NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
17
course was first instituted by Colonel Pease, when he was Principal
of the College. It was recast entirely by me as it exists at present.
The Punjab University is discussing our affiliation and the grant
of a degree in veterinary science. I am aware that it appears to be
a retrograde step to return to a two years' course, and there is no
doubt that we cannot expect to turn out scientific men in that time.
But my point is that we cannot hope to do so in three years either,
and I believe that in a three years' course, chemistry, botany and
pathology cannot be included. The scope of veterinary study has
developed so much that three years' study for men of inferior pre-
liminary education is quite insufficient. Why then pretend to give
a qualification that cannot be substantiated in its practical outcome?
If we do not pretend to turn out scientific men, I think we can
turn out useful assistants in 'veterinary aid' in two years, and
that brings me to the financial aspects. There is no doubt that
men who have done three years will not remain content with the
present rate of pay, whereas two years' men should remain satisfied.
If the pay of the three years' men has to be raised, it may be that the
existing establishment of the veterinary services will be reduced
and not increased. Further expansion and increase of expenditure
should be directed, I consider, to the employment of a larger propor-
tion of well trained men, who would be in responsible positions and
be capable of carrying out investigation and giving sound profes-
sional advice. If we continue the three years' course, the men
who have gone through it will expect to be considered eligible for
promotion to gazetted rank, for which they will be poorly equipped
by reason of their limited knowledge of the basic sciences. Our
experience of post-graduate instruction at Lahore is that in the great
majority of cases these men are unable to grasp pathological study
owing to their ignorance of histology and general biology. Doubt-
less, brilliant exceptions occur, but in such cases many years of
subsequent patient study are involved and they must be treated
as rare individuals. I repeat that the time is rapidly approaching
when the three years' men will be dissatisfied with their pay and
prospects, and that, in my opinion, we should create a class of men
who will do useful work in the field on what we can offer, and be
content. The increased expenditure on establishment should be
directed to employing a larger proportion of well educated men
capable of taking responsible positions. We owe it to our profes-
sion to insist that a man who describes himself as a veterinarian
should be well educated and capable of meeting members of other
scientific professions on equal terms. The time will come in India,
as in other countries, when a legal status will be given to qualified
veterinarians. If we look ahead, therefore, we should, in order
to avoid complications, create a well educated class entitled to the
18
use of the term 'Veterinarian,' and also, in order to meet the present
financial difficulty, a class of assistants who will not be entitled to>
the use of the word 'Veterinary.' Personally I think the word
'salutri' is quite suitable.
"I hope that Colonel Pallin will speak on this subject, for
although at the present moment no recruits are required for the
Army, some will doubtless be required in the course of time.
Sir John Moore was whole-heartedty in favour of the four years'
course and supported me in putting through the present course
at the Punjab Veterinary College.
"If Indian veterinary officers are to be employed in the Indian
Army in future, I think you will agree that a four years' course is
essential for them. There may be room, however, for a number
of salutris to assist in the larger hospitals."
Colonel Pallin stated as follows:—"I am afraid that my remarks
are rather general and I trust that I may be excused if I do not
adhere altogether to the point at issue. I not only take it as a great
honour to have been selected to represent the Army Veterinary"
Service, but it is also a great pleasure to me to have an opportunity
of attending this meeting and listening to the discussions on such
an interesting lot of subjects as have been listed on your agenda.
Unfortunately, I did not receive the intimation that I had been
selected to attend your meeting until about 10 days ago. I was
then on tour and consequently I have been unable to prepare very
much information for the discussions. I would like, however, to
give you some of my views on the subject of education.
"If a sufficient number of suitable candidates is likely to come
forward and the policy of the Government of India renders it neces-
sary that you should endeavour to educate Indians up to the
standard of making it possible for them to fill the higher appoint-
ments in your service with Indians with an Indian veterinary quali-
fication, then the scheme drawn up at your first conference in
March 1919 and amplified by the Principals' Meeting held in Bombay
in February 1922 does not appear to me to require any amendment.
But as far as any veterinary education in India is concerned, I do
not consider that the country is ripe for launching such a high stan-
dard of education. Furthermore, it is quite evident that the
Government of India are not prepared to find the money for the
adoption of the scheme for many years to come, and I am convinced
that if the Government of India do entertain the idea of appoint-
ing gentlemen to the higher appointments in your service other
than those with the membership qualification of the Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons, well then, they may as well 'wash out
the Indian Veterinary Service altogether.
19
"We all know what fine rulers, statesmen, soldiers, legal ad-
visers, etc., India can produce, but my view is that Indianiza-
tion of the Government services has its limitations, and I venture
to say that these limitations are more accentuated in regard to the
classes from which our Indian veterinary graduates are drawn than
in any other Indian community which aims at obtaining Govern-
ment employment in positions at present filled by gentlemen with
European education and qualifications. Only quite recently I was
reading an account of a speech made by His Excellency the Gover-
nor of the United Provinces at some function at the Agricultural.
College, Cawnpore, at which he said, as well as I can remember,
'Agriculture is by far the most important industry in this country,
and I do not think that any one is likely to dispute this statement.'
Consequently, in view of your close connection with agriculture and
the importance of keeping live-stock free from contagious and
infectious disease I fail to see why your service does not appear to
receive more consideration from the Government and carry more
weight with the general public. In fact, I was more than surprised
to find a statement by Mr. Hullah in his criticism on your educational
scheme to the following effect: 'The difficulty, of course, lies in
the existence of the Imperial branch of the Service. That branch
will, I have no doubt, soon cease to exist' Gentlemen, with all
due deference to the Indian gentlemen at present employed in your
department, my considered view is that it will be a fatal mistake
if the Government of India ever try to officer your service with
Indians only.
"Irrespective of ability, caste and religious principle will always
make it very difficult, if not impossible, for the Indian to carry
out a campaign against a contagious and infectious disease amongst
animals unless he is directed and supported by British officers.
"I am quite with you in your efforts to improve the education
and training of your Veterinary Assistants. But I should be very
wary about going beyond a certain point, for not only will you
find yourselves gradually absorbed by gentlemen with Indian
veterinary qualifications, but all the good work which has been
done by your service in this country since its formation some 35
years ago will be wasted. If I may say so, what is required of
you is to put your own house in order first. No officer without the
diploma of the R.C.V.S. and at least one post-graduate course
should be accepted for service in the Imperial branch. After they
have been accepted these officers should aim at keeping themselves
qualified up to the highest standard; for this purpose I maintain
that searching examinations should be passed periodically before
promotion is obtained to the higher appointments of your service.
20
"More unity and co-ordination of your colleges and provincial
offices appears to be necessary, and for this purpose I am convinced
that you are certainly in need of a Director, who should occupy a
corresponding position to that of the Director-General of the Indian
Medical Service.
"Judging by the correspondence which has been going on in
the veterinary journals for some time the officers of the Indian
Veterinary Service appear to have certain grievances in connection
with their conditions of service. I am of opinion that the settle-
ment of these grievances is very largely in your hands. You must
co-ordinate and combine if you want to attain success, but, first
and foremost, you must by your presence and bearing, as well as
by the economical results of your professional work, make the
public and Government realize that you not only justify your posi-
tion but that you are worthy of more sympathetic treatment
and improved terms of service.
"This leads me up to the subject of the necessity for the re-
organization of the Indian Veterinary Service. This subject is
not down for discussion at this meeting, but your educational ques-
tion is so absolutely interwoven with your organization that it is
very difficult to review one without considering the other. At the
time I was preparing my notes for this meeting, I had not had an
opportunity of perusing the proceedings of your first meeting, which
was held at Lahore during March 1919, but I see now that the
whole history of your service and the necessity for reorganization
was most ably expounded at that meeting by Colonel G. K. Walker,
and I consider that we should not allow this conference to break
up without passing some further resolution on this subject, at the
same time drawing the attention of the Government of India to
the fact that the members of this conference view with deep concern
the whole future of the Indian Veterinary Service; the utility and
economical value of this Service is of such importance to the State,
provided it is properly organized and efficiently staffed, and they,
the members of this meeting, therefore, very much regret that the
Government of India does not appear to have taken any steps
seriously to consider the views put forward in resolutions Nos. 5
and 10 passed by the veterinary conference assembled at Lahore
between the 24th and 26th March, 1919."
The Chairman stated that purely administrative questions could
not be discussed at the Meeting.
Continuing, Colonel Pallin said:—"Now to revert to your
education scheme, instead of entertaining the idea of trying to
bring the standard of the Indian qualifications up to that of the
M.R.C.V.S., or, as an alternative, having a two, three and pos-
21
sibly four years' curricula running side by side, I would suggest
adhering to your present three years' curriculum and then from
amongst the successful graduates select men for a one year's post-
graduate course, of which not less than six months would be spent
at Muktesar. These men would be called upon to pass a further
examination at the termination of that post-graduate course, and
if successful, would be granted some form of post-graduate certi-
ficate and would be noted as qualified to fill the appointment of
Veterinary Inspector and for early promotion to the rank of Deputy
Superintendent after having carried out the duties of Veterinary
Assistant in the field for, say, not less than two years, to the
satisfaction of the District Officer and Veterinary Adviser of the
province."
In reply to the Chairman, Colonel Pallin stated that the reason
why there had been no demand for recruits as certified Indian
veterinary officers in the Army during the past two years was because
there were no vacancies. He would be quite satisfied with a course
of training extending over three years for these officers. He did not
consider it necessary to extend the training further for holders of
the Viceroy's Commissions. Further, if veterinary officers holding
the King's Commission were to be appointed to the units that were
in future to be officered entirely by Indian officers, these veterinary
officers ought to possess the diploma of the Royal College of Veteri-
nary Surgeons. He considered that it was impossible to discuss
the question of education adequately without entering into a con-
sideration of the constitution of the Civil Veterinary Service as it
was to stand in the future. This consideration was essential al-
though the President ruled, at the request of the Government of
India, that such administrative questions were to be discussed at
meetings of the Board of Agriculture.
Mr. Quinlan stated that teaching up to the highest standard
as was formulated in the Bombay programme, could only be under-
taken if adequate teachers were available, and this essential could
only be attained by improving the conditions and salary of teachers;
it appeared that such improvement was impossible in the present
financial situation.
Mr. MacGregor referred to the note of dissent inserted by Sir
Prank Sly in the Report of the Public Services Commission to the
effect that teaching up to the highest standard for the veterinary
service should be undertaken in Europe, and that it was not feasible
to teach to this standard at present in India. He agreed with this
view.
The Chairman proposed that, as an agreement appeared to
lave been reached regarding the course of study drafted by
22
the Principals at Bombay, the following part of a resolution be
adopted:—
"(a) The system of study drafted by the Meeting of Princi-
pals at Bombay is approved as a curriculum represent-
ing the present minimum requirements for the train-
ing of Indians in India up to the highest standard
of veterinary education necessary for the country,
as demanded by the Public Services Commission
(1912-14)."
This part of a resolution was passed unanimously.
Mr. Quirke contended that training extending over a period
of three years was necessary for the education of men who were
destined to fill up appointments as Veterinary Assistants and that
a period of two years, which had been suggested by some members,
would prove quite insufficient for the training of men who were
required to undertake the duties of officers of this class in the
Punjab.
Mr. Harris, from his experience in Assam, was inclined to agree
with the views expressed in the note circulated by Mr. Kerr. For
reasons of economy, district boards in his province were determined
to reduce the veterinary staff employed by them, and he considered
that the only course now open to them was to produce a cheaper
article than that which would be turned out by a course of study
fully covering modern requirements. The Veterinary Assistants
should be qualified to diagnose the common ailments of animals
and manage a veterinary hospital independently without the constant
supervision at present found necessary. He favoured the split-
ting up of the service into two grades, namely, an upper and a
lower grade. For the lower grade, two or three years' study should
be undertaken, probably two years would be sufficient and the men
turned out would be of the "dresser" type, if such a short course
were instituted. For the higher posts a four years' course would
be necessary. During the course of a prolonged and intimate
experience with the men at present turned out from the. colleges
for work in his province, he estimated that fully 80 per cent. rapidly
degenerated into mechanical dressers in the mofussil and only 20
per cent. developed sufficient ability to diagnose diseases in a pro-
fessional manner.
Mr. Kerr was not in favour of a shorter period of study of two
years even for the production of the second rate article with which
they were now destined to be content. These men should be trained
for three years. A sharp line of demarcation should be drawn,
however, between the men who were qualified according to the
23
higher and the lower standard. At present there was no demand in
Bengal for men educated for a period of four years in accordance
with the system laid down by the Principals at the Bombay con-
ference.
Khan Saheb Sheikh Naiz Mohammed was against a two years'
course of instruction, for the men turned out in this manner would
not have sufficient ability to render satisfactory information in
regard to the occurrence of contagious diseases. In many districts
there was only one Veterinary Assistant left in charge of the large
area represented by a single district.
Mr. Cameron stated that he had had sixteen years' experience in
Burma with what was termed a double cadre. For the lower cadre
men were at first trained for a period of two years, but this short
period was found by experience to be insufficient and it was then
increased to three years. At the present time, this period appeared
to he the minimum that could be satisfactorily adopted. He
agreed that there should be two cadres in the services, namely,
a higher one trained for a period of four years and a lower one which
might be trained for three years.
Mr. Quinlan agreed with the view that it was necessary to con-
stitute a division of cadres, into a higher cadre and a lower cadre.
There would, however, be difficulty in the eastern provinces of
India in adopting a scheme based on such a division in view of the
poor quality of men who were now turned out of the Bengal college.
The conditions might well be different in the other three colleges
in India. He thought that close contact with European teachers
formed a most important element in framing the character of the
men who passed through any course of veterinary study in India.
He considered that for the present a three years' course of study
covered all that was necessary for the training of the subordinate
veterinary personnel required in his province. The main obstacle
towards the improvement in the type of men produced at the Bengal
college was represented by the lack of ability of the teachers them-
selves, although occasionally some good men were forthcoming
as the result of the three years' course of training. He believed
that it would be certainly a retrograde step to go back to the two
years' course of study. He thought it would be impossible for the
two years' men to carry out the work now required of such men in the
districts. Men of this type could perhaps he improved by passing
through a post-graduate course of study subsequently extending
over about 18 months.
Mr. Wilson was in favour of continuing the existing method of
instruction at the colleges without any fundamental revision of
the three years' course now in vogue.
24
Mr. F. Ware agreed with Mr. Wilson, but considered that it
was necessary to revise the three years' course by the insertion of
the subjects—pathology and bacteriology—which he considered to
be of considerable practical importance. Perhaps such subjects
as chemistry and botany could be omitted without much detriment.
He would like to obtain the views which Colonel Walker held as
the result of the experience he had already obtained in regard to the
four years' course which had been instituted at the Punjab Veteri-
nary College, and to know by how much the course there adopted
differed from that formulated at Bombay.
Colonel Walker stated that before he left the Punjab College
he had earnestly discussed the adequacy of the three years' course
of training with Colonel Pease, who was then Principal, and they
came to the conclusion that a course extending over four years
was most essential. The sanction of the Punjab Government was
obtained to the institution of the extended course of training for
men destined for the Civil Veterinary Service. The men under
preparation for the. Army, however, still continued to undergo
the three years' training. The only important difference between
the two courses was that the men trained for the Civil Veterinary
Service were taught some histology and pathology, but otherwise,
the two groups of students attended, for the most part, the same
classes. Since his return to the college, the whole curriculum had
been revised and the men were now taught sufficient chemistry
and biology to grasp the higher, applied sciences which were sub-
sequently taught to them. He mentioned in particular that the
teaching of anatomy at the college had undergone most important
modifications, for, instead of wasting whole carcases for single
hurried demonstrations as was done in the past, the men were now
taught to dissect and study methodically properly preserved speci-
mens. He had had one of his officers specially trained in England
with a view to teaching the subject according to modern approved
methods. The most important handicap which he had encountered
towards the satisfactory teaching of the students was their meagre
knowledge of the English language. He had hoped that, with
the admission of Matriculates only to the course, little difficulty
would be encountered in this respect, but he now found that the
Matriculates of the Punjab University possessed a very poor know-
ledge of English. Since the course was instituted two years ago,
his impression was that the students undergoing instruction were
obtaining a much better grasp of their profession. He disliked the
three years' course, for the time did not admit of a logical and
systematic exposition of the subjects which at the present time had
assumed importance. He did not pretend that the proposed two
years' course was adequate, but it might suffice for the salutri type.