NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
38
Subject VI.
12. That when an adequate and sufficiently trained staff is
available, the question of adopting the simultaneous method of
inoculation against rinderpest more generally might be taken up
as being more economical and more effective.
Subject VII.
13. That the need for investigation of the whole question of
tuberculosis in India was urgent and should be emphasized in
resolutions framed under Subject IX.
Subject VIII.
14. That it is considered that any suitable measure that can be
adopted for reducing and destroying the surplus population of dogs
is desirable, but that it does not appear to be possible under the
conditions prevailing in India to deal more effectively with the
disease. Power should be given to veterinary practitioners to order
the detention and destruction of dogs suffering from rabies.
Subject IX.
15. That in order to deal with the physiological and pathological
problems of animal husbandry in India it is necessary to have a
fully equipped central research institute with an adequate staff.
The Muktesar and Bareilly Laboratories, if the necessary staff is
supplied, might be developed into a central institute of the kind
proposed. In view, however, of climatic and other considerations
it may be necessary to consider alternative sites. The staff should
be sufficient to permit of the deputation of officers to work out
problems in collaboration with provincial veterinary officers either
at provincial laboratories or in the field.
16. That the Meeting is in favour of the creation of a separate
organization for the study of the insect parasites of men and animals,
the connection with the Civil Veterinary Department being on
the lines suggested by Mr. Howlett in his note.
Subject X.
17. That it should be left to the Agricultural Adviser to the
Government of India to determine whether veterinary officers
should be invited to the meetings (of the Board of Agriculture in
India) or not.
18. That for the present, meetings of veterinary officers
should be held annually.
19. That all members of the Civil Veterinary Department should
be invited to future meetings.
Subject XI.
20. That in the opinion of this Meeting some form of legisla-
tion is necessary to deal with cattle diseases, especially as regards
segregation and the movements of cattle, and that such legislation
should be introduced, when possible.
Subject XII.
21. That except in special cases, where rapid milk production
is required and where efficient control is established, the general
importation of exotic breeds of cattle is not to be recommended at
present. The main policy should be the improvement of indi-
genous breeds by selection.
41
APPENDIX B.
Note on the revival of the "Journal of Tropical Veterinary Science"
or the issue of some such periodical reserved for the publication
of the scientific work produced at the Muktesar Laboratory
and by the members of the Civil Veterinary Department and
Army Veterinary Corps in this country.
(F. WAKE, M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Madras.)
"The Journal of Tropical Veterinary Science" appears to have been discontinued concur-
rently with the abolition of the Inspector-Generalship of this department, but the loss of the
latter, however much it was felt by the department, did not mean that original veterinary work
ceased either at Muktesar or in the provinces.
In other words, if the journal justified its previous existence, and this seems never to have
been disputed, there is as much reason for its issue now as there was before, provided some one
can be found to edit it. Moreover, now that conditions may permit of the superior service
both at Muktesar and in the provinces being strengthened, the present seems to be a good time
to revive it, for, with a strengthened superior service ample material should bo forthcoming
to assure its success.
As things are at present, a veterinary officer in this country, when wishing to publish some
of his work, has to choose between sending it to the "Agricultural Journal of India," or to be
published as a Memoir or Bulletin by the Agricultural Department, or to one of the English pro-
fessional papers. Objections can be raised to each of these alternatives and there is no doubt
that the lack of a veterinary journal of a high standard in this country at least does nothing to
encourage veterinary officers to do any original work, even if it does not actually deter them
from publishing work they have done.
Owing to the time and energy required to run such a journal for the whole of India success-
fully, it is not likely that any local officer would undertake to do it without monetary remunera-
tion, but considering the importance of having such a journal, in which the scientific veterinary
work already done and to be done in this country in the future would be collected for easy
reference both by workers in India and in other tropical countries, and the incentive it would
offer to publish research and original work, the Government of India might bo asked to consider
the advisability of offering a suitable remuneration to a veterinary officer in this country will-
ing to take up the editorship.
45
10 Bungalows @ Rs. 10,000, and 1 Guest-House @ Rs. 20,000
Quarters for assistants, clerical and menial staff
.
Purchase of 100 acres of land
TOTAL INITIAL EXPENDITURE
Rs.
1,20,000
1,25,000
?10,000
4,50,000
(N.B.—Water and power-supply and extra road construction are not included in above
estimate.)
Recurrent.
Pay of 10 officers @ Rs. 12,000 each, plus allowances of Rs. 500 per
month to the Administrator and the Scientific Adviser
Average pay of staff consisting of 7 men on Rs. 200—400, 7 on
150—200, 10 on 100—150, 10 on 75—100, and 12 on 50—75,
together with 54 posts (inferior, clerical, and menial) on pay of
Rs. 50 or under
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Travelling allowance of officers and staff
.
.
.
.
.
Materials and apparatus
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Postage, furniture and miscellaneous .
.
.
.
.
.
TOTAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
Rs.
1,32,000
88,000
2,20,000
20,000
20,000
5,000
5,000
7,500
2,500
2,80,000
The above scheme is put forward as a basis for discussion. It represents the minimum
provision which, as it seems to me, should be made for dealing with the most important branch
of the study of insects, and suggests a partially centralized organization as being the best fitted
to secure progress.
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
Second Meeting of Veterinary Officers
in India
Held at Calcutta from 26th February to 2nd March,
1923
WITH APPENDICES
CALCUTTA
SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA
1924
Price Re. 1 As. 12.
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
Second Meeting of Veterinary Officers
in India
Held at Calcutta from 26th February to 2nd March,
1923
WITH APPENDICES
CALCUTTA.
SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA
1924
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTORY
List of members and visitors
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Programme . . . . . . .
Opening of Proceedings—
President's Opening Address
PAGE
1
1
3
5
PART I—EDUCATION.
SUBJECT I—Education—
(a) Is any revision necessary of the conclusions arrived at by the Sub-Committee on
Education at the First Conference held at Lahore in March 1919 and by the
Meeting of Principals of Colleges at Bombay in February 1922?
(b) What qualifications should be required for:—(1) The promotion of subordi-
nate members of the department to the Provincial Service. (2) The promo-
tion of Provincial Officers to the Imperial Service. (3) The direct appoint-
ment of Indians to the Imperial Service .
.
.
.
.
.
.
(c) What forms of post-graduate training should be devised for:—(1) Veterinary
Assistants, (2) Provincial Officers, (3) Imperial Officers
.
.
.
.
10
28
42
PART II—EPIZOOTIC DISEASES.
SUBJECT II—
(a) Anthrax. (1) Prevalence among live-stock in India; (2) The necessity of
instituting legislation to deal with the disease; scope and nature of such
measures . . . . . . . . . .
(b) Rinderpest. To review the experience already gained as to the relative advan-
tages of the "serum simultaneous" and "serum alone" methods of inocula-
tion in India and other countries
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(c) Trypanosomiases: Surra. (1) Is the existing legislation for the control of
surra adequate? (2) The present position in respect to research and the
efficacy of methods of treatment. (3) Information with regard to trypano-
somiases, other than surra, found in India
.
.
.
(d) Contagious abortion. Information regarding its incidence among imported
and indigenous stock; proposals for control
.
.
.
(e) Tuberculosis. Prevalence of tuberculosis among live-stock in India, and the
danger of infection to human beings from this source .
.
.
.
.
(f) Parasitology (helminthology and entomology); the necessity for instituting a
survey of the incidence of the grosser parasites of live-stock in India and for
the formation of central departments to control work in this connection
(g) Infectious lymphangitis in cattle: causation and treatment .
.
.
(h) Nasal granuloma in cattle: causation .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(i) Rabies: measures of control
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(j) Diseases of sheep; nature, incidence, and control of the more important disease
conditions among sheep in India
.
.
.
.
.
.
45
59
71
77
80
88
91
92
94
96
ii
CONTENTS
PART III—GENERAL.
SUBJECT III—
(a) Legislation. The desirability of introducing further legislative measures for the
control of animal diseases
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(b) Statistical. Methods of obtaining and recording statistical information regard-
ing the incidence of epizootic disease in India; suggestions for improvement
(c) Animal Husbandry. What is the role of the Civil Veterinary Department in
dealing with problems directly concerning live-stock industries in India?
(d) Methods for facilitating and improving the supply of sera and other laboratory
products, particularly in regard to the needs of remote districts .
(e) Meat Inspection. Is it within the present competence of the department to
deal with this question? What further arrangements for training personnel
for the special duties entailed are required
.
.
.
.
.
.
(f) Methods to be adopted to correlate technical information and render authorita-
tive advice on professional problems
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(g) The advisability of amalgamating certain Veterinary Services in India .
List of Resolutions . . . . . .
Appendics . . . .
PAGE
99
101
106
107
110
113
121
123
133
Proceedings of the Second Meeting of Veterinary Officers, held
at Calcutta, from the 26th February to the 2nd March, 1923.
INTRODUCTORY.
The Second Meeting of Veterinary Officers in India was held
in Writer's Buildings, Calcutta, from the 26th February to the 2nd
March, 1923, under the presidency of Colonel G. K. Walker, C.I.E.,
O.B.E., F.R.C.V.S., Principal, Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore.
MEMBERS.
1. Colonel G. K. Walker, C.I.E., O.B.E., F.R.C.V.S., Principal
of the Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore (President).
2. Mr. J. T. Edwards, B.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., Director, Imperial
Bacteriological Laboratory, Muktesar (Secretary).
3. Mr. K. Hewlett, O.B.E., M.R.CV.S., Principal of the Bombay
Veterinary College.
4. Mr. E. S. Farbrother, M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Bombay Presidency.
5. Mr. P. J. Kerr, M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, and Veterinary Adviser to the Government of Bengal.
6. Mr. A. D. MacGregor, M.R.C.V.S., Principal of the Bengal
Veterinary College.
7. Mr. D. Quinlan, M.R.C.V.S., Director, Civil Veterinary De-
partment, Bihar and Orissa.
8. Mr. P. B. Riley, M.R.C.V.S., Deputy Director, Civil Veterinary
Department, Bihar and Orissa.
9. Mr. G. G. Howard, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.H., Civil Veterinary
Department, Bihar and Orissa.
10. Mr. C. W. Wilson, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Adviser to the
Government of the Central Provinces.
11. Major R. F. Stirling, F.R.C.V.S., Second Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, Central Provinces.
12. Mr. F. Ware, F.R.C.V.S., Chief Superintendent, Civil Veteri-
nary Department, Madras Presidency.
2
13. Mr. Krishna Murthi Ayyar Avergal, Professor of Pathology
and Bacteriology, Veterinary College, Madras.
14. Mr. W. Harris, M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, Assam.
15. Mr. T. F. Quirke, M.R.C.V.S., Chief Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Punjab.
16. Mr. R. Branford, M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent, Government
Cattle Farm, Hissar.
17. Mr. C. J. N. Cameron, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.H., Second
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Burma.
18. Captain S. G. M. Hickey, M.R.C.V.S., Officiating Veterinary
Adviser to the Government of the United Provinces.
19. Captain W. H. Priston, F. R. C. V.S., Second Superinten-
dent, Civil Veterinary Department, United Provinces.
20. Khan Saheb Sheik Naiz Mohammed, Officiating Third
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, United Provinces.
21. Mr. R. T. Davis, M.R.C.V.S., Professor, Bengal Veterinary
College.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DELEGATES.
The following representatives of other Imperial Services attended
the conference at the request of the Government of India:—
Mr. W. Smith, Imperial Dairy Expert, Kasauli.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. G. Hutchinson, C.I.E., Public Health
Commissioner with the Government of India. (Indian Medical
Service.)
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Pallin, C.B.E., D.S.O., F.R.C.V.S.,
R.A.V.C., A.D.V.S., Eastern Command. (Army Veterinary Service.)
Mr. T. Bainbrigge Fletcher, R. N., F.L.S., F.E.S., F.Z.S.,
Imperial Entomologist. (Indian Agricultural Service.)
3
PROGRAMME.
The agenda placed before the meeting comprised the following
subjects:—
1. EDUCATION.
(a) Is any revision necessary of the conclusions arrived at by
the Sub-Committee on Education at the First Conference held at
Lahore in March 1919 and by the Meeting of Principals of Colleges
at Bombay in February 1922?
(b) What qualifications should be required for—
(1) The promotion of subordinate members of the department
to the Provincial Service?
(2) The promotion of Provincial Officers to the Imperial
Service?
(3) The direct appointment of Indians to the Imperial
Service?
(c) What forms of post-graduate training should be devised
for—
(1) Veterinary Assistants,
(2) Provincial Officers,
(3) Imperial Officers?
II. EPIZOOTIC DISEASES.
(a) Anthrax—
(1) Prevalence among the various classes of live-stock in
India.
(2) The necessity of instituting legislation to deal with the
disease; the scope and nature of such measures.
(b) Rinderpest: to review the experience already gained as
to the relative advantages of the "serum simultaneous" and
"serum alone" methods of inoculation in India and in other coun-
tries.
(c) Trypanosomiases—
Surra—
(1) Is the existing legislation for the control of surra ade-
quate?
4
(2) The present position in respect to research and the efficacy
of methods of treatment.
(3) Information with regard to trypanosomiases, other than
surra, found in India.
(d) Contagious abortion: information regarding its incidence
among imported and indigenous stock; proposals for control.
(e) Tuberculosis: prevalence of tuberculosis among live-stock
in India, and the danger of infection to human beings from this
source.
(f) Parasitology (helminthology and entomology): necessity for
instituting a survey of the incidence of the grosser parasites of
live-stock in India and for the formation of central departments
to control work in this connection.
(g) Infectious lymphangitis in cattle: causation and treat-
ment.
(h) Nasal granuloma in cattle: causation.
(i) Rabies: measures of control.
(j) Diseases of sheep: nature, incidence, and control of the
more important disease conditions among sheep in India.
III. GENERAL.
(a) Legislation: the desirability of introducing further legis-
lative measures for the control of animal diseases.
(b) Statistical: methods of obtaining and recording statistical
information regarding the incidence of epizootic diseases in India;
suggestions for improvement.
(c) Animal husbandry: what is the role of the Civil Veterinary
Department in dealing with problems directly concerning the
live-stock industries in India?
(d) Methods for facilitating and improving the supply of sera
and other laboratory products, particularly in regard to the needs
of remote districts.
(e) Meat inspection: is it within the present competence of
the department to deal with this problem; what further arrange-
ments for training personnel for the special duties entailed are
required?
(f) Methods to be adopted to correlate technical information
and render authoritative advice on professional problems.
(g) The advisability of amalgamating certain Veterinary Ser-
vices in India.
5
PRESIDENT'S OPENING ADDRESS.
In his opening address at the previous meeting of Veterinary
Officers in India held at Lahore in March 1919, Mr. Mackenna,
Agricultural Adviser to the Government of India, who presided,
referred to the Veterinary Conference at Calcutta in 1908 which
was independent of the Board of Agriculture. It was resolved
at the conference that a Board of Veterinary Science should be es-
tablished, but the proposal did not materialize.
At the meeting of the Board of Agriculture at Poona in December
1917 it was proposed and accepted that periodical meetings of
veterinary officers should be held every three years with the result
that this is the second meeting of the kind to be held.
The orders of the Government of India on the resolutions of the
first meeting were that sectional meetings of veterinary officers
might be held in alternative years, i.e., in the years in which the
Board does not meet, and that one or two members of the Veterinary
Service from each province would constitute a sufficient attendance.
It has been decided also that technical and professional subjects
should form the chief business, administrative questions being dealt
with at the meetings of the Board of Agriculture.
In consequence, it has pleased Government to permit the senior
veterinary officer present to preside. It has fallen to my lot to have
the honour and, incidentally, the responsibility of preparing the
agenda.
I trust that I shall be able to satisfy both Government and you
in the performance of my duties. The privilege of presiding is
tempered by the fact that seniority has its disabilities and that
time means changes.
Since our last meeting, Colonel Farmer and Mr. Shilston have
died. Both officers have left many friends in the Service and in
India to deplore their loss. In each case devotion to duty contri-
buted largely to early demise.
Colonel Pease, who had to his credit many years of distinguished
service in India, has retired, and we miss other senior officers in
Colonel Smith, Major Oliver, and Mr. George Taylor. I beg to
accord a welcome to those officers who have been deputed to attend
by their respective Governments, and I trust that everyone will
join in contributing to the usefulness of our discussions. We
have a heavy programme before us and there are some very important
matters to examine.
6
At this stage I do not propose to deal with any of them in detail
I have endeavoured to include in the agenda all the subjects sug-
gested by the respective veterinary officers through their Local
Governments, and I will call upon them individually to present
their cases in due course.
It may be necessary to form committees to discuss the details
entailed by the complexity of some of the subjects under reference,
but we will come to that later.
The question of education is the first subject we have to deal
with and at the present time it ranks very large. We have to bear
in mind that Indians are to be educated in veterinary science up to
a sufficiently high standard to enable them to fill the highest positions
available. At the previous conference certain definite decisions
were arrived at, and at the Meeting of Principals held in Bombay
last year the details of the course of study were comprehensively
worked out. I understand that the Government of India consider
the scheme to be very thorough and worthy of serious considera-
tion by Local Governments. They have already congratulated the
Government of the Punjab on the adoption of a four years' course
of study. Mr. Secretary Hullah's note on the subject is before you
and you will perceive -that he writes in pessimistic strain. The
lack of adequate hospital practice alone must rule out Muktesar as
a possible place for a veterinary college. Veterinary colleges can
only thrive in populous centres where other educational facilities
exist. Mr. Hullah thinks apparently that a four years' course of
study is only required for a very limited number of men, viz., those
who are to receive gazetted rank, whereas it was the unanimous opi-
nion of the members at our previous meeting that four years was the
requisite minimum for all. In view of the general desire to provide
a good veterinary education for Indians this view is doubtless
correct, but it is clear that aspirants will be few unless prospects
are improved. It is not reasonable to expect a man to spend at
least four years of his life at a college where a severe course of study
is required without holding out some adequate return for the
necessary outlay in time and. money. In short, the problem is
inevitably complicated by the external financial question, and
although it is not within our province to discuss finance, we shall
waste our time if we ignore its consideration.
We can hardly
be expected to advise the creation of a cheap and inefficient
agency, but the question of ways and means certainly complicates
matters.
We should not fail, however, to impress certain facts in respect
to veterinary education on a public which is lamentably ignorant
of the true position. The empiricism practised by the latter gener-
7
ally, demonstrated by the unlicensed use of drugs on subjects unable
to protest and unsystematic and haphazard experiments in the
secrets of nature, is an indication of the general estimation held of
an art which requires for its effectual practice a wide knowledge
of many of the sister sciences.
Science cannot be taught without the use of expensive
apparatus and equipment.
I do not wish to labour the point, but it seems to be necessary
to affirm as strongly as possible that, as students of veterinary
science must be taught "cause and effect," a long and expensive
education is necessary, more especially in respect to preventive
medicine. If, on the other hand, a band of empirics licensed to
dispense drugs and to perform certain crude operations is required,
the position is different. My own view is that if the latter course
is to be adopted, we should draw a very strict line of demarcation
between those who are educated to know the reason why and those
who are mere mechanics. I am inclined to think that the middle
course hitherto pursued has been only moderately successful, but
I have no desire to influence your deliberations at this stage of the
proceedings.
The section on epizootic diseases is of great importance as, apart
from the economic factor, we are dealing with questions of very
great professional interest. Anthrax has been given a prominent
place, as, being communicable to human beings, it has an added
importance. In this connection we are fortunate in having with us,
as a visitor, Colonel Hutchinson, the Public Health Commissioner
with the Government of India, who has made a special study of the
economic issues.
The same remarks apply to tuberculosis, which is also to be
discussed.
The need for close collaboration between the medical and veteri-
nary services need not be emphasized.
The veterinary profession owes much to the medical profession,
and it is a source of gratification to be of any assistance to the latter
in dealing with its problems.
Rabies was discussed at the previous conference,but the subject
has been re-submitted by Madras and we shall hear if there is any-
thing new to learn about it.
The need for a separate organization for the study of insect
parasites was discussed at the last conference and the matter is.
still under the consideration of the Government of India.
The general questions are very wide in their scope and it is doubt-
ful whether we shall be able to deal with them adequately in the time