NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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authority for the sake of differing. This is generally expressed by
referring vaguely to differences in local conditions. Sometimes,
I think, the Government of India rather encourage this system.
It may work in administrative questions but it can easily be over-
done in professional matters. It results frequently in junior officers,
with little or no experience, dogmatizing as if they had nothing
to learn, knowing that their Local Governments will probably back
them up.
" There are many reasons why a head of the Civil Veterinary
Department is wanted in India. One of the greatest is to create
a morale among its members, and for this he should have authority.
He should be specially selected as having the confidence of the
officers of the department, and for his experience, so that his advice
would be valuable. As it is, the Government of India have no one
to advise them as to the respective merits of their officers or regard-
ing their work. The Local Governments are unable to get a matured
opinion based on experience in other parts of India. Young officers
are put into positions of responsibility very quickly—too quickly
in many cases—and there is a tendency to lose all sense of discipline
and to resent advice. Officers must be carefully selected and trained.
Unsuitable officers should be got rid of. No one can deal with
such matters in a scientific department except a professional head.
At present there is no co-ordination in professional matters between
the central department and the local departments. There is no
esprit de corps in the department and there is general dissatisfaction
with the existing conditions. This leads to opportunism. It is
an ugly picture, but the policy, and not the individual, is to blame.
" As Lieutenant-Colonel Glen Liston said in his address to the
Medical Research Section of the Indian Science Congress lately,
what is required is a leader and unity of command in order to bring
about esprit de corps more particularly in respect to research. Work
ought to be suggested, encouraged, developed and judged by
experienced leaders.
" As stated above, the strength of the Imperial Service in
1901, when constituted, was 22 or 23 with the Imperial Bacteriolo-
gist. This included 2 furlough reserve officers. The number was
reduced by 1 in 1904 after the report of the Horse-Breeding Com-
mission. This was later increased by 6 as a result of the develop-
ment made possible by the grant of 20 lakhs provided for the improve-
ment of agriculture in 1905. Later still, the number was fixed at
32 including 5 furlough reserves. At the present time, there are
nominally 37 appointments in the ordinary line and 5 special appoint-
ments. (Why the latter are not included in the regular list is not
known.) For these 42 appointments, there are 3 leave reserves
20
which are obviously insufficient and not easily understandable when
there were 5 for 32. Out of 42 appointments, there are now 12
vacancies and 7 officers in military employ, i.e., 19 vacancies.
This is due mainly to the war, of course, and one has to recognize
that. It would be interesting, however, to know what steps are
being taken to fill up these vacancies, and if there is any response
from desirable candidates.
" It is clear that as far as numbers are concerned, the department
is in a parlous state. Some of the few remaining military men are
on the eve of retirement. We military men have received a cordial
invitation from the Public Services Commissioners to retire, but I
understand that the Government of India are not so keen to part
with us.
" I think I have said enough to show that the Imperial branch
of the department is practically moribund, and that if it is intended
to revive it, a reorganization is required to include the reappoint-
ment of a head.
" If nothing is contemplated, it were better to put the corpse in
the coffin and give it a decent funeral, as soon as possible, leaving
it to Local Governments to appoint an officer occasionally in the same
way as they might a Boiler Inspector.
" If I have convinced the members of this meeting that a
reorganization is required, I will ask them to pass a resolution to
that effect. But before doing so, I will add that, as I have already
shown, the department was originally constituted to deal mainly
with horse-breeding operations which were to have first claim on
its energies. It always has been and still is entrusted with horse-
breeding in non-selected districts and, as far as I know, the duties
are carried out as satisfactorily as they can be with the limited
facilities that are invariably provided in the shape of financial
support. In the Bombay Presidency, the horse-breeding operations,
which had been taken over by the Army Remount Department
in 1903, were handed back to the Civil Veterinary Department in
1910. They had to be conducted on a much smaller scale and a
reduced establishment, as economy was suddenly discovered to be
desirable. Special officers of the Army Remount Department and
an Indian officer had been employed, but they were taken away and
the Superintendent, Civil ,Veterinary Department, was given no
extra assistance. I have heard it said that very little is done by
the Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay, for horse-breeding.
That is not a statement which I can agree with altogether, but it
serves as an illustration of the way in which this unfortunate depart-
ment is generally used as a whipping post. One cannot do much
without money and staff.
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" When horse-breeding was taken away there remained, of the
main headings, disease and instruction, both of which were very
important. In addition, the subject of cattle-breeding gradually
came forward as a field for enterprise. This was brought about
entirely by the efforts of the department itself but received very
little encouragement outside. When Major Morgan put up a cattle-
breeding scheme in Bombay in 1900, one Commissioner wrote that
' nothing more impresses a district officer than the immense good
the Veterinary Department may do the country, but I doubt if
cattle-breeding is the likeliest direction. I would rather ask them
to concentrate more force against cattle disease. '
" Nevertheless, the officers of the Civil Veterinary Department
have gained a good deal of knowledge regarding cattle-breeding
conditions in many provinces and, in some, considerable spade work
has been done. A good deal of useful information has been collected
by the Civil Veterinary Department officers and recorded.
" Since cattle have become more valuable, it is clear that the
question of improvement and conservation cannot be shelved any
longer, and Government have recently shown signs of interest in
the matter.
" The general view appears to be that the Civil Veterinary
Department has done little or nothing for cattle-breeding, regardless
of the fact that neither the staff nor the money has been provided in
spite of our representations and that no one wanted to do anything
till lately. The tendency is to hand over cattle-breeding to the
Agricultural Department with, of course, a special staff for the
purpose. The plain fact is that it is easier to obtain additional
superior staff and grants of money for the Agricultural Department
than for the Civil Veterinary Department. I am not going to raise
the old question as to whether a veterinary officer or an agricultural
officer is the right man to look after cattle-breeding. That was
settled in a very sensible way at Pusa in 1916. It was wisely stated
that it required the services of a full time officer of experience.
All I have to say is that the road to success in this direction is full
of difficult problems and pitfalls, and that much patience and time
is required.
" Get the best man possible and if he is a veterinary surgeon
so much the better as he will start with a considerable handicap
in his favour.
" I am all in favour of special men being appointed for cattle-
breeding but I contend that they should be veterinary surgeons,
if possible, and that, even if they are not, they should belong to the
Veterinary Department and not to the Agricultural Department.
22
The head of the Veterinary Department is more suitable as a
controlling officer than the head of the Agricultural Department
unless the latter has specialized in the subject.
" The subjects of disease and instruction (veterinary) are defi-
nitely Civil Veterinary Department prerogatives, and I do not
quite see how they can be handed over to any other department.
Even in selected districts, I consider that equine disease should be
dealt with by this department. I understand that during the war
this has been so, and I have not heard of any difficulties.
" To sum up, I submit that a properly constituted Civil Veterinary
Department, with sufficient staff and resources, is the proper agency
for dealing with animal disease, veterinary instruction and all
questions connected with animal husbandry including operations
for improving the breeds of farm animals.
" I come now to the question of staff to carry out these duties.
I have already touched on the necessity for a head. If there is
to be an Imperial Department it is essential to have one. If the
Provincial Departments are to be allowed to go their own ways
entirely, the need is not so great, but until there is a fully developed
department in each province with an experienced local head, I do
not see how you are going to carry on with any degree of efficiency
without a guiding hand. It appears, then, that the smaller the depart-
ment, within limits, the greater the need for an Imperial head.
I think it is clear that for many years we must have a considerable
number of Imperial officers recruited from abroad. There is much
pioneer work to be done for which outside experience and imagina-
tion are required. A large portion of the superior staff at the colleges
must be specially qualified and this applies also to all officers engaged
in research work. District officers need initiative and experience,
and a sufficient number should belong to the Imperial branch.
They can be assisted by Provincial officers when properly qualified
men for these posts are available in sufficient numbers. At present
they are not sufficient. At the last Veterinary Conference, held in
Calcutta in 1908, I stated that Deputy Superintendents would be no
use unless they could take over and perform the routine duties of
gazetted officers in charge of circles. They should not be employed
merely as glorified Inspectors.
" The respective provinces differ very much in their relative
advancement and scope, and the number of superior staff required
must depend a good deal on the size of subordinate establishments.
The staff of officers that I have proposed to the Government of
Bombay for district work is as follows :—
1 Chief Superintendent in charge (Administration).
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1 Superintendent for investigation of disease.
1 Superintendent for cattle-breeding.
1 Superintendent for horse-breeding.
Deputy Superintendents in charge of divisions, for routine
work, each division consisting of 5 to 6 districts.
" In course of time, as subordinate establishments increase, the
areas of the Deputy Superintendents would be reduced until possibly
we had one for each district when they might be called District
Veterinary Officers. I stated that ' if Government were desirous
of seeing progress in those important branches of veterinary effort
which comprise investigation and treatment of epizootic disease,
cattle-breeding and horse-breeding—all of which subjects require
special knowledge and individual attention, they must employ
special officers. It was a mistake to employ such officers in routine
administration and inspection. Such work should be left to the
Superintendent in charge and the Deputy Superintendents in charge
of divisions.'
" I put this opinion forward as very suitable for discussion, as
it is doubtless controversial. One thing is certain that in most
provinces the superior staff employed in the districts is quite in-
adequate for the work of supervision, and unless this state of affairs
is soon remedied, efficiency and progress cannot be maintained.
The superior staff at the colleges also requires strengthening in
several cases.
" With regard to recruitment, it is obvious that for many years
the personnel of the Imperial branch must be obtained from abroad.
When better veterinary training is provided in India, the question
of recruiting the Imperial branch locally may be considered. In
the meantime, State scholarships may be given to enable Indians
to qualify abroad and, in special cases, members of the Provincial
Departments may be given facilities for study to qualify them for
promotion to the Imperial branch.
" Unless conditions of service are improved, I doubt very much
if European candidates of the standard required will be forthcoming.
In this connection, I beg to read an extract from the report of the
Departmental Committee on the Public Veterinary Services and
Colonel Queripel's evidence before that Committee.* I consider
that it is essential that the services of first class men should be
obtained and that selection should be very strict. The Provincial
branches will continue to be recruited much as now, but higher
educational qualifications are required, both literary and veterinary,
for the higher grades.
* These were read at the meeting, bat are not included in these proceedings.
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" With regard to the nomenclature of the various posts in the
department, the title ' Superintendent ' is now used largely all over
India for a superior grade of clerk. Indian States employ Directors
of Veterinary Departments even when there is nothing to direct.
The Agricultural Department nomenclature comprises Deputy
Directors of Agriculture, Divisional Superintendents of Agriculture,
Superintendents of Farms and District Agricultural Overseers—
the first two classes being gazetted officers. I consider that in pro-
vinces where the Civil Veterinary Department is directly controlled
by Government, the senior Superintendent should be given the title
of Director, Civil Veterinary Department. If it is under the control
of the Director of Agriculture, the senior Superintendent should
be called Deputy Director, Civil Veterinary Department ; if it is
under the control of a Veterinary Adviser to a Local Government
who happens to be the Principal of a College—a somewhat unlikely
contingency—he should still be called Deputy Director and the
Principal should be called Director in addition to his title as Prin-
cipal. Other Superintendents should also be called Deputy Directors
as in the Agricultural Department. Deputy Superintendents
would then become Divisional Superintendents.
" The title of Veterinary Inspector seems suitable enough but
there is a strong feeling in the ranks against the title of Veterinary
Assistant. It would be a mistake, I think, to adopt the title veteri-
nary surgeon as that must be reserved for men who take a higher
degree than is available at present in India and which will even-
tually have to be protected by Law. I doubt if a better term can
be found for present purposes. I have proposed two grades for
Bombay each on incremental pay. The men in them would be
called junior and senior veterinary assistants respectively.
" I apologize for the length of my discourse, but I feel very
strongly that the time has arrived for the reorganization of the Civil
Veterinary Department, and that unless something is done, its
sphere of usefulness is likely to be considerably discounted in the
immediate future."
Colonel Walker proposed and Mr. Oliver seconded a resolu-
tion :—
Resolution V.
" That this meeting is of opinion that the present consti-
tution and organization of the Civil Veterinary Department are utterly
inadequate to cope with the work demanded of it, and it, therefore,
respectfully represents to the Government of India the absolute neces-
sity of filling up all existing vacancies in the Indian Civil Veterinary
Department without delay, and would emphasize the importance of a
large expansion of all provincial departments to deal with the ordi-
nary veterinary work of the country."
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This resolution was carried unanimously.
Colonel Walker proposed and Colonel Farmer seconded the
following resolution.:—
Resolution VI.
" That the department should be placed in a position to deal
with the diseases of animals, veterinary instruction and all operations
for improving the breeds of horses and agricultural stock in India."
The resolution was put to the meeting by the President and was
carried by 18 to 1.
The next resolution proposed by Colonel Walker was as follows :—
" That in addition to the officers mentioned in Resolution V,
specially qualified and selected officers should be recruited in ade-
quate numbers to deal with the special questions referred to in
Resolution VI."
Colonel Smith wished to emphasize that with the present depleted
superior staff it was not possible to properly carry out the duties
which were at present demanded from the department, and that this
should be impressed upon the Government of India while dealing
with any questions concerning the duties of the department.
The President pointed out that this matter could be discussed
in connection with Subject IX—Research.
A sub-committee of the following members was then formed to
deal with the terms of reference given below :—
Mr. E. W. Oliver (Chairman), Messrs. J. Mackenna, G. Taylor,
J. G. Cattell, T. F. Quirke, F. Ware, D. Quinlan, W. Harris and
D. Clouston.
Terms of reference—
(i) To determine the strength and constitution of the Imperial
and Provincial branches necessary to carry out the duties
of the department.
(ii) To examine the nomenclature of the posts in the department
and to say whether it is uniform and correctly indicates
the work in which officers are employed.
Mr. E. W. Oliver read the report of his sub-committee which
was as follows :—
" 1: It is considered that as a general standard for each province there should be a Director
of the Civil Veterinary Department, whose duties should be entirely administrative
with as many Deputy Directors for the control and investigation of disease, horse-
breeding and cattle-breeding operations as are indicated by local conditions and
requirements. Each Deputy Director should be assisted by an adequate staff of
Divisional Veterinary Officers or Deputy Superintendents.
" 2. The sub-committee is of opinion that a central authority with the Government of
India in the person of a Director General is required to advise upon and co-ordinate
the work of the department.
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" II. The following nomenclature is suggested :—
Central authority with the Government
of India . . . . . .
Senior Imperial Officer in provinces .
Other Imperial Officers in provinces .
Director-General.
Director of Civil Veterinary Department.
Deputy Directors, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment.
" The Provincial Service should be designated as follows :—
Gazetted ranks—Divisional Veterinary Officers.
Non-gazetted ranks—
1. Veterinary Inspectors.
2. Veterinary Assistant Surgeons."
Resolution VII.
The report was unanimously adopted by the Meeting.
On the question of the constitution of the staffs at the veteri-
nary colleges, the sub-committee on veterinary education reported
that :—
" The Sub-Committee considers that at each college, a minimum of four Imperial Officers
are necessary. These will take the subjects of medicine, surgery, pathology and
sanitary science respectively.
" Four Provincial Officers are required for (a) biology and anatomy, (b) physiology and
histology, (c) materia medica and therapeutics and (d) hygiene and animal manage-
ment.
" Each of the above officers would require an assistant."
Mr. Hewlett proposed—
Resolution VIII.
That the report of the sub=committee be adopted.
This was seconded by Lieutenant-Colonel A. Smith and was
carried unanimously.
Colonel Walker proposed—
Resolution IX.
" That the Government of India should be asked to include in
the list of officers of the Civil Veterinary Department, the names of
all officers of Provincial Cadre classified under separate provinces. "
Mr. Oliver seconded the proposal which was carried unanimously.
Colonel Walker then proposed a resolution which was as
follows :—
Resolution X.
" That a central authority in the person of a Director General
is required to initiate and co=ordinate the work. He should be a
specially selected officer with experience in each branch, if possible,
and he should be given some measure of authority over the officers
of the department."
Colonel H. T. Pease seconded this resolution and it was carried
unanimously.
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SUBJECT V.—SURRA AND DOURINE. WHAT CONCERTED ACTION
CAN BE TAKEN TO DEAL WITH THESE DISEASES ? THEIR
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.
Colonel Farmer stated that the spread of irrigation had led to
an extension of surra in areas where the disease had not previously-
occurred. He was obtaining information as to the extent of the
infected areas. Where stabling had been adopted and the practice
of keeping horses in the stable between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. had been
followed, the results had been very satisfactory.
Colonel Walker mentioned that in Bombay, only surra had to be
dealt with. In the Presidency there are a large number of Indian
States in which the Glanders and Farcy Act cannot be applied, so
that there is a constant risk of the introduction of the disease from
these States.
Mr. Oliver pointed out that it was little use slaughtering surra-
infected animals in one district when in an adjoining area this could
not be carried out. Colonel Pease drew attention to the fact that
it was impossible to prevent surra by slaughtering infected horses
and camels, as a large proportion of cattle were also infected and
served as a source of reinfection. He admitted that infected animals
should be slaughtered to reduce the chances of infection, but he
wished to emphasize that this could not stop the disease and that
before asking Government to grant legislation in the matter, it
should be clearly ascertained whether such legislation should be
enforced and would have the desired effect. Regarding dourine,
he stated that there was little difficulty in controlling the disease
as only horses were affected. As the question of diagnosis was
frequently difficult, he suggested that the provisions of the Act
should be so modified as to make diagnosis on clinical symptoms
fall within its cognizance.
The President referred to the appointment of a permanent
Committee to control the experiments being carried out by Mr.
Howlett and Captain Pool.
Colonel Farmer mentioned that certain alterations in the Act
had been proposed to cover the complement fixation test which was
being carried out by Mr. Shilston at the Muktesar Laboratory for
the diagnosis of both diseases.
Colonel Walker thought that the case would be met if the Act
referred only to an examination, without specifying the nature of
it, and proposed the following resolution :—
Resolution XI.
" That it be recommended to the Government of India that in
Section 8, Clause (b), of the Dourine Act, the word ' microscopical '
be omitted."
C