NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
8
at our disposal It will serye a useful purpose, however, if the seeds
of further progress can be planted in the hope that nutrition will
be provided. The subject of legislation was discussed at the pre-
vious conference, but the Government of India doubted whether
with the existing staff any practical advantages would be gained by
enhancing the legal powers of enforcing preventive and curative
measures against cattle disease. The position has not altered
materially since then.
The need of improving our means of obtaining more accurate
statistical information is obvious. We are all aware that the
existing systems are unsatisfactory.
The role of the department in respect to animal husbandry
was discussed at the last conference.
Animal husbandry is a very wide subject intimately connected
with complicated economic factors.
There are few problems more complex than the problem of how
to effect an improvement in cattle breeding in India, and there is
an increased public demand for salutary measures. Such measures,
to have any chance of success, require to be discussed in a broad-
minded and comprehensive spirit by men who have special knowledge
of the scientific side and, in particular, considerable experience of
the peculiar conditions occurring in this country.
It is certain that Government cannot provide large capital
expenditure to invest in animal industries, but model farms and
dairies are necessary for educational purposes.
Private enterprise on sound lines should be encouraged. I
consider that each Province ought to appoint a standing advisory
committee to deal with the question.
Committees should not be large and should be formed of well-
informed non-officials associated with veterinary, agricultural, and
dairy experts, with a revenue officer as secretary.
It might be advisable also to constitute a central committee
on the same lines with the Government of India, to which references
could be made and reports submitted. With the aid of the reports
the central committee should be able to frame certain principles
and circulate them for information and guidance from time to time.
This method of dealing with the matter conforms in principle with
the views of the committee which discussed Subject XII at the
meeting of the Board of Agriculture at Pusa in 1916.
The Government of India concurred in the report of the com-
mittee and in reviewing the proceedings of the last Veterinary
Conference stated that they were not prepared to reconsider the
matter at present. The subject has been entered in the agenda
9
as it was included in the list of suggestions received from several.
Governments, but the question for the time being is one for the
administration. I am not prepared to allow the matter to be dis-
cussed, therefore, unless any member of the conference has some-
thing to bring forward of strictly professional interest. You are
again reminded that administrative questions are to be dealt with
at the meetings of the Board of Agriculture.
The reference from Burma in respect to the storage of serum
has been widened in its scope as I feel that the question will repay
a full discussion.
Meat inspection was suggested by Mr. Cross, who is not present.
Perhaps some other members of the conference may have some
remarks to make on the subject.
The remaining subjects will be presented by their respective
sponsors in due course.
I will not take up more of your time except to express the hope
that the results of our deliberations will be appreciated favourably
by Government. The Civil Veterinary Service in India is well
known to be inordinately weak for the nature and scope of the work
that is demanded of it.
The economic factor should in itself demand a liberal policy,
but we have experienced many serious set-backs and there seems
to be very little prospect of immediate progress.
It behoves us, however, to look upon the future as cheerfully
as possible and to do our utmost individually and collectively to
increase the respect that is due to the profession which we have
chosen. It should be our daily duty "to improve our knowledge
and to do something progressive for our art.
We have to fight against ignorance and apathy, but that need
not dishearten us.
The great master Pasteur fought a glorious fight. If we cannot
approach him, we can emulate him.
We may take as our motto "Decolatus sed vivus" and give
our best.
10
PART I.—EDUCATION.
SUBJECT I (a).—EDUCATION. IS ANY REVISION NECESSARY OF THE
CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED AT BY THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON EDU-
CATION AT THE FIRST CONFERENCE HELD AT LAHORE IN MARCH
1919 AND BY THE MEETING OF PRINCIPALS OF COLLEGES AT
BOMBAY IN FEBRUARY 1922?
The Chairman in introducing the discussion stated as follows:—
"The first question has been raised particularly by Mr. Hewlett,
Principal of the Bombay Veterinary College. His reference is, that
in view of the financial situation rendering the establishment of
a four years' course in certain provinces impracticable, what is the
best curriculum for a three years' course?
"It appears that he considers a revision of the curriculum of the
three years' course is indicated, and if any Government decides to
adhere to that period of study he is doubtless correct. I think
you will agree, however, that in view of the proceedings at the last
conference, when it was the unanimous opinion of the members
that a four years' course is necessary in order to teach the requisite
subjects satisfactorily, we shall be taking a very serious step if we
give our approval to any course of training of three years' duration.
"You have before you the proceedings of the previous conference
and of the Meeting of Principals at Bombay, both of which Mr.
Hewlett attended, and you have Mr. Secretary Hullah's note also.
"My own views on the general question have been expressed
in my opening address and in my remarks at the last conference.
I am strongly of opinion that if we are asked to produce an incom-
jlete article we should name it accordingly and stamp it as such.
If Mr. Hewlett gains his point that a course of three years is required
we will endeavour to prepare a suitable curriculum, and I will ask
you to appoint a committee for the purpose."
Mr. Hewlett presented the following views on this sub-section
(a):—"In my view no alteration is necessary in section (A) and
(B) of the report of the sub-committee on education adopted by
Lahore conference in 1919.
"The conference of 1919 was of opinion that the recommenda-
tions made by the Public Services Commission that a course of train-
me should be instituted in India in order to enable Indians to qualify
for the Imperial branch of the department is not practicable.
11
"Nothing has arisen since 1919 to make the proposal more practi-
cable. On the contrary the financial situation, the completeness
of the autonomy of the provinces, the fact that "veterinary
matters" are now an entirely provincial concern and also a trans-
ferred subject render the proposal more difficult and impracticable
now than in 1919.
"The proposal put forward in, the note (circulated to members
of this conference) by Mr. Hullah, the late Secretary to the Govern-
ment of India in the Revenue and Agriculture Department, that
there should be a single college for all India and that all Local
Governments should contribute to the necessary capital outlay
and pay fees for the students so that no cost at all would fall on the
Government of India, is contrary to the opinion of the Lahore
conference and is logically unjustifiable, and that such a course
would be agreed to by the local Legislative Councils is highly im-
probable.
"It is probably true, as Mr. Hullah says, that the Imperial
Service will in time disappear and presumably its place will be
taken by a superior Provincial Service entirely under the Local
Governments. The Provincial Service can never be large, probably
in Bombay not more than five officers, for many years to come. The
cost of training these five officers in Europe or America by means
of State scholarships would be less than the contributions to the
Government of India for buildings and upkeep of a central college.
After the five men had been trained, the wastage would be very
small indeed—perhaps one every ten years.
"The Lahore conference was of opinion that the provincial
colleges should train the men intended for the present Provincial
Service, what will presumably be in future the lower grade Provin-
cial Service, and that after training they should go through a course
of post-graduate study. I consider that this view should be adhered
to.
"With regard to section (c) of the Lahore resolution on education,
I consider that a four years' course is not a practical proposition
at present and that a three years' course should be maintained,
modified to some extent and combined with post-graduate training
for selected youths. I do not consider that a uniform curriculum
is essential and that the difficulties in the way of a permanent
examination board for the whole of India outweigh the advantages,
which are very problematical.
"The scheme put forward by the Principals' Meeting at Bombay
in February 1922 for a uniform curriculum for all colleges in India
is in my opinion an excellent scheme but is idealistic in the extreme
12
and quite impracticable for many years to come, if ever. It is
also more than doubtful if men taught up to the standard suggested
would justify their existence in the districts in the place of the
present Veterinary Assistants. In my view the scheme proposed in
Bombay should remain in abeyance."
After some discussion with the Chairman, Mr. Hewlett made
it clear that he wished to adhere fully to the decisions arrived at in
sections (a) and (6) of the report of the sub-committee on veterinary
education at the first conference held in Lahore in 1919 (pp. 12 and
13). In view of the financial situation existing in each province
and the absence of adequate prospects for veterinary graduates
he no longer adhered to the statements contained in section (c).
It appeared to be beyond the means of Provincial Governments
to carry out a scheme involving a four years' course of training
such as was outlined in the Bombay conference, and it must
be remembered that the Veterinary Services were now entirely
transferred subjects and in all provinces were at present controlled
directly by the Local Government. He therefore maintained that
a course covering a period of three years was all that could be
attained at the present time. He regarded the Bombay programme
as too ideal and ambitious.
Mr. Cameron explained the conditions of service in Burma
where there were two grades of personnel, namely, a lower grade,
starting at Rs. 40 a month, who were trained at the schools at Burma,
and a higher grade, from whom were promoted Deputy Superin-
tendents, who had received their training at the Bengal Veterinary
College. He believed that one of the existing colleges in India might
be utilized as a central college for the training of Provincial Officers
of the higher grade. His views in regard to the details of training
which appeared to him to be indicated were distributed among the
members in a circular. He did not consider it necessary to build
a new college for higher training. Some of the basic training could
be imparted at the universities, while training in preventive medi-
cine could be given at Muktesar.
The Chairman maintained that it would be useless to educate,
by means of post-graduate training, men for higher posts who had
not received an adequate basic training. He agreed that no province
could afford to educate all of the veterinary personnel required up
to the highest standard. It seemed to be necessary, therefore,
to institute a short course of training, probably covering only two
years, for a certain number of men. The four years' course, which
aimed at providing men who already possessed a groundwork of
education with an intelligent grasp of their profession, was required
for the higher posts. He had suggested this procedure to the Punjab
13
Government and he believed that in time there would be a much
greater demand for the more highly educated men.
Mr. Hewlett thought that we ought to adhere to the three years'
course of training, and that a sufficient number of men for the higher
posts could be obtained by proper post-graduate teaching. In
particular, he wished to impress upon the meeting that for certain
of the higher posts, as for example, for the teaching of anatomy, it
was quite unnecessary to put the selected men through a course
of pathology and allied subjects.
The Chairman contended that the men who were selected for the
higher posts in the Service, including the men who were to bear
the responsibility of teaching, should have a wide general education
and a sound knowledge of the basic sciences. The subjects which
Mr. Hewlett considered to be unnecessary were of great importance
in veterinary science.
Mr. Kerr recapitulated the views which he had already presented
to the members in a circular. The first point to be decided was
what the position of the services was likely to be in future. It
had to be admitted that the services must become rapidly
Indianized. At the present time there were a number of Bengalis
under training in Europe with a view to appointment to the
Imperial Service. It had also to be decided whether there should
be direct recruitment to the Deputy Veterinary Superintendent
grade, or whether men of this grade should be promoted from the
lower ranks.
Mr. MacGregor stated that the training at the colleges must
cater predominantly for men of the Veterinary Assistant type. Any
further training must be imparted in post-graduate courses. He
was emphatically of opinion that no additional subjects could be
included in a scheme of three years' training, for it was his experience
that in order to teach properly the subjects that were already down
for study in the three years' curriculum at least four years were
necessary, particularly in view of the fact that the large number of
gazetted and other holidays observed at his college interfered very
materially with the prosecution of study.
Mr. Cameron further dwelt upon what he considered to be a
satisfactory method of post-graduate training for men who had
undergone the initial training of Veterinary Inspectors and were
selected for promotion to the Veterinary Deputy Superintendent
grade.
Mr. Branford contended that if such men were not given a
comprehensive ground-work of education to commence with, they
could not be deemed capable of taking full advantage of advanced.
post-graduate study.
B
14
Mr. Farbrother believed that we should concentrate upon the
better training of men of the Veterinary Assistant class, and he was
further of opinion that men of the Veterinary Deputy Superintendent
grade should be selected men from this class who had undergone
further training.
Mr. Edwards subsequently dealt at length with the problem
which was now directly before the meeting, namely, whether any
revision of the conclusions noted in this section of the agenda
was necessary. His views had already been communicated briefly
to the members in his circular. He strongly maintained that
the Bombay programme represented the minimum required for
the inculcation of an intelligent conception of veterinary science
as the science stood at the present day. He pointed to the
advances made in our knowledge during recent years, since the
time when shorter courses of study were adequate. It now
seemed that financial conditions forbade the education of men
employed in the veterinary services up to this satisfactory
standard. In view of these circumstances, he submitted to the
meeting that, for what might be termed routine work, such as that
of serum inoculation and the diagnosis and treatment of simple
clinical cases of disease, men drafted from a class intimately con-
nected with the live-stock industries might be trained in a short
time, perhaps for a period of only two years, to undertake such
work satisfactorily in the field. Such men must not be regarded
generally as possessing an understanding of their vocation, but
would perform certain duties mechanically. He further referred
to the experience of distinguished individuals who had been engaged
in veterinary teaching in Europe and said that though such author-
ities recognized that the training imparted in some of the most
important schools had obvious shortcomings, it was nevertheless
such as was required in the type of man demanded by the public,
namely, the general practitioner. Likewise, in India, the training
of the veterinary personnel should be such as was required in the type
of. individual for which the Indian public was willing to pay and with
whom they were satisfied. Ik was of no use trying to impose for-
•cibly upon individuals recruited into the veterinary colleges an
intelligent grasp of our calling by prolonging the period of study, if
these men had not received beforehand a broad general training
which aimed at the development of their mental capacities so as
to prepare them for higher study. It seemed to him, therefore,
that the fundamental proposition before them, and one which now
seemed to be inevitable, was the question as to whether or not they
should divide the veterinary services in the country into two separate
and distinct cadres, namely, (1) a higher cadre that had undergone
a training fully in accordance with the programme set forth at the
15
Bombay meeting, and (2) a lower cadre trained to accomplish
certain tasks, menially or mechanically, representing by far the
greater proportion of the service numerically, and useful in certain
allotted and restricted functions. An intelligent perception of the
science need not be required of these men, and a short course of
study, probably not exceeding two years, might be found sufficient,
whereas for the men admitted into the higher posts and who were
destined to perform the incalculably important function in the
economy of a well-ordered State, namely, the control of contagious
animal disease, the Bombay programme represented the irreducible
minimum in primary veterinary education. He further maintained
that the teaching resources of the country were now so limited that
it would be necessary to concentrate all their best available resources
in teaching personnel and equipment at one centre in order to im-
part an intelligent system of training such as that outlined at
Bombay.
Mr. Hewlett stated that the last speaker seemed to have over-
looked the fact that some of the most distinguished members of
our profession were men who had been trained when the period
of study demanded was only three years, or even two years. By
analogy, he maintained that men could at the present clay achieve
like advancement by superimposing post-graduate instruction upon
the shorter, three years, course of study.
Mr. Edwards explained that the men whom Mr. Hewlett had in
mind as having achieved distinction had passed through their
college training when the amount of knowledge available in regard
to animal disease was relatively very small, and such men had
achieved distinction by continuous study after graduation.
The Chairman likewise maintained that the advances made in
veterinary science during recent years had been so enormous
that an expansion of the course of study was inevitable. A con-
centration of the best available teaching resources in one province
seemed to be indicated and the other provinces should be invited
to send their students to be trained up to the standard required
for the higher posts at such a central college.
Mr. Quinlan and some other members objected to a course of
study extending over only two years, even for the lowest grade
of the service, as they believed a recommendation of this kind
would be regarded as a retrograde step by Governments.
The Chairman in addressing the meeting next day at the resumed
discussion of this section of the agenda stated:—
"The discussion on this knotty point has revealed the fact
that we are practically unanimous in approving whole-heartedly
B2
16
the course of instruction prepared by the Principals at Bombay-
I shall ask for a formal resolution to that effect. There is no
doubt that it represents a genuine attempt to educate Indians
up to the highest standard in veterinary science. Personally, my
only fear is that four years may prove to be rather too short a time
for students admitted to the colleges after passing the Matriculation
standard of examination to grasp the work. My experience in the
Punjab is that the Matriculation standard is not very satisfactory.
We should aim at obtaining students with the Intermediate
qualifications in science, and the Punjab prospectus provides for
them.
"It is clear, however, that for financial reasons this compre-
hensive course cannot at present be adopted at all our colleges.
It has been suggested that it should be adopted at one and that is
probably the only course open at present. It has to be decided
later if promotion to gazetted rank should in time be limited to men
who have gone through a four years' course of study as students.
"A four years' course cannot then be generally adopted for two
reasons; first, because all the existing colleges cannot be enlarged,
equipped and. staffed sufficiently, and secondly, because the graduate
cannot be paid highly enough to encourage students to enter for
a course of training of this duration.
"We have got to put up therefore with a large proportion of less
educated and lower paid men for the present.
"A course of study must be devised for them, and although
Local Governments will have the deciding voice in the curricula
adopted at their own colleges, it will be helpful and advisable if we
can suggest a suitable course, or even alternative courses, at this
meeting. We may appoint a committee for the purpose and lay
down general principles for its guidance. There is a division of
opinion as to whether the course should remain at three years as at
present or should consist of two years in future. As you know,
I am in favour of the latter course, but I will try to present both
points of view to you as fairly as possible.
"The arguments in favour and against are both professional
and financial. From a professional point of view we know from past
experience of the three years' course that animal pathology, includ-
ing bacteriology and parasitology, which are essential in a study of
State veterinary medicine, cannot be taught in a three years' course
to students who have no previous knowledge of the basic sciences
of chemistry, physics and biology. The subject has grown enor-
mously since the three years' course was first instituted about a
quarter of a century ago. We have progressed a lot since then.
In Lahore we made this discovery some years ago and a four years'