NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Administration
Report ( Vaccination).
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
No. 3998.
Bombay Castle, 25th November 1873.
Letter from the Surgeon General, Indian Medical Department, No.
3091, dated the 4th October 1873—Forwarding, with his remarks
and observations, the annual report of the Vaccination Depart-
ment for the year 1872-73.
Letter from the Superintendent General of Vaccination, No. 1056,
dated 10th November 1873.
RESOLUTION.—This is the first year in which the changes
in the Vaccination Department introduced in 1871-72 have been
operative throughout the whole year, and Government concur with
the Surgeon General in considering that the results are satisfactory.
2. The following is the number of persons in civil life
vaccinated in 1872-73 as compared with the previous year :—
Primary ...........................
Re-vaccinations ...............
1871-72.
5,21,521
19,196
5,40,717
1872-73.
5,63,526
16,301
5,79,827
The increase therefore is 39,110. The figures for the army
are 8,401 and 8,530 respectively, giving an increase in favor of the
year just past of 129.
3. The establishment consisted of the Superintendent Gene-
ral, 10 Superintendents, 27 Assistant Superintendents, 12 Clerks,
373 Vaccinators, and 406 peons. The total cost was Rs. 2,10,795.
Each Vaccinator performed on an average 1,506 operations, which
is a trifle below the average in 1870-71, when all the Vaccinators
were skilled hands, and 95 above the average in 1871-72, when
many were new to the work.
4. The cost of each operation was 6 annas and 8 pies, or 7
pies more than in the preceding year. This is not quite satisfac-
tory, as in 1871-72 there was also an increase of 1 pie. Govern-
ment trust that the efficiency of the reorganized establishment
will be shewn in the current year by the cost of the operation
becoming cheaper.
2
5. The number of infants vaccinated under one year of age
was 1,98,484 being the largest number as yet attained to. With
the aid of the Birth-registers which are kept in each village, the
infants passed over by the Vaccinators should be very few in future.
6. Of persons in civil life primarily vaccinated 2,98,314
were males and 2,65,212 females : Christians numbered 3,069, Hin-
doos 4,29,001, Musalmans 95,339, Parsees 1,693, while 34,424 are
classed as Miscellaneous. Total 5,63,526, or 2.81 per cent. of the
whole estimated population. There were also 16,301 re-vaccina-
tions.
7. The percentage of success in primary vaccinations was
94.6 and in re-vaccinations 66.9.
8. Notwithstanding the increased strength of the Depart-
ment which enabled a Vaccinator to be appointed to each Talooka,
the number of operations has fallen off in Sind as well as in Rewa
Kanta and Kutch. This is to be regretted. Government especi-
ally notice with displeasure the bad accounts of the Southern
Circle. Not only is the percentage of the population operated on
far behind the rest, but the average number of operations perfor-
med by the Vaccinators is the lowest. The percentage of success
ascertained by the Superintendent is also nearly 20 per cent. behind
any other Circle. The removal of the two incompetent Assistant
Superintendents (who ought never apparently to have been ap-
pointed) will, it is hoped, somewhat mend matters; but if it be
really the case that nearly one-half of the Vaccinators themselves
are indolent, an example will have to be made of some of them.
9. The results of the year's operations seem best in the
Northern, Central, and Kattywar Circles, under the Superinten-
dents Messrs. Robb, Colah, and Butler. Mr. Cody seems also to
have done good service.
10. The greatly increased average of work done by Municipal
Vaccinators which was brought to notice in last year's report has
been well maintained in 1872-73 ; the average being 1,129 opera-
tions per man. This is much below the general average of the
Department, but considering the difficulties the Vaccinators have
to contend with in large towns where the field of operations is also
limited, it may be considered good.
11. The attention of the Collector of Poona should be
drawn to the remarks contained in paragraph 27 of the report.
It would be well if he could succeed in obtaining an increase to
3
the pay of the new Vaccinator who has been appointed to do work
in Narayangaon and Otoor.
12. Government view with much pleasure the progress vac-
cination is making in Native States. The prompt assistance given
by the Chiefs of Jamkhandi, Sanglee, and Miraj is greatly to their
credit. The attention of the Karbhari of Bhore should be drawn
to the advisability of appointing another Vaccinator to that State.
The suggestions of Dr. Turnbull for the re-organization of the
Vaccination Department in Kutch should also be communicated
to the Political Agent. It is probable that His Highness the
Rao would readily entertain Dr. Tumbull's sensible proposals if
they were laid before him.
13. Dr. Turnbull reports that for want of skill, coupled
with want of energy and deficient tact, the vaccination that goes
on at Dispensaries is very unsatisfactory. Government were cer-
tainly not prepared to learn that many Sub-Assistant Surgeons
and Hospital Assistants are unable to vaccinate, and they cannot
imagine how, with such ignorance, they can have passed into the
service. The Surgeon-General should be requested to make ar-
rangements so that all the students at the Grant Medical College
may learn vaccination in future. At the same time His Excel-
lency in Council is not altogether prepared to endorse all Dr.
Turnbull's conclusions as to Dispensary Vaccination. The officers
in charge of these institutions have more important duties to
perform than vaccination, which is merely an incidental adjunct
to their appointments. They are moreover placed in large towns
where, as Dr. Turnbull himself admits, the population is usually
more obstructive than in rural districts, and not having undivided
time, are unable to go seeking for children as the regular Vacci-
nators can. In future where there is a Municipal Vaccinator he
should be responsible for the vaccination of the town. Where
there is none, the officer in charge of a Dispensary should be looked
to, but the Superintendent General must try to have a special
peon allowed him for the purpose, or he cannot be expected to
work satisfactorily.
14. The Deputy Surgeons-General should take care to notice
in their reports the progress made in vaccination at each Dispen-
sary, and any cases of incompetence should be specially reported.
15. Government have already expressed their views on the
subject of animal vaccination. It is a subject to which the most
careful attention should be paid.
4
16. It was to be expected that a few isolated cases of in-
oculation would be discovered. There is no fear, however, of its
spreading, and Government do not think that it is an offence that
should be heavily punished. It is to be remembered that after
all those who practise it are only a little behind the age.
17. Dr. Turnbull has given statistics of deaths from small-
pox only for the town and island of Bombay. These amounted
to 1,637. The figures for the rest of the Presidency should have
been obtained from the Sanitary Commissioner. It appears from
that officer's report that in the calendar year 1872, including Bom-
bay, the deaths from this disease were 26,699 in number, being
17,296 more than in 1871. This is much to be regretted, but
shows what a number of valuable lives may in future be saved by
vaccination.
18. The Revenue and Political officers gave, as was to be
expected, all the aid in their power to the Vaccinators. An in-
stance to the contrary is quoted by Mr. Robb, but the ill success of
the Vaccinator seems from Mr. Robb's own account to have been
more due to the weakness of the man himself than to any derelic-
tion on the part of the officials.
19. Government quite concur with Dr. Turnbull that no hard
and fast line can be drawn to regulate the number of villages
to be gone through by a Vaccinator in a year, but it is certainly
advisable that as many villages should be visited as possible.
20. The Assistant Superintendents seem on the whole to
have been a success, and to judge from the present report their
creation has been justified by the results. The improved correct-
ness of the returns, which Government are glad to hear of, is no
doubt to be attributed in some measure to them.
21. The different Superintendents have, to judge from their
reports and Dr. Turnbull's commendations, generally exhibited
praiseworthy energy, which has been shared in by their subordi-
nates. Government must, however, repeat their opinion that offi-
cers who have so much district work as Superintendents of Vacci-
nation ought certainly to know the vernacular. Attention was
called to this in the review of the last year's report, but apparently
with no effect. The Surgeon-General should be asked his opinion
as to the advisability of making the passing of an examination by
the Superintendents compulsory, since, without such knowledge,
5
they cannot examine the vaccination returns for themselves or
speak directly to the people.
22. In conclusion, Government are glad to record their sense
of the zeal and intelligence exhibited by Dr. Turnbull while he
has been in charge of the Department.
F. S. CHAPMAN,
Chief Secretary to Government.
To
The Surgeon-General, Indian Medical Department,
The Commissioner in Sind.
The Revenue Commissioner, N. D.,
The Revenue Commissioner, S. D.,
All Collectors, including Sind, and the Assistant Collector in
charge Panch Mahals,
The Military Department of the Secretariat,
The Political Department of the Secretariat,
The Sanitary Commissioner,
The Municipal Commissioner for the City of Bombay,
J. M. Campbell, Esq., Compiler, Administration Report for
1872-73 (with a copy of the report).
REPORT
OF THE
VETERINARY OFFICER
INVESTIGATING
CAMEL DISEASES
FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH
1909.
SIMLA;
GOVERNMENT CENTRAL BRANCH PRESS.
1909.
2
On tour also, 43 new cases of surra in camels were found ; and 70 camels
were found to harbour filarial embryos in the blood, of which however only a
minority were seriously diseased.
Of suspected surra in equines, two cases out of five specimens examined by
the office were confirmed.
8. The following papers have been sent for publication in the Journal of
Tropical Veterinary Medicine :—
(i) " Two diseases of young camels" (Published in Vol. 4, No. l).
(ii) " Report on experiments at Mohand "
(iii) " Normal and abnormal temperatures in the
not yet
camel, with notes on pulse and respiration "
published.
and one on " camel-pox " was also published in the Vernacular
journal.
9. Sohawa has been recommended as a suitable future head-quarters for this
office ; camel-grazing sufficient for our requirements is to be had, there is an
excellent train service and it is well placed as regards camel country. It is
hoped that the necessary buildings may be sanctioned and proceeded with as
soon as possible so that we may have facilities for systematic work at head-
quarters next cold weather.
30. The necessary addition to our office establishment of a post for a Second
Veterinary Assistant was sanctioned in the Revenue and Agriculture letter No.
1396-84-2, dated 2nd June 1908, and Kahan Singh, Veterinary graduate of
Lahore Veterinary College, was appointed to the post on the 15th of May 1908,
under orders from the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department in his
letter No. 323-C., dated 28th March 1908.
Atta Mohamed, Veterinary Assistant, has worked with his whole heart
during the year and his services have been invaluable owing to his bent for over-
coming the many obstacles which are encountered when working in the jungle.
Kahan Singh is making very good progress.
Babu Sham Sunder continues to manage the office well.
11. Tour.—During the year under report I have travelled 3,949 miles by rail
and 537 by road.
12. Expenditure.-—Tht total expenditure in connection with this office,
during the year under report, is Rs. 15,726-8-3, as per detail given below :—
Sub-heads of the Budget grant.
Salaries of officers
Pay of establishment, including grain compensation allowance
Travelling allowance of officers
Ditto
establishment
Supplies, etc., (chemicals and apparatus)
Contingencies
Purchase, and stable, feed and keep of experimental animals
Total Rupees
Amount.
Rs.
6,724
2,809
2,202
872
647
845
1,625
15,726
A..
14
0
12
6
0
3
3
8
p.
4
2
0
9
3
1
8
3
3
13. General and local conditions in 1908-09.—The feature of the year is the
almost universal increase in mortality of the camels' which is chiefly due to
Surra.
14. This increase depends on (i) the severity of the rains of 1908 which pro-
duced, according to Punjab reports, a record number of biting flies; (ii) the
increased interest taken this year in diagnosing the disease, especially in Camel
Corps, (iii) Many of the corps took part in the Mohmand expedition and as a
consequence were sent to places where Tabanus is reported to have been
abundant in May and June.
15. No doubt the privations experienced in the campaign have also had a
direct effect on the mortality ; and also the disease Filariasis which was met with
by the camels which took part in the expedition ; the casualties at the time were
surprisingly small.
16. The approximate mortality in camels employed by Government for 12
months ending 31st March 1909 is as follows :—
Corps or Regiment.
50th Silladar Camel Corps
51st do.
do.
do.
52nd do.
do.
do.
53rd do.
do.
do.
...
54th do.
do.
do.
55th do.
do.
do.
...
56th do.
do.
do.
57th do.
do.
do.
Guides ...
...
...
...
67th Punjabis
58th Rifles
14th Sikhs and 84th Punjabis
Supply and Transport and
Regimental
camels.
Supply and Transport
Head-quarters.
Campbellpur
Rawalpindi
Jhelum
Sargodha
Lahore
Montgomery
Do.
Multan
Mardan
Kohat
Do.
Hangu
Bannu
Dera Ismail Khan-
Approximate per-
centage death-rate
for 12 months
ending 31st March
1909.
19.4 per cent
21.5
31.0
30.0
„
26.6
17.8
„
21.8
10.4
36.6
5.3
14.4
37.7
„
About 25 per cent...
15
„
...
Approximate increase
or decrease of death-
rate over previous
17 months
average.
+ 9 per cent
+ 6
do.
+ 10 do.
+10
do.
+ 10
do.
+ 4
do.
+ 11 do.
—4½ do.
......
......
Not inclusive of 7
surra camels not yet
destroyed on 31st
March 1909.
17. 50 th (Campbellpur) Camel Corps.—The mortality of this corps has
been greatly above its usually low average chiefly because of diseases which appear
to have been acquired in the Mohmand campaign. There are also a fairly large
number of old camels in the corps as its mortality percentage has generally
been small, which perhaps also accounts for some of the increase.
18. When examining some sick camels of this corps on 2nd November 1908
I found two surra cases and on 4th November one more. This is the first time
for over 3½ years that camels in this corps have been found with surra. As the
mortality of the corps had recently been higher than usual, the commandant
was advised to have the blood of all sick or poor conditioned camels examined
as opportunity occurred, and the Veterinary Dafadar was sent to my camp in
Sohawa where he was given full information about the disease ; and after this
the officers of the corps found several cases.
16
117. Hippobosca camelima.—Being unable to find this parasite in the places
in the Punjab and United Provinces in which I have lived or travelled in the hot
weather, I asked Major Cooke of 56th Camel Corps (who had been deputed to
go to Jacobabad in February) to look out for it there which he kindly did and
secured a specimen in Jacobabad.
118. The Gastro-Intestinal Worms of the Punjab camel so far found are of
only occasional practical importance ; three different strongyles have been met
with, two of which are new species; three species of tapeworm ; and Trichoce-
phalus echinophyllus is common. For identification, the worms have been sent
to Professor Raillet; illustration and description are not yet ready.
119. Kach and Rack Badar are similar conditions ; they are so frequently
found in Punjab camels that they rank in practical importance with the contagious
diseases. The symptoms are well known; " Kach " is the condition produced by
friction between the edge of the chestpad and the inside of the forearm in pro-
gression ; " Kach badar " is produced by friction between the opposed surfaces
of skin in the axilla. The lesion produced is somewhat similar to that of the
human " corn", and as hypertrophy of the skin takes place the friction
becomes more and more severe, pain is produced at every step and the camel's
pace becomes slow, a serious defect. In some cases, the surfaces become raw and
begin to bleed after a short journey under a load; in others, the inflammatory
tumours become so large that the animal cannot work at all. My only reason for
mentioning these diseases here is to emphasise the importance when purchasing,
of rejection where there is the slightest sign of rubbing on the chestpad or in the
armpit or of the conformation of limb (turned out toes and tied in elbows) which
predispose to the conditions; this point does not by any means always receive
the attention that it deserves, probably because of the high prices prevailing.
120. The principal cause of the condition is overloading or long marching
when young ; other causes are hard work when in poor condition or when suffering
from debilitating diseases, especially when plains camels work in the hills ; or
working camels when temporarily lame in any limb, which results in the body
being thrown more to one side than the other ; or neglected injuries to the elbow
pad or chest-pad ; or bad conformation.
121. In corps breeding-farms, dachis and sands should not be used which by
their conformation exhibit the slightest tendency to these conditions.
122. Irki is a similar condition produced by the rubbing of the point of the
elbow against the sides well above the chest-pad and is nearly as serious an
unsoundness as Kach.
123. Jalwan (Cross-bred) Camel.—It has been shown at Multan that this
camel which is a cross between the male Bactrian and the female of the one-
humped variety is capable of successfully acting as a sand.
124. The action of drugs ; poisonous plants, and the surgical diseases of the
camel have been the subjects of experiments and observations whenever oppor-
tunity occurred.
18
9. A march from Saharanpur to Lahore (made with camels by Kahansingh,
Veterinary graduate, in September, one of the objects being to IOOK forTabanus)
resulted in the fly being found at the following places :—
1. Between Saharanpur and Sarsawa.
2. On the bank of Jumna river.
3. At a point on the road 2 or 3 miles west of Jumna.
4. At Chappar, 6 or 7 miles west of Jigadhri.
5. At Shahabad, 12 miles east of Ambala.
6. At Agana, near Sirhind.
7. At Ludhiana.
8. At Ladhowal, near Phillour.
9. At Kartarpur, 12 miles west of Jullundur.
10. At Gidhana, 3 miles east of River Beas.
Fever prevented any observations being made between this point and
Lahore.
10. Stomoxys.— This fly which was after a number of failures used successfully
in mechanically transmitting surra at Mohand although its powers in that direction
are probably never very great is so widespread that it seems practically speaking,
impossible to wholly avoid it. No doubt it accounts for several cases every year
in those corps in which undiagnosed surra is, through the agency of Tabanidae
already widespread. It is unlikely that it can by itself cause more than a small
minority of the number of new infections.
APPENDIX II
11. Anthrax found in the following localities.
Montgomery District.
Jhok Jamnion }Both near Kassowal
Chah Monewala.
and Kassowal camels often graze near Ravi.
A.S. LEESE, I.C.V.D.,
Veterinary Officer
20
10. Proposals have been submitted for the erection of a small hospital and
laboratory for the study of camel disease at Sohawa in the Punjab. When this
is ready, the work will be greatly facilitated and many points which cannot now
be taken up will be worked out. It is of great importance, for instance, to
definitely decide on the susceptibility of the camel to the various contagious
diseases which affect other stock in this country. The experiments so far made
are too few to warrant any definite conclusions being drawn, but it seems very
probable that the camel enjoys comparative immunity from some of them at
least, and if this be proved to be the case it will show his superiority as a
transport animal over bovines. Lingard states that the camel can be infected
with Rinderpest but that the disease is not very fatal in him. Leese's experi-
ments go to show that he is probably not very susceptible to foot and 'mouth.
disease, if at all.
II. It is hoped that sanction will soon be obtained for the erection of the
necessary buildings at Sohawa so that work may make more rapid progress.
12. Mr. Leese has devoted himself whole-heartedly to his work during the
year and carried out the investigations at Mohand in trying and unhealthy con-
ditions and I consider that he deserves great credit for the progress which has
been made during the short time which he has held the appointment.
SIMLA ;
11th August 1909.
H. T. PEASE, Colonel,
Inspector- General,
Civil Veterinary Department.
G. C. B. P., Simla.-No. II. G. C. V. D— 19-8-09.-325.-C. P.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF
Veterinary Officer Investigating Camel
Diseases.
For the year ending 31st March 1910
CALCUTTA
SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA
1910
ANNUAL REPORT
OF
Veterinary Officer Investigating Camel
Diseases.
For the year ending 31st March 1910.
CALCUTTA
SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA
1910