowls were protected with fowl-cholera vaccine.
(ii) Pteudo—Fowl pest.—A smaller number of outbreaks of
this disease than in the previous year occurred during the year and
567 fowls were protected with a vaccine prepared at the Madras
Veterinary College.
65. Skin diseases.—Intra-muscular injections of sterile milk
(milk therapy) were given in a number of cases of skin affections
of non-parasitic origin and the results in most of the cases were
reported to he successful.
66. Other diseases.—The following are the other important
diseases dealt with during the year :—
(i) Chronic Luxation of Patella-Bovines.—About 79 cases
were treated with injections of Lugol's solution of iodine with very
good results.
(ii) Johne's disease.—Two cross-bred cows at the Hosur
Cattle Farm were suspected for this disease and on an examination
of the rectal washings of both the cows at the Madras Veterinary
College, acid fast organisms were found in both the cases. One
cow died and the other was destroyed. This disease was also
confirmed in a cow belonging to the Wellington Dairy Herd.
(iii) Ephemeral fever.—Nine cases were met with.
(iv) Tuberculosis.—Four cases were diagnosed for this
disease—3 in bullocks belonging to the Corporation of Madras and
1 in an elephant of the Forest department. Cases of Tuber-
culosis were also met with in fowls.
VI.—HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
67. The total number of veterinary institutions at the end of
the year was 113 including those attached to the Madras Veterinary
College and the Cattle Farms at Coimbatore and Hosur, but
excluding the private institutions at Vizianagram and Pithapuram,
as against 114 at the end of the previous year. The decrease in the
number is due to the closure of the Livestock Research Station at
Chintaldevi and the Veterinary Hospital attached thereto. No
new veterinary institutions were opened during the year.
There has been an appreciable increase in the total number of
in-and out-patients treated in the several veterinary institutions
in the Presidency during the year, the figures for the two years
1932-33 and 1931-32 being 217,059 and 193,506, respectively. The
number of cases supplied with medicine but not brought to the
institutions during the year was 12,506 as against 14,375 in the
previous year.
21
The leading institutions in the Presidency with the number op
oases treated in each are shown below:—
Name of the institution.
(1) Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore …
(2) Madras Veterinary College Hospital ...
(3) Veterinary Hospital, Trichinopoly …
(4) Veterinary Dispensary, Conjeeveram ...
(5) Veterinary Hospital, Rajahmundry …
(6) Veterinary Dispensary, Rayapuram ...
(7) Veterinary Hospital, Salem … …
(8) Veterinary Hospital, Calicut … …
(9) Veterinary Dispensary, Madura City ...
(10) Veterinary Hospital, Mangalore …
(11) Veterinary Dispensary, Negapatam ...
(12) Veterinary Hospital, Saidapet … …
Number of
cases treated.
... 5,578
... 5,410
... 4,786
... 4,504
... 3,980
... 3,838
... 3,777
... 3,450
... 3,270
... 2,977
... 2,882
... 2,821
VII.—ITINERATING STAFF.
68. There was no increase in the number of touring posts in the
department during the year, the total number of such posts at the
end of the year remaining at 97 as in the previous year. The head-
quarters of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Kulittalai
and Tiruturaipundi in the Trichinopoly Circle, were shifted during
the year to Musiri and Pattukkottai respectively, and the head-
quarters of the Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Chandragiri
in the Madanapalli Circle to Tirupati. In the Coimbatore Circle
also, the headquarters of the Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons, Tiruppur, Udamalpet and Erode, were changed to
Coimbatore, Palladam and Bhavani respectively.
The total number of cases treated by the itinerating staff during
the year was 74,132 as against 74,147 of the previous year. Of
these, 24,671 were contagious cases and 49,461 non-contagious.
VIII.—CASTRATIONS.
69. A larger number of castrations were performed during the
year than in the previous year, the figures for the two years being
41,546 and 31,760 respectively. Most of the castrations were done
by the Burdizzo method which is becoming increasingly popular
among the ryots. The largest number of castrations performed was
in the districts of East Godavari, Ganjam and Malabar.
IX.—MISCELLANEOUS.
70. Criminal Poisoning and malicious injury.—The Chemical
Examiner to Government examined the viscera of 69 animals during
the year and poison was detected in 21 cases. Nine cases of criminal
poisoning were prosecuted resulting in five convictions and four
acquittals. One hundred and sixty-two animals were examined by
the staff of this department for malicious injury during the year
and the necessary certificates were issued to the Police.
22
71. S.P.C.A.—The total number of convictions obtained under
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in the Presidency during-
the year, excluding Madras City, was 10,299 as against 8,426 of
the previous year, Trichinopoly and Coimbatore districts, record-
ing, as usual, the largest number of convictions, the figures for
the two districts being 3,166 and 2,055 respectively. Out of the
total number of cases in which the accused were convicted, the
animals in 2,620 cases were remanded to the veterinary institu-
tions declared as infirmaries under the Act for treatment as
against 1,737 cases so remanded in the previous year.
72. Forest livestock.—The general condition of the forest
livestock during the year is reported to be satisfactory. There
were eight deaths among the working elephants. One was
suspected to be due to Anthrax and the necessary precautionary
methods were taken to prevent the spread of the disease to the
other elephants. There was also a suspected case of Tuberculosis
in an elephant. The animal in this case was showing symptoms
of emaciation and lung affection and as it showed no signs of
improvement, it was destroyed and a post-mortem examination
conducted. An examination of the smears from the lesions found
in the lungs of the animal revealed the presence of Acid-fast
bacilli indistinguishable from Tubercle bacilli.
73. Meat inspection.—Several municipalities and panchayat
boards availed themselves of the services of local Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons for meat inspection work during the year and
in a few cases, municipalities continued to employ whole-time
Veterinary Officers for this work. The municipalities at Ellore,
Cuddalore and Mannargudi and the panchayat boards at Tanuku
and Devakottai ceased to utilize the services of the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons in charge of the veterinary institutions in
these places for meat inspection work during the year as a measure
of retrenchment. The Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in charge,
Veterinary Dispensary, Ranipet, resigned towards the close of the
year the meat inspection work which he was attending to for the
Ranipet Panchayat Board, as the board reduced the amount of the
remuneration offered to him.
74. Lethal chambers.—Most of the lethal chambers for the
destruction of stray dogs maintained by the local boards and
municipalities in the Presidency were periodically inspected by
the staff of this department.
75. Propaganda.—As in previous years the department parti-
cipated in the Health and Baby Week shows and other exhibi-
tions and exhibited various items of popular and scientific
interest. Advantage was also taken of the several cattle fairs and
exhibitions to conduct magic lantern demonstrations and popular
lectures in veterinary matters; leaflets published by this depart-
ment on some of the important diseases of animals were distributed
free to the ryots. The motor exhibition vans of the Agricultural
department were also used for veterinary propaganda work.
23
In addition to the twelve sets each consisting of 200 magic
lantern slides on Rinderpest, Anthrax, Blackquarter, Foot and
Month disease, etc., supplied to the District Veterinary Officers in
the previous year for propaganda purposes, three more sets of
slides, one in English, another in Tamil and a third in Telugu,
each consisting of 136 slides on diseases of animals communicable
to man, viz., Tænia solium, Tænia saginata, Echinococcus
granulosum, Dipylidium caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Rabies,
Tuberculosis of bovine origin, Sarcoptes scabeii, etc., were prepared
at the Madras Veterinary College and supplied to the District
Veterinary Officers during the year. Of these, the English set
was supplied to the District Veterinary Officer, Madras, for use
throughout the Presidency whenever required, the Tamil set to
the District Veterinary Officr, Trichinopoly, for use in all the
Tamil districts and the Telugu set to the District Veterinary
Officer, Bezwada, for use in the Telugu areas.
76. Fairs and shows.—Several annual and weekly cattle fairs
were held during the year and were attended by the staff of this
department. Owing to the prevalence of Rinderpest, the provisions
of the Cattle Diseases Act were enforced in 39 fairs and in all
these cases, a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon was deputed for duty
in each of the fairs.
77. Horse-breeding.—In
addition to the Arab Stallion
purchased by the Coimbatore District Board for breeding purposes
and stationed at Nathakadayur, a new stallion was acquired by
the District Board during the year and it was stationed at the
Veterinary Hospital, Coimbatore, in charge of the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon there. Both the stallions were periodically
inspected by the District Veterinary Officer. The District Board
is contemplating the purchase of a third stallion.
78. Visiting committees.—The visiting committees attached to
certain veterinary institutions continued to function fairly satis-
factorily and rendered valuable help in regard to the working of
the institutions concerned.
79. Levy of fees in veterinary institutions.—The period for
which the revised scale of fees for admission and treatment in
veterinary institutions introduced in 1928 having expired.
Government issued orders during the year sanctioning the con-
tinuance of the scale. In addition to the Madras Veterinary
College and 25 other important veterinary institutions in the
mufusaal in which the scale of fees was in force in the previous
year, fees were introduced in two more veterinary institutions
during the year, viz., Veterinary Dispensary, Conjeeveram, and
Veterinary Hospital, Amalapuram.
X.—FINANCE.
80. According to the registers of this office, the expenditure
of this department was Rs. 8,99,394-11-9 as compared with
Rs. 10,27,667-9-11 of the previous year and the decrease in
4
24
expenditure was, apart from the economy observed wherever
possible, mainly due to the manufacture of rinderpest serum
locally at the serum institute opened during the year instead of
obtaining the serum from Muktesar as was done in previous years.
There was a decrease under each sub-head except under
' Direction. ' The increase under ' Direction ' is due to the debit
of expenditure of the serum institute under this head.
The receipts of the department amounted to Rs. 45,292-5-1 as
against Rs. 36,384-11-0 of the previous year. The increase is
due to the receipts amounting to about Rs. 5,000 realized at the
serum institute and about Rs. 4,000 on account of fees for the
export of sheep and goats at Tuticorin.
XI.—FUTURE PROGRAMME OP WORK.
81. Administration.—At a Conference of the Departmental
officers held in Madras at the beginning of the current year, it
was resolved that in consideration of the indispensable necessity
of lessening the area for having a more intimate knowledge of the
conditions with reference to the veterinary needs of each Revenue
district, the number of District Veterinary Officers be increased
at the rate of two every year until each district has a District
Veterinary Officer. As this suggestion is also in accordance with
the recommendations of of the Royal Commission on Agriculture,
action on the lines indicated will be taken and definite proposals
submitted to Government in the matter.
82. Education.—The new curriculum which was introduced
in the Madras Veterinary College in 1930, is now in force in all
the three classes. The question of the institution of a University
Degree in Veterinary Science and the affiliation of the Madras
Veterinary College to the Madras University is under consideration.
83. Laboratory work and research.—The several items of
research work which have already been initiated in the Patho-
logical and Parasitological sections of the laboratory attached to
the Madras Veterinary College, will be continued. New items of
research will also be undertaken as occasion arises. The routine
experiments and examination of materials and preparation of
vaccines, etc., will also be continued.
The general scheme for the appointment of Veterinary
Investigation Officers in all the Provinces in India sanctioned by
the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research has been given
effect to in this Presidency during the current year. The Officer
appointed to the post of Veterinary Investigation Officer, is now
undergoing preliminary training in the Imperial Institute of
Veterinary Research, Muktesar, and it is expected that he will be
able to commence his investigations in October 1933.
84. Serum Institute.—The
manufacture of anti-rinderpest
serum and virus will be continued at the Serum Institute. The
25
question of increasing the output of the Institute with a view to
meet possible demands for serum from outside the Presidency,
e.g., native states and other provinces, is engaging consideration.
85. Contagious and non-contagious diseases.—The Provincial
Veterinary Conference held in April 1933 and referred to above
under ' Administration, ' recommended that as a definite pro-
gramme of the expansion and development of the department
during the next five years, the annual recruitment be fixed at 12
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for additional posts of touring
billets and hospitals and dispensaries. Proposals for the opening
of additional touring billets and new veterinary dispensaries
during the next year based on the above recommendation are
being worked out and will be submitted to Government as a
Part II Scheme.
86. Propaganda.—The Provincial Veterinary Conference has
also recommended that 12 additional Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons should be appointed every year exclusively for propa-
ganda work until a total of 50 is reached, so that two assistants
may be available for each Revenue district. Detailed proposals
in this direction will be submitted to Government as a Part II
Scheme for the next year.
MADRAS,
20th July 1933.
T. J. HURLEY,
Acting Director of Veterinary Services,