NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
89
to helminthology in India. A large number of species of worms
had not yet been described. There was no standard work on the
Indian worm parasites and the same thing might be said with
regard to ecto-parasites.
Mr. Fletcher, Imperial Entomologist, explained what he was
trying to do for veterinary workers. He was at present engaged
in writing a text-book that would give information upon the impor-
tant insects concerned with animal disease, and he exhibited a
number of coloured plates depicting these insects. He would be
glad if the meeting would indicate to him in what way he could
render still more assistance. He was interested in the creation of
a Central Entomological Research Institute in which workers would
be engaged in all branches of entomology. It would be a great
pity to split up the present entomological staff under his charge.
He was prepared to send out members of his staff who were specially
trained in the various branches of entomology to the assistance of
veterinary investigators to elucidate problems connected with
insect transmission of disease or for undertaking surveys of the
insect population. Strictly speaking, ticks and mites did not come
under the heading of entomology and he was not taking up their
study at present. However, it had been put forward that the
Zoological Survey of India should be reorganized so as to include a
staff of special workers engaged in the study of the branch of zoology
to which these animals belonged. It was quite possible to consti-
tute a branch of this kind to work in association with the entomolo-
gical staff. They had a large amount of material representing
insect and other transmittors of disease at Pusa, and the collection
required examination and identification. He stated that the scheme
for the creation of an institute to deal solely with so-called veteri-
nary entomology had been dropped, presumably on account of
financial stringency. He thought that it was much better, however,
to gather together in a central institute workers engaged in all
branches of entomology, rather than have a separate institute for
pathological entomology, on account of the economy that would
be effected, both in obtaining and maintaining collections, records
and literature on the subject and in co-ordinating the labours of the
workers.
Mr. Edwards represented that in the present state of our know-
ledge, the subject which had been taught at the veterinary schools
under the name of parasitology might be taken to cover an extre-
mely wide range of subjects. In its exact meaning the word para-
sitology, that is, the study of parasites and parasitism, was almost
synonymous with pathology, and took within its scope the nature
of all kinds of parasitic forms, from the largest to the most minute
90
and their effects upon the hosts. The term, however, in the minds
of most people generally implied the study of the larger forms of
animal organisms which were parasitic upon man and other animals,
and the study of these larger forms came within the range, particu-
larly, of helminthology and entomology, with arachnology.
These sciences had now advanced to such a degree that it was not
possible to attain competence in either, unless the worker devoted
himself seriously to research during the whole of his time in one only,
and as Mr. Fletcher would admit, in the subject of entomology,
the whole field represented by it could not be understood to such a
degree that reliance could be placed upon the opinion of any one
worker in even more than one or a few branches of the subject,
for the different classes of insects needed special and prolonged
study. Likewise, it was too much to expect a man who might have
been trained so. as to become a tolerably efficient veterinary scientist
to assimilate without fail the details of systematic knowledge and
technical methods involved in either of these two subjects. In
fact, the helminthologist and the entomologist required a natural
aptitude and a life training in either class of work. He did not
hold much hope, therefore, of obtaining proficient workers in these
branches of sciences, by deputing Indian veterinary graduates to
attend short courses of study abroad, where these subjects were
systematically taught in teaching classes. For the urgent needs in
helminthological research in connection with the important diseases
of the domesticated animals in this country, it would be best to
obtain the services of at least one fully trained, experienced hel-
minthologist for the work; entomological problems should be re-
ferred to the Imperial Entomologist, who had consented to depute
a worker or workers specially versed in the branch of the subject
in view, to assist veterinary investigators during the course of
their researches into animal diseases in which insect problems
entered.
The Chairman stated that he was not dealing with the research
aspect when he referred to the training of a so-called parasitologist
for his staff. The man so trained would be required merely for
teaching the students going through a course of veterinary study
at the college. He was looking at the matter from the teacher's
point of view. If the individual appointed would specialize in
one branch so much the better. For special studies, he agreed
that the best policy was to create central organizations for the
purpose.
The committee, already appointed to deal with the subject of
trypanosomiasis, was asked to draw a resolution embodying the
views of the meeting.
91
The following resolutions were submitted by it, and were passed
unanimously :—
Resolution II (f)
(1) Entomology. On account of the great importance of insects
in the transmission of animal diseases, as causes of
direct injury to live-stock in India, and the high degree of
specialization necessary for a proper appreciation of the
various aspects of entomology, the staff of the Imperial Ento-
mologist should be strengthened to the degree requisite for
rendering assistance to investigators into the insect problems
connected with animal diseases.
Similarly, facilities should be rendered for the establishment of
a staff attached either to the Imperial Entomologist or to the
Zoological Survey of India for the study of ticks and mites
concerned with animal diseases.
(2) Helminthology. In view of the enormous economic loss caused
by, and our present inadequate knowledge concerning the
prevalence and the nature of the species of, parasitic worms
present in animals in this country, the appointment of a whole-
time helminthologist to investigate the subject from the stand-
point of animal disease is urgently required in the interest
of owners of live-stock in India. This officer should work
under the directions of the Imperial Bacteriological (Veteri-
nary) Laboratory.
SUBJECT II(g).-INFECTIOUS LYMPHANGITIS IN CATTLE: CAUSATION
AND TREATMENT.
On the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. Krishna Murthi read an
abstract of a lengthy paper he had prepared describing his investi-
gations upon this important disease in cattle in Southern India.
The paper was illustrated by numerous charts and diagrams very
carefully prepared by the author and suspended on the walls of the
conference hall. He also exhibited preserved lesions and cultures
of the causal organisms. Mr. Krishna Murthi said that when he
was deputed to attend the conference, Mr. Aitchison (Principal,
Veterinary College, Madras) proposed that the two diseases known
as infectious lymphangitis in cattle and nasal granuloma in cattle
might be included in the subjects for discussion, and that a paper on
each of them, recording his observations, might be read and dis-
cussed at the conference. He added that Mr. Aitchison selected
these two subjects, because, though they were very prevalent in
this country, causing endless trouble to cattle owners, yet there was
no literature until now concerning the etiology of one, and the litera-
ture available regarding the other was controversial. He first
92
introduced the subject of infectious lymphangitis in cattle (an abs-
tract of his paper is printed in Appendix II). He said that in the
outbreak he had dealt with, he noticed the same symptoms and
lesions as were observed by previous workers, and in the course of
his argument regarding the mode of infection by the causative agent,
he pointed out by means of charts and diagrams that the various
superficial abcesses of the body were mainly in correlation with the
extent of the superficial area of the skin drained by the various
lymphatic glands of the body. He added that in his attempt at
the elimination of the various possibilities of modes of infection, the
only possible conclusion he could arrive at was that the infection
must be due to some suctorial insect, especially cattle lice, although
he had not actually proved this contention at the time. He
quoted here, as an analogy, the belief held by medical experts
before and after the work of India Plague Commission regarding the
mode of infection in plague. He then referred to the character of
the organism and the lesions, specimens of which he demonstrated.
He also added that in the treatment of the complicated cases a vaccine
was prepared and used by him, which in his opinion was found
effective.
The Chairman pointed out that in the short time available for the
meeting, it was much to be regretted that it was not possible to
attempt a discussion on the technical aspects of Mr. Murthi's paper.
The paper should be published in extenso in a professional journal
so that the members might be able to estimate the thorny parts
adduced by the author.
On the motion of Mr. Hewlett, seconded by Mr. Cameron, a
hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the author for his paper,
and the following resolution was passed unanimously :—
Resolution II (g)
That Mr. Krishna Murthi's original paper on " Infectious
Lymphangitis amongst Cattle in the Madras Presidency"
be published in extenso in a professional periodical.''
SUBJECT II(h).- NASAL GRANULOMA IN CATTLE: CAUSATION.
On the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. Krishna Murthi read an
abstract of a more lengthy paper he had prepared upon this interest-
ing condition of cattle. Structures which apparently represented
the causal organisms were exhibited in the form of histological pre-
parations under the microscope and by numerous coloured plates
and some photographs.
In introducing the subject of nasal granuloma in cattle (an
abstract of which is printed in Appendix III), Mr. Krishna
93
Murthi said that it was unnecessary for him to describe in detail
the lesions of the disease, because he found on his. arrival at Calcutta
that the disease existed in other parts of India also, causing trouble
to cattle owners and was widely known. He added that the cause
of the disease was in his opinion a streptothrix, which possessed
acid and alcohol fast staining characters. He claimed to demons-
trate the presence of streptothrix organisms very close to the papillae
of the skin, from which he inferred that the infection must be through
wounds caused by the misuse of the nose string or by contact of
any other abrasion with infected food or water. In discussing pro-
phylactic measures he deprecated the common method of feeding-
and watering animals which is at present adopted in the Madras
Presidency.
Mr. Edwards said he had examined with great interest the pre-
parations exhibited by Mr. Krishna Murthi and more particularly
as he had obtained evidence of the widespread existence of this con-
dition in India from the specimens sent to him for examination at the
Muktesar laboratory from Assam, Bihar and Orissa, and the Bombay
Presidency. The results of the examinations at Muktesar had been
presented to the meeting in a note by Mr. Hugh Cooper,
Pathologist on the Muktesar staff. In the preparations examined
at Muktesar the clusters of club-shaped structures simulating
those seen in actinomycosis lesions were clearly observed and he
had at the meeting a number of paintings and photographs taken
to show these structures. Hitherto, however, they had failed to
demonstrate the causal organisms. He had examined Mr. Krishna
Murthi's specimens carefully in order to find out if there was
any real evidence of the presence of a streptothrix, as he had
mentioned in his communication. Apparently, the author
believed that granule and club formation was invariably associated
with the presence of streptothrix organisms. He reminded him,
however, that even the so-called actinomycosis of cattle in other
countries, particularly in Argentina, and also, it was now known,
in a very large degree in Europe, was caused not by streptothrix
but by a small bacillus, namely the so-called actino-bacillus of
Lignieres and Schutz. It had also been stated that club formation
could be set up by other organisms. In the preparations sub-
mitted by Mr. Krishna Murthi he could see no evidence what-
soever of the presence of streptothrix filaments and apparently the
author had not been able to demonstrate these organisms by
cultural examination. However, it was to Mr. Krishna Murthi
that the credit belonged for having discovered the granule forma-
tions in this interesting and apparently widespread disease
condition of Indian cattle.
G
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A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the author by the
meeting for his interesting paper and it was resolved :—
Resolution II (h)
That Mr. Krishna Murthi's original paper on " Nasal Granu-
loma in Cattle occcurring in the Madras Presidency "
be published in extenso in a professional periodical.
SUBJECT II (i).-RABIES: MEASURES OF CONTROL.
The Chairman said:—" I will read out the resolutions passed
unanimously at the last meeting and the subsequent orders of the
Government of India : ' That it is considered that any suitable
measure that can be adopted for reducing and destroying the
surplus population of dogs is desirable, but it does not appear to
be possible under the conditions prevailing in India to deal more
efficiently with the disease. Power should be given to veterinary
practitioners to order the detention and destruction of dogs suffer-
ing from rabies.' The orders of the Government of India are as
follows :—
' So far as the Government of India are aware the only legal
powers at present existing to deal with dogs suffering
or reasonably suspected to be suffering from rabies
and with stray dogs, which are a potential source of
danger to the community, are those conferred by
section 68 of the Cantonment Code of 1912 and by
corresponding provisions in the Municipal Acts.
These provisions empower the cantonment authority
or the municipality, as the case may be, to authorize
any person to detain or destroy such dogs. It is
understood that, the persons so authorized are, in
the cases of municipalities, officers of the Civil Veteri-
nary Department, and the Government of India are
of opinion that, as suggested in Resolution XIV,
veterinary officers are the most suitable agency for
the purpose. I am accordingly to suggest that local
bodies should be advised, where this has not already
been done, to give officers of that department the
necessary powers. The question of taking power to
destroy rabid or stray dogs in rural areas presents a
more difficult problem, and so far as the Government
of India are aware, no such legal powers exist at
present, although certain Local Self-Government Acts
permit the offer of rewards for the destruction of
noxious animals. The Government of India doubt
95
whether it is practicable to go further than this in
rural areas, but they commend the matter to the notice
of the Local Government.'."
A note had been circulated among the members of the conference
beforehand forthcoming from Mr. Aitchison on the subject of pro-
phylactic vaccination of dogs against rabies.
As Mr. Aitchison was not present, his colleague, Mr. Krishna
Murthi explained to the meeting the results of the further work
intimated in the note.
Mr. Krishna Murthi reviewed the results of prophylactic inocula-
tion against rabies in dogs carried out in Japan and America and
said that experiments on similar lines were being conducted by Mr.
Aitchison and himself at the Madras Veterinary College. They
were, however, very sorry that they could not make the results of
the first series of experiments available to the members of the con-
ference as there was a delay in getting the prophylactic vaccine from
Colonel Cornwall, who was unavoidably absent at Lucknow for the
Indian Science Congress. He raised the question as to whether any
legislation could not be passed regarding immunization of dogs
against rabies if the results of experimental inoculations conducted
at the Madras Veterinary College proved successful.
The Chairman enquired whether Mr. Krishna Murthi thought
that even then rabies could be stamped out.
Mr. Krishna Murthi said that he was fully aware that it would
be impossible to eradicate rabies altogether, but that its incidence
might be greatly diminished.
Mr. Edwards said that the results of the experimental inoculations
carried out by Messrs Aitchison and Krishna Murthi should be
very carefully considered before any measures could be suggested
to Government to deal with the disease in the manner indicated,
and should therefore be examined as soon as they were available
by a competent technical authority if the authors should come to the
conclusion that the method evolved by them was capable of wide-
spread practical application. Tests upon the efficacy of certain
forms of vaccine were at the time being conducted in France. He
thought that the matter should thus be referred for consideration to
the body constituted as the Central Standing Advisory Committee
on Epizootic Diseases and Research, the formation of which he was
going to propose to the meeting in drafting resolutions after the
discussion on Subject III (f) (Methods to be adopted to correlate
technical information and render authoritative advice on professional
problems).
G 2
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The meeting then resolved unanimously—
Resolution II (i)
That any proposed measures of control based on prophylactic
vaccination should be referred to the Central Standing
Advisory Committee on Epizootic Diseases and Research.
SUBJECT II (j).-DISEASES OF SHEEP; NATURE, INCIDENCE, AND
CONTROL OF THE MORE IMPORTANT DISEASE CONDITIONS AMONG
SHEEP IN INDIA.
This subject was inserted in the agenda at the instigation of
Mr. Branford, Superintendent of the Government Cattle Farm,
Hissar, who had also dealt with it comprehensively in a note-
circulated to the meeting.
Mr. Edwards stated that from Mr. Branford's remarks the
common diseases of sheep which ravaged flocks elsewhere in the
World, notably those due to the grosser parasites, also appeared to
be frequent in India and caused serious economic loss. The diseases
were for the most part in the nature of diseases to be controlled by
preventive methods, or combined curative and preventive methods,
and were such that an ordinary veterinary practitioner was seldom
called upon to treat. The practical suggestions put forward by
Mr. Branford were contained apparently in the first and last para-
graphs of his note. It was certain that greater attention ought to
be paid to the diseases of sheep, but the main question of importance
seemed to him to reside in what was the best method of approaching,
the patient, whether by increasing and very effectively training the
veterinary personnel to deal with these conditions direct or by
propaganda work among sheep owners themselves. If the sheep
population in the country were considerable and the disease condi-
tions frequent, then it might very likely transpire that even many
more than at present comprised the entire veterinary services would
be found necessary to treat the diseases of sheep alone. There was
now available a great deal of published information with regard to
the methods adopted for the treatment of such conditions as wire-
worm disease in sheep resulting from systematic investigation carried
out in the Union of South Africa (Veterinary Research Laboratory)
and the United States of America (Bureau of Animal Industry)
where this affection loomed largely as a deterrent to the sheep
breeding industry. It would seem that the methods of eradication
of such an infection recommended entailed the distribution of certain
remedies among sheep owners together with literature couched in
very simple language indicating the methods whereby they should.
be applied.
97
The Chairman stated that at the present time veterinary students
were not taught the methods of diagnosing and treating sheep diseases
to any important degree in the Indian colleges. He was not certain
as to what extent it would be safe to distribute medicine direct to
the owners.
Mr. MacGregor did not think that sheep diseases hitherto had
been considered to have a sufficiently high relative importance to
have special instruction imparted upon them at the colleges.
Mr. Wilson maintained that in view of the gross ignorance of
sheep owners in general the distribution of printed instructions
among them would not prove of any use in dealing with sheep
diseases.
Mr. Edwards then showed in what form propaganda steps might
be undertaken ; for example, in South Africa wire-worm remedy
was distributed in powder form from the Veterinary Research Labora-
tory and instructions with regard to dosage took the form of simple
notches on the handles of the spoons issued for measuring the single
doses necessary for sheep of the various ages. He contended that
a sound elementary teaching of students at the veterinary colleges
in comparative pathology (including, particularly, parasitology)
would necessarily imply instruction in the diseases of the sheep,
for there was nothing very particular about the special pathology
of this animal, except that certain classes of disease, notably those
due to the grosser, worm, parasites, were relatively more frequent
and assumed greater importance in it.
Mr. Branford thought that the education of owners might be
left out of consideration in the present backward condition of India
as an important factor in controlling sheep diseases.
Mr. Krishna Murthi stated that at the Madras Veterinary College
the students were taught to identify the gross parasites of sheep,
for example, but no special instruction was set apart for sheep
disease.
Mr. Wilson thought that useful information concerning the
parasites of sheep in India might be collected at slaughter houses.
Mr. Branford stated that he would like to know the views of
members regarding the prevalence of rinderpest among sheep, for
he remembered great mortality some years ago from this disease
in sheep at Mirzapur in the United Provinces.
Mr. Wilson stated that he had not observed rinderpest in sheep
during his eight years' experience in the United Provinces.
Mr. Hewlett, likewise, had seen no rinderpest in sheep in
Bombay.
98
Mr. Branford also raised the question as to the prevalence of
anthrax in sheep.
It was decided to relegate the discussion of this point to that of
Subject IIa (Anthrax).
The meeting subsequently unanimously resolved :—
Resolution II (j)
That on account of the economic importance of sheep diseases
in India, further steps should be taken to render assistance to
sheep owners by means of propaganda and by the better educa-
tion of the veterinary personnel in the peculiar problems
connected with the main classes of diseases affecting sheep.