NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Civil Veterinary Department.
Preface and General Administration
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Veterinary Instruction .. .. .. .. ..
Treatment of Diseases .. .. .. .. ..
Preventive Inoculation .. .. .. .. ..
Breeding Operations .. .. .. .. ..
Subordinate Staff .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix A .. .. .. .. ..
Graph .. .. .. .. ..
Table II .. .. .. .. ..
Table III .. .. .. .. ..
Table IV .. .. .. .. ..
Table V .. .. .. .. ..
Table VII .. .. .. .. ..
Table VIII .. .. .. .. ..
Table XIII .. .. .. .. ..
Table XIV .. .. .. .. ..
Bengal Veterinary College.
Preface and General Administration .. .. .. ..
Veterinary Instruction .. .. .. .. ..
Museum and Library .. .. .. .. ..
Anatomical Museum .. .. .. .. .. ..
Bio-Chemistry Laboratory .. .. .. .. ..
Anatomy classes .. .. .. .. .. ..
Hostels .. .. .. .. .. ..
Sports and Gymnasium .. .. .. .. ..
Hospitals .. .. .. .. .. ..
Motor Ambulance .. .. .. .. .. ..
Receipts and Expenditure .. .. .. .. ..
Raymond Research Laboratory .. .. .. .. ..
Department of Epizootic Diseases of Animals in Calcutta .. ..
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Extra Routine Activities .. .. .. .. ..
Pro forma account .. .. .. .. .. ..
Additional Revenue from Extra Activities .. .. .. ..
Statement showing the total quantities and values of different kinds of fodder
grown within the college compound .. .. .. ..
Statement showing the total quantities of green fodder sold to outsiders ..
Lands and Buildings .. .. .. .. .. ..
Milk Hygiene Laboratory .. .. .. .. ..
Dairy Room .. .. .. .. .. ..
Sample Room .. .. .. .. .. ..
Zoological Specimens .. .. .. .. ..
General Remarks .. .. .. .. .. ..
Special Remarks .. .. .. .. ..
Table I .. .. .. .. .. ..
Table II .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix A .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix B .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix C .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix D .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix E .. .. .. .. .. ..
Appendix F .. .. .. .. .. ..
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Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department,
Bengal, for the year 1936-37.
Preface and General Administration.
Director and Veterinary Adviser to Government.—I held charge of
Director and Veterinary Adviser to Government throughout the year.
I was on tour for 69 days and travelled 8,394 miles by rail, 416 miles
by steamer, and 61 miles by road. I visited Darjeeling, Comilla,
Chittagong, Noakhali, Simla, Barisal, Burdwan, Asansol, Dacca, Sode-
pur, Madras and Delhi.
Simla and Delhi.—These places were visited in connection with the
meetings of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
Madras.—I visited Madras in December 1936 to attend the meeting
of the Animal Husbandry Wing of the Board of Agriculture.
Paucity of funds compelled me to restrict my tours and I arranged
to visit only those places where my presence was essential.
Assistant Director, Western Range.—Rai Sahib N. N. Mazumdar
was on leave from 16th April to 1st July and again from 31st October
to 29th July 1937. During the period he was on duty, the Rai Sahib
made no tours.
Babu B. N. Das Gupta officiated for Rai Sahib N. N. Mazumdar on
both occasions; and during the year under review, he was on tour for
19 days and travelled 1,752 miles by rail, 86 miles by steamer, and 42
miles by road. He visited Narail, Jessore, Ranaghat, Garbetta, Dinaj-
pur, Bogra and Pabna.
Assistant Director, Eastern Range.—Rai Sahib M. P. Ghosh was
in charge of this Range throughout the year. He toured for 82 days
and travelled 1,963 miles by rail, 488 miles by steamer, and 247 miles
by road. He visited Raipura, Narsingdi, Joydebpur and Sripur in con-
nection with outbreaks of anthrax. He attended the Conference of
Presidents of Union Boards at Narayanganj and visited the Manipur
Farm in connection with outbreak of anthrax. He also inspected vete-
rinary work at Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Bajitpur, Netrokona,
Comilla, Debiduar, Chandpur, Chittagong and Noakhali.
The tours of the two Assistant Directors and also of the Veterinary
Inspectors had to be curtailed owing to shortage of funds.
Disease Investigation Officer.—Mr. M. B. Menon continued as
Disease Investigation Officer, Bengal, until 14th July 1936, when his
services were transferred to the Veterinary Vaccine Section as Superin-
tendent. During this period he travelled 2,169 miles by rail, 418 miles
by steamer, 118 miles by motor launch, 108 miles by boat, and 223 miles
by road. He was on tour for 46 days, and investigated in (1) poisoning
in cattle, (2) rinderpest, (3) fowl cholera, and (4) anthrax.
2
Mr. Baiwant Singh took charge from Mr. Menon on the 15th July
as Disease Investigation Officer and continued to serve in this post for
the remainder of the year. During this time he was on tour for 136
days and travelled 6,280 miles by rail, 1,119 miles by road, and 1,276
miles by steamer. A resume of the work done by this officer will be
found at Appendix A of this report.
Part I—Veterinary Instruction.
The year under report is the eighth since the creation of the post of
Propaganda Officer for this Department.
Babu J. N. Chakravarty held charge of this post throughout the
year. He was on tour for 177 days and travelled 15,795 miles by rail,
880 miles by steamer and boat, and 685 miles by road. Six hundred and
sixty-three calls were received during this year from the District and
Subdivisional Officers, union boards and municipalities and various
public bodies interested in rural welfare, but in view of the fact that
only one officer was available with a limited amount of travelling
allowance and contingent money, many engagements had to be refused
causing considerable disappointment.
In spite of this handicap propaganda work was carried on in many
of the important cattle fairs and cattle centres, Health and Agricultural
Exhibitions and Conferences organised by District and Subdivisional
Officers, union boards and other public bodies. This Department parti-
cipated in the Exhibitions at Gracul, Phulbari and Sodepur Pinjra-
poles.
The demands for the Propaganda Officer become more frequent and
more pressing year by year and it is obvious that more staff is required
—one officer for each Range. More money is required for apparatus,
and to meet transit charges for such apparatus, such as the cinema
plant. The Propaganda Inspector is one of the main agencies through
which the cattle owners and the public can be approached and educated
in matters of animal welfare.
Part II—Treatment of diseases.
Table II shows the mortality for each district in detail.
The total mortality reported of animals from contagious diseases in
1936-37 was 52,702 as against 43,240 in 1935-36.
Equines
Bovines
Other animals
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Total
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1936-37.
81
38,623
13,998
52,702
1935-36.
21
41,697
1,522
43,240
3
Total mortality- reported during the last five years : —
1932-33
1933-34
1934-35
1935-36
1936-37
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24,884
22,674
26,566
43,240
52,702
The mortality reported last year was the maximum for the quin-
quennium. It has again been exceeded in the year under report. The
loss from rinderpest has shown a decline, but this has been nearly
balanced by deaths among goats amounting to 12,714 reported to be
from parasitic diarrhoea, a disease which has not previously appeared as
an enzotic and therefore has not been reported. An increase is shown
also under bovine anthrax and hæmorrhagic septicæmia.
Equine diseases.
Glanders.—There was an outbreak of glanders amongst hack ponies
in Noakhali municipal area. Out of 22 animals, 2 died before the test
was applied and 20 were destroyed after reaction to the Mallein test.
A sum of Rs. 314 was paid to the owners as compensation under the
provisions of the Glanders and Farcy Act.
Anthrax.—Eight deaths were reported from this disease in Mymen-
singh, Rangpur, Dacca and Noakhali districts as against one in the
previous year.
Surra and Dourine.—No death was reported from these diseases.
Other contagious diseases.—Thirteen deaths were reported under this
head as against seven deaths in the preceding year.
Other causes.—Forty-eight deaths were reported as against nil in
the year previous.
Bovine diseases.
Rinderpest.—The reported loss of animals under this head during
the year was 26,126 as against 35,281 during the previous year.
Though the mortality from this disease was lower than last year,
rinderpest was widespread throughout the province, and no district was
free from it. The highest figure was 6,738 and the lowest 10, reported
from Bakarganj and Howrah, respectively, Rangpur and Cooch Behar
in North Bengal and Bakarganj and Chittagong in East Bengal were
the worst sufferers and account for 14,579 of the total deaths reported.
The decrease in the number of deaths from rinderpest, in spite of
the disease being so widely distributed through the province, may be
fairly taken as due to the efficiency of control by Goat Tissue Vaccine,
which alone was used to control all outbreaks and also that its efficacy
is recognised by the majority of cattle owners, and protection by this
method is demanded. The great need is for sufficient staff to apply it
5
Contagious diseases amongst other animals.—The total number of
deaths under this head was 13,440 as against 1,522 in the preceding
year.
The high mortality under this head occurred in Malda, where
many goats are reported to have died from parasitic diarrhoea.
This
is the first time that this disease has appeared as an epizootic.
Table III—Preventive Inoculation.
Table III shows the details of preventive inoculation performed
during the year under report.
Inoculation and vaccination were carried out in 1,381 outbreaks and
355,079 animals were protected as against 394,850 animals protected
in 1,406 outbreaks in the previous year.
Details are as follows :—
Rinderpest—
Goat Tissue Vaccine
Serum alone ..
Serum simultaneous
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1936-37.
292,656
Nil
745
293,401
1935-36.
368,313
678
150
369,141
Goat Tissue Vaccine was used in all outbreaks of rinderpest, the
figures of 745 shown against serum simultaneous represent the protec-
tion of Government bulls distributed under the Live-stock Improve-
ment Scheme. Most of these animals were protected on arrival at their
railway destination. Some were given serum simultaneous inocula-
tion to block out temperature reaction in cases where they had long road
journeys to perform after being detrained.
In addition to the figures shown above 1,496 animals were protected
in 18 outbreaks in Calcutta and its suburbs by the staff in the Bengal
Veterinary College of which 1,492 were done by serum alone method and
the rest 4 by the serum simultaneous method.
Deaths among the inoculated and vaccinated animals numbered
5,423, i.e., 1 ;6 per cent.
A special feature in connection with the inoculation and vaccination
is that 4,689 animals including 1 elephant and 415 other animals were
protected against anthrax with special Spore Vaccine obtained from
Burma.
Table IV.
Table IV shows the number of cases treated and castrations per-
formed by Veterinary Assistant Surgeons both at headquarters and on
tour in the mufassal during the year.
During the year under report 111 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
worked in the mufassal out of which 77 were purely itinerant and 34 in
charge of dispensaries who toured periodically or when specially
required. In addition to inoculation work reported in Table III of this
report, these officers visited 20,594 villages and treated 217,788 cases
as against 18,494 villages visited and 237,252 cases treated in the
6
previous year. The figure above includes 10,991 animals castrated
during the year under report as against 5,045 in the previous year.
This increase in castrations is the result of special instructions to con-
centrate on this aspect of cattle improvement in co-operation with the
Live-Stock Officers employed under the Cattle Improvement Rural Up-
lift Scheme. These figures are in addition to those shown by Live-Stock
Expert in his report.
The total of 10,991 represents a considerable
advance in this work. It is noteworthy as an answer to the old Shib-
boleth that Bengal cattle owners are averse to castration. They are
certainly not when it is done by the modern bloodless method using the
Burdizzo Castrator.
Table V.
Table V shows the working of the hospitals and dispensaries in the
province during the year.
The number of in and out patients treated at these institutions was
117,640 and 41,083 cases.were supplied with medicine as against 126,834
and 39,523 cases respectively in the previous year.
Besides above
figures, 989 animals were castrated at these institutions as against 823
in the previous year.
The district of Jessore is to be complimented on the decision to build
dispensaries with quarters for the Veterinary Assistants at Jessore and
Magura at a cost of Rs. 12,000. The public is greatly indebted to
Maulvi Saved Abdur Rauf, Vice-Chairman, District Board, and Maulvi
Hafiqui Rahman, M.A., Subdivisional Officer, Magura, for their zeal
and ability in carrying this through. Mr. B. K. Sircar, District Magis-
trate, Jessore, in support of the scheme promised Rs. 400 as a contri-
bution to the Veterinary Hospital Fund.
Improvements and additions to veterinary institutions have been
made at the following places : —
Barisal Veterinary Hospital—Operation room completed.
Chittagong Veterinary Hospital—Operation room completed.
Satkania Veterinary Hospital—Outpatient shed completed.
Gopalganj Veterinary Hospital—Outpatient shed completed.
Sripur Bhowal State Veterinary Dispensary and quarters were
completed, the cost of building being borne by Government, district
board of Dacca and subscriptions from union boards.
Jaidebpur Veterinary Hospital outpatient shed was completed by
the estate under Court of Wards.
Balurghat Veterinary Hospital with quarters for the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon was constructed by the District Board. Dinajpur,
during the year.
Part Ill—Breeding Operations.
Breeding operations are in charge of the Agricultural Department.
The Veterinary Assistant Surgeons of- this Department
co-operated
with the officers of the Live-Stock Department in the work of cattle
improvement, castration of scrub bulls and calves, carrying on propa-
ganda work among the cattle owners and distribution of cuttings of
7
Napier grass, etc. 185,000 Napier grass cuttings were distributed in
Jessore and Khulna districts. Two hundred thousand cuttings requi-
sitioned could not be supplied as stock ran out.
Fairs and Shows.
Tables XIII and XIV give particulars regarding the fairs and
shows held in the province.
Most of these were attended by the departmental officers who lec-
tured on the care, management and upkeep of cattle and explained
to cattle owners the beneficial effect of improving their stock and pro-
tecting them from contagious disease.
Horse and Pony Stallion.
There is no horse or pony stallion in this province. Tables X, XT
and XII are therefore blank.
Part IV—Subordinate Staff.
The strength of the staff employed in the province has been shown
in Table VII appended to this report. During the year there was only
one addition to the cadre of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, viz., that
at Debiduar in Comilla Sadar North subdivision of Tippera district.
Government was approached for five provincialised posts this year, two
for Pabna, one for Bakarganj, one at Bongaon in Jessore and one
under the Bhatpara Municipality. Delay occurred in getting these
posts passed through the schedules and the funds provided by the local
bodies for these posts lapsed last year. They have been again provided
in the new budget.
General Remarks.
(1) Veterinary Vaccine Section, 108, Beleghata Main Road, Cal-
cutta—
Superintendent Mr. M. B. Menon.
Assistant Superintendent Babu B. N. Nandy.
The temporary depot at Barrackpore continued to supply Goat
Tissue Vaccine up to the end of June and the new section started in
July.
This section is equipped not only to make and supply Goat Tissue
Vaccine, but has cold storage sufficient to carry a stock of other sera
and vaccines to distribute to the district. The serum cellar at the
Bengal Veterinary College is used to store sera in bulk, from which
the section draws up as required.
This section has taken over the whole of the contagious disease work
in the district, with the exception of rabies diagnosis. It is equipped
to carry out microscopic, cultural and biological examination of mate-
rial sent in from the district. After examination the Superintendent
8
issues appropriate sera or vaccine with full instructions to the Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeons. This section now runs as a self-contained
unit.
Mr. M. B. Menon relinquished his duties as Disease Investigation
Officer and took over the section from the 14th July and Staff Assis-
tant Babu B. N. Nandy as Assistant Superintendent from the same
date. It is due to the zeal and efficiency of these two officers that the
section has succeeded beyond my expectations in improving the efficacy
of diagnosis and speeding up distribution of sera and vaccine. The
production of Goat Tissue Vaccine has proceeded without a hitch, and
it has been possible to gauge production with such precision that waste
through discard of out-of-date ampoules has been reduced to the mini-
mum .
Throughout the year Goat Tissuse Vaccine has been supplied to
Assam and in the latter portion of the year to Orissa also. The reason
these provinces asked to be supplied was that they were unable to
manufacture themselves, and in obtaining the product from Muktesar
so much of the short viable period was lost in transit (3 to 4 days).
Whereas both are within 24 hours post from Calcutta. Assam took
99,200 doses, and Orissa 79,800 doses and sums of Rs. 558 and Rs. 443
are recoverable from them respectively.
To obtain this degree of success has meant that both officers have
worked overtime, Sundays and holidays included, and neither was
absent for leave or sickness. It will not be possible to maintain this
standard, nor to make further progress unless the staff originally laid
down for this section, and retrenched, be restored, i.e., one clerk and
a Section Veterinary Assistant Surgeon. The training of Staff Assist-
ants in field production, which is frequently necessary in remote areas,
cannot be taken up until the section staff is increased. The work could
not have been accomplished this year had not the temporary help been
given from time to time by the deputation of Staff Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon Babu M. C. Mitra and an extra clerk occasionally. Staff
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Babu M. C. Mitra deserves commenda-
tion for the excellent work he has done in this section.
The temporary depot at Barrackpore made 104,000 doses of Goat
Tissue Vaccine during April, May and June prior to the new section
being opened. The section made 563,825 doses of Goat Tissue Vaccine
and of these 13,200 doses were discarded as out-of-date.
In addition the following other sera and vaccines were issued by
the section during the 9 months of its existence.
A. R. Class I ...
A. R, Class P ...
H. S. Serum ...
Anthrax Serum ...
Blackquarter vaccine ...
Tuberculin (avian) ...
Fowl Pox Vaccine ...
Yatrin (for Strangles) ...
Anthrax Spore Vaccine ...
Doses.
300
4,700
6,220
80
650
30
30
90
6,619
(from Burma)
9
Anthrax Spore Vaccine—11,000 doses were obtained from Burma at
a cost of Rs. 2,751 to meet the special emergency of the Dacca out-
break of this disease. Of these 6,319 doses were issued and the balance
carried over and used during the current year. The supply of this
vaccine has now been taken up by the Imperial Veterinary Research
Institute at Muktesar, and will be applied henceforth for the control
of anthrax in place of the serum.
Specimens examined—204. Two hundred and four specimens were
examined and the following diseases diagnosed: —
Haemorrhagic septicaemia, Anthrax, Blackquarter,
Anaplasma
marginal, T. annulata, Anaemic changes, Eggs of helminths, Esino-
phalia Larvae of hypoderma bovis, Bovine lymphangitis, Piroplasma
gibsoni, Amphistoma conicum, Thelazia rhodesii, T. mutans, and Swine
plague.
Training.—The following officers received brief training at this
section : —
Babu H. C. Das Gupta, Veterinary Inspector, Barisal.
Babu S. C. Barman, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Rangamati.
Babu M. L. Datta, Stationary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Chittagong.
Visitors.—Mr.
F. Ware,
C.I.E.,
F.R.C.V.S.,
Director, Imperial
Veterinary Research Institute, and Col. Sir Arthur Olver, C.B., C.M.G.,
Animal Husbandry Expert, Government of India.
(2) Shortage Of district Staff.—The experience of the year under
report again emphasises the urgent need for increase of district staff.
In this matter the Department is powerless. Every district board in
the province was urged to employ more Veterinary Assistant Surgeons,
but with very few exceptions was not able to consider the matter for
want of funds. In the districts of Pabna, Bogra and Bakarganj
arrangements are being made to employ more men. It is realised that
district board funds are not sufficient for their evergrowing respon-
sibilities. If effective control of contagious disease is ever to be esta-
blished the financial aspect must be re-examined and rearranged. The
control of contagious disease is a responsibility of the Provincial Gov-
ernment.
(3) Veterinary Inspectors.—The Department has been working for
years with a shortage of Veterinary Inspectors in relation to the num-
ber of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons employed. Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons need the help and advice of these senior officers in addition
to routine check. In some areas a definite drop in efficiency is noticed
for lack of this extra supervision and help. The ratio of one Veteri-
nary Inspector to ten Veterinary Assistant Surgeons has been accepted
as the standard and at present the ratio is 1 to 18, i.e., five Inspectors
short. This matter is being submitted to Government in connection
with reorganisation of the Department.
(4) Travelling allowance.—The present grant sanctioned for all
grades including the Provincial Officers has been cut down to such an
extent that a considerable loss in efficiency has resulted. When res-
triction in touring is enforced on the officers employed, and the Depart-
ment is admittedly under-staffed, loss of efficiency is the obvious result
10
Staff Assistants.—The appointment of 9 Staff Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons has been amply justified. These officers have all been fully
employed throughout the year. They have been of great assistance in
rendering help in the control of cattle disease in augmentation of dis-
trict staff when this was inadequate for the emergency.
Dacca Veterinary Hospital.—The popularity of this hospital has
continued and reflects great credit on Veterinary Assistant Surgeon
Babu M. N. Mazumdar the officer-in-charge.
The facilities of the new Dog Ward have been fully utilised.
Assistance was given to the municipality in starting the campaign
for removal of stray dogs. Arrangements are being made to co-operate
with the New Society in Dacca for Animal Welfare and to take in
and treat animals, cattle and ponies sent by this Society.
Honours.
Title of Rai Sahib was conferred on M. P. Ghose, Assistant Direc-
tor, Eastern Range, in recognition of his continued meritorious services.
The following officers were honoured by the award of Kaisar-i-Hind,
of Third Class: —
(1) Veterinary Inspector Babu H. C. Das Gupta of Barisal.
(2) Stationary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Babu M. L. Dutta of
Chittagong.
(3) Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Babu S. D. Gowloog of Darjeel-
ing.
The following officers are commended for specially good work during
the year: —
Eastern
Range.
1. Maulvi S. Ahamed, Itinerary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Narsingdi.
2. Babu D. P. Mazumdar, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Narayan-
ganj.
3. Babu A. T. Roy, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Joydebpur.
4. Babu M.N. Mazumdar, Stationary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Dacca.
5. Babu J. P. Sen Gupta, Itinerary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Barisal.
6. Maulvi M. T. Ali, Staff Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Barisal.
7. Babu K. B. Sarkar, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Satkania.
8. Babu B. Shaha, Itinerary Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
Manikganj.