NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Review on the Annual Administration Report of the Civil
Veterinary Department, North-West Frontier Province,
for the year 1933-34.
The activities of the Civil Veterinary Department may
be divided into three main categories :—
(a) Cure and prevention of diseases,
(b) Sheep, cattle and horse breeding, and
(c) Education.
Government are pleased to note that inspite of financial
stringency and the shortness of staff in the Veterinary
Department, good progress has been made in all these
departments during the year under report.
Disease and mortality among equines and ovines
was small but among bovines, although the number
of cases fell from 26,445 last year to 21,853 this
year, deaths rose to 4,955 as compared with 1,331 of the
previous year. The increase in. mortality was due to the
greater incidence of fatal diseases such as Rinderpest, and
Haemorrhagic Septicæmia. The Department was particularly
active in carrying out preventive inoculations against
Rinderpest
and
vaccination
against
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia and performed over 26,000 inoculations
and over 15,000 vaccinations as compared with 7,000
and 5,000 respectively during the previous year, and
as a consequence the comparatively large sum of Rs. 22,456
was spent in the purchase of sera and vaccine. The figure
for the total number of patients treated rose from 127,738
to 142,299, while castration rose by nearly. 5,000 to 28,077.
A total of 234, including Dhanni, Montgomery and
Buffalo, bulls were at stud at the end of the year, and
a total of 14,796 cows were covered. The most popular
breed is the Dhanni and the strain of cattle in this Province
appears to be improving rapidly. Horse and donkey breed-
ing has continued, while the breeding of Merino sheep in
the Kaghan Valley is being started.
On the educative side two cattle fairs and horse shows
were held up to the end of the year under report, whereat
2
lectures and demonstrations in connection with the pre-
vention of diseases and the encouragement of cattle breed-
ing were carried out by the Superintendent and his staff.
These fairs have the additional advantage of assuring the
collection of large crowds from the rural areas and thus
affording an opportunity for the Department of Public
Health to vary the programme by means of lectures on
village uplift.
In this connection, Government are most grateful to
Captain E. Cobb, Assistant Commissioner, Mardan, for
the energy and initiative he has shown in organizing cattle
shows in the Mardan Sub-Division, a feature that has
proved most popular and has done much to stimulate the
keeness of stock-owners.
Ten students from this Province are under training in
the Veterinary Department and Government hope to be in
a position to make a much needed increase in the cadre of
the Department in the near future.
The thanks of Government are due to Mr. S. I. A.
Shah, Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department for the
keen and energetic way in which he has carried on the
work of the Department during the year unde report and
for the very considerable progress he has been able to make
in all departments inspite of the difficulties due to financial
stringency and lack of staff under which he has been
labouring.
ABDUL QAIYUM,
Minister,
N.-W. F. Province.
Transferred Departments.
A. E. H. MACANN,
Secy. to Govt.,
N.-W. F. Province.
Transferred Departments.
GS&PO-NWFP—2311 STD—130—21-12-34—(125)
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT
OF THE
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT,
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE
FOR THE YEAR
1933-34.
PART I—GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
1. Charge—
(a) Mr. S. I. A. Shah, M.R.C.V.S. (London) remain-
ed in charge of the Civil Veterinary Department, North-
West Frontier Province as Superintendent throughout the
year under report.
(b) Deputy Superintendent—Chaudhri Ghulam Qadir,
P. V. S., after completing the Refresher Course at the
Punjab Veterinary College resumed charge of his duties as
Deputy Superintendent on the forenoon of the 5th June
1933. In November 1933 his headquarters were moved from
Peshawar to Bannu.
2. Extent and duration of officer's tour—
(a) Mr. S. I. A. Shah spent 103 days on tour and
travelled 3,769 miles by road and 1,944 miles by rail.
(b) The Deputy Superintendent spent 98 days on tour
and travelled 2,180 miles by road and 665 miles by rail.
3. Work performed on tour—
The Superintendent toured in the Province in connection
with Horse, Mule and Cattle breeding, the investigation
and control of contagious diseases, etc. He inspected all
Veterinary Hospitals, the Touring Dispensaries and the
Offices of the Deputy Superintendent and Veterinary
Inspectors. He checked the work of the subordinate
veterinary staff in the villages as far as possible, and attend-
ed many scenes of outbreaks of contagious diseases. The
2
Surra Treatment Centres and Mallein test performed in the
North-West Frontier Province were supervised by him.
As usual Deputy Commissioners, Vice-Chairmen, Secre-
taries and members of the local bodies and other leading
Khans and Maliks of different parts of the Province were
interviewed and matters relating to the Veterinary require-
ments of their respective ilaqas were discussed.
The Superintendent attended the Horse and Cattle
Shows held at Haripur, Hazara and Dera Ismail Khan.
He also arranged Rural Uplift shows in co-operation with
the Assistant Commissioner, Mardan at Charbagh and
Takhtibai. He arranged Veterinary exhibitions at these
places, judged the animals, distributed the prizes and pre-
pared posters containing useful advice and instructions on
various contagious diseases, cattle breeding and other
Veterinary matters for distribution among the zamindars.
Lectures were also delivered by the subordinate staff under
the direction of the Superintendent on those occasions.
The stock-owners were impressed by the demonstration,
great interest was evinced by the large number of specta-
tators who attended.
The Superintendent arranged the purchase of stud
bulls from Dhanni tract in the Punjab. He also selected
two donkey stallions at the Government Cattle Farm,
Hissar, to promote mule breeding operations in the North-
West Frontier Province.
(b) The Deputy Superintendent assisted the Super-
intendent in carrying out inspection duties.
PART II—TREATMENT OF CONTAGIOUS
DISEASES.
4. Mortality—Table II—
The most common diseases during the year under
report were Rinderpest, Foot and Mouth, Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia, Anthrax and Sheep Pox. There were 27,128
cases and 6,363 deaths against 34,856 cases and 2,158
deaths in the preceding year. The fall in number of cases
is due to the fact that Foot and Mouth Disease was not
so prevalent this year, and the increase in number of deaths
is due to increase in number of cases of highly fatal dis-
eases, viz. Rinderpest and Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.
Rinderpest was particularly rife this year throughout the
Province.
3
In the absence of any legislation to control the move-
ment of animals, the Department's only means of combat-
ing contagious diseases is to resort to Hygienic inocula-
tion and vaccination measures. In this work, however,
the co-operation of Patwaris, Lambardars, Maliks and
Khans is necessary to bring about the effective control of
disease in a village, and in the absence of this, the work
remains only half done. Certain progress has been made
in this respect and village officials are beginning to realise
their responsibility in this direction through propaganda by
the Veterinary Department, but pressure from Assistant
Commissioners and Revenue Officials would greatly help
matters.
Reserves of sera and vaccine were maintained at suit-
able centres to meet emergencies. The demand of anti-
Rinderpest Serum was so great that the Budget allotment
was found insufficient. Inoculation and vaccination have
won the confidence of the rural masses and they readily pro-
duce their cattle for inoculation in the event of disease and
it is pleasing to note that they have overcome their pre-
judices and do not try to conceal outbreaks as was the
case in the past.
5. Pathological specimens—
One hundred and one pathological specimens were
received and examined during the year under report
as against 97 of last year. These specimens were examined
at the Laboratory attached to the office. The Office
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in addition to his own duties
very ably assisted the Superintendent in Laboratory work.
SECTION I-A—EQUINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
6. Mortality—Table II—
There were 14 cases and two deaths as compared with
five cases and five deaths in previous year. Almost all
cases and deaths occurred in Dera Ismail Khan District and
were attributable to Surra.
7. Glanders—
Six horses were tested with Malleine in Peshawar
4
District during the year under report, but none proved
positive for Glanders.
8. Surra—
Fourteen cases were reported this year as against none
in the past year. All the patients were treated with Bayer
205 and Tartar Emetic. 85.71 per cent. cure was recorded.
9. Anthrax and other contagious diseases—
(a) Anthrax.—No case of Anthrax was recorded in
equines during the year under report.
(b) Tetanus.—Twenty-seven cases of Tetanus were
reported out of which eleven recovered on receiving treat-
ment. Tetanic Antitoxin was also tried in a few cases with
beneficial results.
(c) Strangles.—Forty-eight cases of this disease were
reported and treated with 96 per cent. success.
SECTION I-B—BOVINES CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
10. Mortality-
There were 21,853 cases and 4,955 deaths as
against 26,445 and 1,331 deaths during the previous year.
The falling off in the number of cases and increase in the
number of deaths is chiefly due to the fact that Foot and
Mouth disease was not so common, while more deadly and
fatal diseases such as Rinderpest and Hæmorrhagic
Septicaemia were more prevalent in the Province than last
year.
11. Rinderpest—Table II—
Rinderpest appeared in all parts of the Province. This
disease accounted for 8,061 cases and 3,674 deaths as com-
pared with 1,381 cases and 541 deaths during the previous
year.
The eradication of Rinderpest in this country is for
various reasons almost impossible and all that can be done
is to control it. Control requires close co-coperation on
the part of zamindars, sufficient money and a sufficient
number of trained subordinate staff. With regard to village
officials and zamindars reference is invited to item No. 4
of this report "Mortality" while the shortage of staff is
5
already known to Government. The Department does all
it can by the "Serum alone" method to combat such fatal
diseases as Rinderpest. Other methods such as Serum
Simultaneous or Goat Virus cannot at present be tried in
this Province.
12. Preventive inoculations against Rinderpest—Table
III—.
Twenty-six thousand, one hundred and eighty-three
cattle were inoculated by the "Serum alone" method in
144 outbreaks as against 7,551 cattle inoculated in 36 out-
breaks last year. Twenty-six animals, which were pro-
bably in the incubative stage of the disease at the time, died
after inoculation.
The demand for Serum inoculation in the case of out-
breaks of Rinderpest is so great that the Department has
difficulty in satisfying it owing to the heavy expenditure
entailed. As soon as adequate staff is available the present
system of controlling Rinderpest by the
Serum alone"
method must eventually give way to the Goat Virus Method.
13. Foot and Mouth disease—Table II—
During the year under report the disease appeared in
all the districts and agencies of the Province, and 10 animals
died from it as compared with 21 in the preceding year.
Measures were immediately adopted by the Department,
and the disease was brought under control. Unrestricted
movements of cattle from the Punjab and adjoining terri-
tories help the spread of the disease.
14. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia—Table II—
This disease appeared in all the districts including
Malakand Agency. It accounted for 1,290 seizures and
1,065 deaths as compared to 758 cases and 647 deaths dur-
ing the previous year.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia is second in importance to
Rinderpest as a menace to cattle rearing in this Province.
The increase is chiefly due to extensive low-lying and water-
logged areas in this Province, chiefly in Peshawar District.
Vaccination is resorted to before the onset of the monsoon
and the winter rains and inoculation together with other
hygienic measures in the event of outbreaks. In this manner
6
a considerable number of cattle are protected. The Depart-
ment, however, finds great difficulty in obtaining early in-
formation, which is so essential for successfully dealing with
this disease.
15. Preventive
inoculation
against
Hæmorrhagic
Septiæmia—Table III—
Fifteen thousand, six hundred and one animals were
inoculated with Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia Serum in sixty-
one villages as against nine thousand, seven hundred and
seventy-three animals in 54 villages in the preceding year.
The application of serum in cases of outbreaks has
been attended with very satisfactory results. In absence
of this cattle life might have been seriously affected.
16. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia vaccination—Table III—
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia vaccinations were perform-
ed on 15,335 cattle against 5,960 during the previous year.
Vaccination against this disease in low-lying areas has be-
come popular amongst zamindars and proved very
successful in immunising cattle against this disease. The
extension of this important preventive work depends on
the provision of staff to enable the Department to under-
take the vaccination of animals at the proper season.
17. Black Quarter—Table II—
During the year under report the disease appeared in
Hazara, Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan Districts. This
malady altogether accounted for 94 seizures and 83 deaths
as compared with 182 and 118 during the previous year.
The highest mortality took place in Dera Ismail Khan
District. The mortality would have been greater had
preventive measures not been taken in time. This is also
a serious contagious disease of cattle.
18. Black Quarter vaccination—Table III—
Seven hundred and sixty-two animals were vaccinated
with Black Quarter Aggressin and 568 with Black Quarter
Vaccine as a protective measure in Hazara and Dera Ismail
Khan Districts respectively.
19. Anthrax—Table II—
This malady was reported from Kohat District, where
7
it accounted for 60 seizures and 55 deaths. Strict prophy-
lactic measures were adopted and thus the disease was
brought under control. The-source of infection was sus-
pected to be hides, etc., from Tirah.
20. Expenditure of sera and vaccine—
A sum of Rs. 22,456-4-0 was spent on the purchase of
sera and vaccine as against Rs. 12,305-2-6 spent in the
preceding year.
SECTION I-C—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES—OTHER ANIMALS.
21. Contagious diseases—Table II—
The detail of diseases which occurred amongst other
animals during the year is as follows :—
Name of disease
1.
2.
3.
4.
Foot and Mouth disease ...
Anthrax ...
Rinderpest ...
Other contagions diseases ...
During 1933-34
Cases
2,302
590
59
2,3 0
Deaths
46
568
30
762
During 1932-3
Cases
7,342
320
45
693
Deaths
105
336
32
359
The most common diseases met with amongst other
animals during the year under report were Foot and Mouth
disease and Anthrax, Sheep Pox, Rinderpest, Mange
Distemper, Rabies. Fowls chiefly died of Fowl Cholera
and Ranikhet disease.
22. Rabies—
During the year under report eighty-two cases of
Rabies were reported as against 79 in the previous year.
This disease was confirmed in 22 animals. Nineteen dogs
were successfully given anti-rabic treatment in Veterinary
Institutions in the Province. Twenty members of the staff
had to undergo anti-rabic treament at the various anti-rabic
centres. Handling rabid animals for diagnosis or observa-
tion involves a serious risk especially when no cure for
8
rabies exists. Members of the Department view this risk
and thus render a most valuable service to humanity.
From this year the Pasteir Institute of India, Kasauli
charges a fee of Rs. 10 for examining the brain of a sus-
pected animal, which the poorer zamindars of this Province
are unable to pay. In order to avoid a serious outbreak
of Hydrophobia amongst human beings, the Superinten-
dent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-West Frontier
Province has recommended to the Local Government that
these charges should be met by the local bodies concerned.
It is understood that Rabies is communicable and fatal to
human beings and animals alike and that no known cure for
it has yet been discovered.
23. Distemper—
This highly contagious canine disease occurred
throughout the settled districts and Malakand Agency of
this Province, 284 cases and 42 deaths were recorded this
year against 262 cases and 92 deaths during the previous
year. Treatment with Distemper Vaccination gave en-
couraging results.
24. Piro-plasmosis in dogs (Tick Fever)—
Six cases of this disease were reported from Peshawar
District, which were treated by Sulph Arsenol and Trypan
Blue. 83.33 per cent of cases recovered. Results on the
whole were satisfactory.
25. Canine Typhus—
Only one case was reported during the year under
report, which recovered on treatment.
26. Fowl Cholera and Ranikhet disease—
Forty-six cases and 31 deaths were reported from
Peshawar, Hazara, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan Districts
against 124 cases and 56 deaths in the previous year.
Ranikhet disease is a menace to fowl-rearing in this Pro-
vince.
27. Diptheria—
Twenty-two cases and seven deaths were reported from
Kohat District and Kurram Agency, against 17 cases and
no death during the last year.
9
28. Pyæmia—
No case was reported during the year under report.
SECTION II—NON-CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
29. Treatment of diseases in villages—Table IV—
During the year under report 5,966 villages were visit-
ed by the subordinate veterinary staff on tour compared with
4,296 last year. The number of animals treated and cast-
rated by the staff on tour, thereby affording relief to the
interior of the rural area, was 96,006 (castrations 28,422,
contagious diseases 20,183, non-contagious diseases 47,401)
against 102,279 (castrations 29,155, contagious diseases
29,481, non-contagious diseases 43,643) in the preceding
year.
The reduction in the number of animals castrated on
tour is due to the fact that the year having been excep-
tionally unhealthy the staff was largely employed in the
control of contagious diseases. Inoculation work rose to
more than double that of the previous year.
30. Criminal poisoning—
The staff conducted post mortem examinations on 18
cases suspected for criminal poisoning against nine in the
previous year. Most of these were reported from Haripur
Tahsil of Hazara District. Fifteen of the cases were de-
clared to be positive for Arsenical poisoning by the Chemical
Examiner. This crime needs drastic handling.
SECTION III—VETERINARY HOSPITALS.
31. Veterinary hospitals—Table V—
There were forty Veterinary Dispensaries at work in
the year under report. On account of financial stringency
and lack of local qualified men it was not considered advis-
able to increase the number of rural dispensaries in the
Province.
At the 40 dispensaries, 142,299 animals received treat-
ment against 127,738 during the previous year. In addi-
tion 10,670 cases which were not brought to these
institutions against 9,378 last year were supplied with
10
medicines. Twenty-eight thousand and seventy-seven cast-
rations were performed in these dispensaries against
23,174 during the preceding year.
The steady improvement in the attendance at Veteri-
nary Hospitals, shows the popularity of the work done
amongst the masses and is being well maintained. Progress
so much depends on the efficiency of the individual that
no effort is being spared by the Superintendent to keep the
staff upto date in their professional knowledge.
The scheme of outlying dispensaries is being carried
on successfully. The Department is making every effort
with the small staff at its disposal to bring Veterinary treat-
ment within easy reach of the zamindar. The net work
of these institutions was expanded and the detail of work
performed in them is as follows :—
Name of agency or
distric
1. Peshawar ...
2. Hazara ...
3. Kohat ...
4. Bannu ...
5. Dera Ismail Khan ...
6. Kurram
7. Malakand ...
Total ...
Number of
touring
is pensaries
20
14
9
7
7
6
1
64
Work performed
Contagious
diseases
226
88
167
103
137
160
...
881
Non-con-
tagions
diseases
7.316
5.957
2,324
3.505
2,248
4,041
785
26,176
Castration
4603
3,028
2,303
1,651
996
2,348
597
15.525
32. Building-
Due to general financial stringency no additions or
alterations could be made in the present hospital buildings,
nor could new buildings be erected for any of the rural
dispensaries. The most essential primary requirement of
any dispensary is a standard building, and it is hoped that
this item will receive the consideration of Government in
the near future.
12
PART III—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
SECTION I—BOVINES.
33. Dhanni cattle breeding—Tables VII and Vlll-A—
On the 1st April 1933 there were 183 stud bulls and
42 cows. This number was enhanced by 68 and 44 where-
as 45 and 18 were cast respectively during the year under
review.
Hence
at
the end
of the year there
was balance of 206 stud bulls and 68 cows in the Province.
The stud bulls covered 12,060 cows during the year
under report as against 11,532 in the preceding year.
The system of holding small one day cattle shows with
distribution of cash prizes at different centres in the course
of his tours by the Superintendent had the effect of stimu-
lating and furthering the interests of cattle breeding in this
Province. The scheme is gradually getting established and
has proved to be of great value to the zamindars of the
North-West Frontier Province. It has saved zamindars
from falling into the hands of money-lenders to obtain money
for the purchase of plough animals from Punjab. It is
recommended that local bodies in receipt of grants-in-aid
should utilize their unspent balances under cattle breed-
ing on the purchase of bulls at the end of each year.
34. Montgomery bulls—Tables VIII and Vlll-A—
Two Montgomery bulls worked throughout the year
under report. They covered 75 cows, against 171 cows
covered by five bulls in previous year. No purchase was
made during the year.
35. Nili buffalo breeding—Tables VIII and Vlll-A—
There were 29 buffalo bulls on the 1st April 1933.
One was entertained during the year and four were cast
leaving a balance of 26 at the close of the year under report.
These bulls covered 2,661 buffalo cows as compared with
2,412 during the previous year. No purchase of new
buffalow bulls was made during the year under review.
SECTION II—OVINES.
36. Sheep breeding—
The Government has been addressed on the subject