NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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necessitates repeated inoculations every ninth day. It is
anticipated that the "serum simultaneous" method,
which is now being developed, will, when a sufficient
number of assistants have been trained in it, produce
more satisfactory results. Meanwhile the value of
inoculations can be gauged from the fact that whereas
15,809 animals died in the course of outbreaks of
rinderpest only 178 animals which had been inoculated
succumbed to the disease.
2. The ravages of other contagious diseases were
also greater than in previous years. Foot-and-mouth
disease in particular was very widespread in the last
quarter of the year and made so heavy a demand on the
attentions of the Veterinary staff as to cause some
dislocation of ordinary work, especially in the matter of
castration. The number of outbreaks was more than
double that of the previous year and must have caused
great economic loss to the agricultural population of the
province by incapacitating the cattle, on which they
depend for the cultivation of their lands. Government
welcomes the measures which have been taken for
instructing cattle owners on the treatment of this disease
in its uncomplicated forms. The treatment of ordinary
cases is perfectly simple and within the capacity of any
tenant or cultivator, provided that the necessary
remedies with instructions for their use are made easily
available. Mortality, where it occurs, appears to be
due either to neglect or to complications, especially when
piroplasmosis is also present. The use of the valuable
trypan blue remedy in outbreaks of this disease has
proved successful, and it may be hoped that mortality
will be materially reduced thereby.
3. The other contagious diseases also took a heavy
toll of the cattle of the province, and in all of them the
measures taken by the Veterinary Department resulted
in a considerable measure of success. There seems little
doubt that the value of preventive inoculation is at last
being widely recognized by the people. The total
number of inoculations performed by the department
reached the considerable figure of 374,664, while the
number of cattle which died after inoculation was only
289. The Director again lays stress on the spread of
contagious disease by animals imported from neighbouring
Indian States and refers to the desirability of legisla-
tion to make inoculation and quarantine compulsory for
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such imported animals. The question has engaged the
attention of Government for some years past. To the
difficulty which arises from the conservative habits of
the people which has not yet made it practicable for
Government to enforce inoculation even upon the people
under its own jurisdiction in any province of India,
must be added the expense of providing any adequate
control and the difficulty of enforcing it along a frontier
of some one thousand miles. It may perhaps be
anticipated, however, that with the increasing popularity
of preventive measures the people may themselves
demand and apply reasonable precautions against the
introduction of contagious disease from outside the
province.
4. In view of the numerous and widespread out-
breaks of contagious diseases and the very heavy calls
made thereby upon a staff which was not designed to
cope with such a situation it is greatly to the credit of
the department that out of 16,884 reports received and
detected only 29 remained unattended. The number of
cases treated on tour rose from 387,295 in the previous
year to 407,058, and those treated at dispensaries from
137,647 to 140,975. In addition to these medicines
were supplied to 138,119 animals on tour and 151,410
from dispensaries. It was inevitable that the work of
castration should suffer as a result of the heavy incidence
of cattle disease. It is satisfactory therefore, to find
that 61,829 animals were castrated, a number less than in
the previous year but considerabl in excess of those
recorded for 1927-28.
5. Further extension of the activities of the depart-
ment is dependent upon increasing the staff. Unfortu-
nately the present shortage must continue for another
two years. There is no ready-made supply of trained
candidates from which the department can recruit its
staff and Government has to arrange for the necessary
training which takes three years. With this end in view
15 additional scholarships tenable at the Bombay Veteri-
nary College were awarded during the year, making the
total number of Central Provinces students under training
22. Of previous scholars four completed the course and
joined the department during the year, and 22, who
were in earlier stages of their training, passed their
examinations and received promotion in the ordinary
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way. In addition to these measures for increasing the
staff of Veterinary Assistants, Government awarded two
scholarships of the value of £290 per annum each,
tenable for four years in Great Britain, in order to train
recruits for the superior staff of the department.
Meanwhile the receipt of 40 requests for new dispensaries
indicates an increasing demand for veterinary services,
which the shortage of staff makes it impossible for
Government to supply. As soon, however, as trained
men become available, considerable expansion may be
expected. The provision of buildings is largely a matter
for local effort, which, it is hoped, may be stimulated by
a real desire for veterinary facilities. In this connection
Government congratulates the people of the Saoner tahsil
on their public spirit in subscribing Rs. 12,000 for the
erection of the new dispensary at Saoner, and notes with
pleasure the generosity of Rai Bahadur Kalyansingh of
Taranga, who presented buildings for the Bhatapara
Veterinary Dispensary which was constructed during the
year.
6. There was a notable increase during the year in
the amount of work done in the Nagpur laboratory,
which emphasizes the urgency of the establishment of the
Veterinary Institute. The matter has unfortunately had
to be postponed for the present owing to the financial
stringency caused in part by the Civil Disobedience
Movement, and it is unlikely that the provincial finances
will permit of its being taken up next year. Government
notes with pleasure that the department is alive to the
importance of propaganda work. Members of the
Veterinary staff attended all the important cattle fairs
and shows in the province and took the opportunity to
give lectures and demonstrations on veterinary subjects.
Veterinary Inspectors also attended various co-operative
rallies, and magic lantern lectures were given by Deputy
Superintendents. The Director recommends the use of a
demonstration van for propaganda work. The question
will receive the sympathetic consideration of Government
as soon as funds permit.
7. The report again emphasizes the desirability of
taking measures to check cruelty to animals. This is
essentially a matter in which the co-operation of the
public is necessary.
In the meantime Government
commends the Director's remarks to the attention of its
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own officials as well as of the public generally, and hopes
that every opportunity will be taken to check such cruel
practices as the overloading of carts and pack animals.
A great deal could be done by local bodies under the
Cruelty to Animals Act, which has been applied to most
of the municipalities in the province. There is reason
to believe that the Act is not enforced to the extent that
is desirable, and until it is properly enforced in municipal
areas it would-be of doubtful utility to extend the Act
to the countryside, where enforcement presents far
greater difficulties. The Director's remarks regarding
the shoeing of working bullocks are of particular interest
in this connection, and Government approves his proposal
for making instruction in this matter a feature of the
department's propaganda work.
8. The unhealthy conditions of the year under
report made a severe call upon the energy of the
Veterinary staff to which it responded with commendable
enthusiasm.
Government is pleased to record its
appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Major
Stirling as Director of Veterinary Services and of the
admirable results achieved by the department under
his direction during a year of exceptional difficulty.
Government desires also to thank Major Priston for his
interesting report and notes with pleasure the names of
those officers of the department who have been especially
commended therein.
ORDER.—Ordered that a copy of this Resolution
together with the report be submitted to the Government
of India in the Department of Education, Health and
Lands, that copies be forwarded to the Director of
Veterinary Services and to all Commissioners and Deputy
Commissioners, Central Provinces and Berar, for
information and guidance, and that the Resolution and
report be published in the supplement to the Central
Provinces Gazette.
By order of the Government
(Ministr of Agriculture),
P. J. H. STENT,
Revenue Secretary to Government,
Central Provinces.
No. 907/1-3.
FROM
MAJOR W H PRISTON, F.R.C.V.S., I.V.S.,
OFFG. DIRECTOR OF VETERINARY SERVICES,
Central Provinces.
To
THE REVENUE SECRETARY TO GOVT.
Central Provinces.
Nagpur, the 7th July 1930.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit herewith the annual
report of the Civil Veterinary Department for the year
ending the 31st March 1930.
Mr. C. W. Wilson, M.R.C.V.S., I.V.S., Veterinary
Adviser to Government on leave, retired from service
from the 5th December 1929 on attaining the age limit.
Major R. F. Stirling, Officiating Director of
Veterinary Services, held charge of the department up
to 21st March 1930 when he proceeded on leave to
Europe for ten months and four days. I took over
charge of the department from 22nd March 1930.
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.
2. With a view to obtaining the personnel for the
reorganization of the superior staff of the department
as recommended by the Royal Commission on Agricul-
ture, the Local Government awarded during the year
under report two State scholarships to qualified residents
of the Central Provinces and Berar of the value of £ 290
per annum each, tenable for four years in Great Britain.
The two State scholars proceeded to England in
September last and are carrying out their studies in Great
Britain.
3. Owing to the staff of Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons being below the sanctioned strength for several
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years, and proposals for opening several new Veterinary
Dispensaries at important agricultural
centres and
posting an additional Veterinary Assistant Surgeon to
each tahsil being under consideration, the local Govern-
ment sanctioned, in addition to the seven scholarships
annually awarded, and tenable at the Bombay Veterinary
College, 15 more scholarships tenable at the Bombay
Veterinary College consecutively
for three years,
commencing from June 1929, in order that the necessary
personnel may become available from the year 1932.
Thus twenty-two scholarships were accordingly awarded
to suitable candidates during the year.
4. With regard to the work of existing Scholars
at the Bombay Veterinary College, from the Central
Provinces, one third year stipendiary student, who was
detained for a supplementary examination in October
1929, completed the course, obtained the diploma and
joined the department. Three of the six third year
stipendiary students completed the course, successfully
passed the diploma examination and joined the depart-
ment during the current year. Eighteen of the twenty-
two first year students and four of the five second year
students passed the annual examinations and were
promoted to higher classes.
5. Compounders' class.—With a view to relieving
unemployment of trained compounders for reasons stated
in the last clause of paragraph 79 of last year's annual
report, the six Government stipends tenable at the two
sessions of the compounders' class, Nagpur, were not
awarded during the year. The candidate sent by the
Municipal Committee, Karanja, who remained under
training last year completed the course during the
first session of the class.
In the first session of the class, a candidate sent by
the Chanda District Council was trained with a view to
his employment at the Brahmapuri Veterinary Dispen-
sary. He completed the course and was awarded a certi-
ficate. In the second session, a compounder employ-
ed under the Yeotmal District Council was sent for a two
months refresher course. He was duly examined on
completion of the course and was sent back. This man's
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knowledge had considerably deteriorated and he made
no effort to improve whilst under training presumably due
to lack of intelligence. The Yeotmal District Council
was accordingly informed and advised to dispense with his
services as soon as they got another suitable candidate
trained.
6. Four probationary Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
were trained in elementary bacteriological technique at
the Veterinary Laboratory, Nagpur, prior to being posted
for work in the districts. Mr. James, Officiating Deputy
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Chhattis-
garh Division, instructed the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons,
Bemetara and Gandai in the correct method of giving
intravenous injections.
7. During the year 49 students of the Agricultural
College, Nagpur, 14 of the B.Ag., 32 of the Intermediate
University courses and 3 of the second year Diploma
Course were examined by Rai Saheb R V. Pillai in
Elementary Veterinary subjects. 14, 21 and 3 respectively
were successful.
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASES.
1.—EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS.
8. As in the previous year the system of microscopi-
cal diagnosis of certain animal diseases and the issue of the
necessary certificates in their respective divisions by the
Deputy Superintendents continued during the year. The
work of the Nagpur Division, however, had been done as
usual by the Nagpur Laboratory. A perusal of the
statement "A" attached will show that though the five
divisions had continued to relieve the Laboratory of some
of its work in this direction yet the examination of speci-
mens in the Central Laboratory had in no way diminished
but had very appreciably increased.
9. The number of specimens received and dealt
with in the year under report amounted to 47,056
(including 528 in the divisional laboratories), representing
39,614 individual cases, as compared with 34,270 speci-
mens in 1928-29. 3,098 special reports including 315
from the divisions, giving particulars and suggestions for
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treatment of diseases were issued during the year. In
addition to the above, the examination of milk, urine and
various pathological tissue changes (benign and malignant)
and the identification of external and internal para-
sites were undertaken.
2.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
10. The year turned out to be a very unhealthy one
for cattle inasmuch as there were 16,884 outbreaks of
contagious diseases accounting for a mortality of 46,041.
In the previous year there were 9,797 outbreaks and
28,690 deaths. This is an increase of 171.431 per cent in
outbreaks and 16.421 per cent in deaths.
11. The expenditure under the head of preventive
and protective vaccines and sera for the year under
report amounted to Rs. 1,32,826, against Rs. 1,28,304
in the previous year and again the department was
compelled to apply for a supplementary grant of
Rs. 85,000 from the Local Government for the purchase
of extra sera.
12. Opposition to inoculation is met with in certain
backward and hilly tracts, where the villagers through
ignorance are inclined still to entertain religious prejudices.
However, the continuous insistent propaganda that
is being carried on by the field staff in co-operation with
the revenue authorities and the co-operative societies is
overcoming this opposition.
13. It is of interest to note that a very large per-
centage of animal mortality occurred amongst those that
had not been inoculated or vaccinated. This fact alone
should encourage owners to consent to and assist in
having their stock treated when the necessity arises.
The Commissioner, Jubbulpore Division, advocates
legislation as a safe-guard
against the
importa-
tion of infected cattle into the Central Provinces.
Such legislation making inoculation compulsory after
adequate quarantine before a batch of animals is given a
permit of entry should strengthen our control over the
main trade routes of the province. This is a large and
important problem that requires careful consideration.
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With regard to the rinderpest outbreaks, in the large
majority of cases the source of contagion was traceable to
animals imported from the neighbouring states.
Improvement is noticeable in the reporting of
outbreaks by village officials as the Deputy Commissioners
continue to take the keenest interest in seeing that the
revenue staff promptly undertake this work.
14. Rinderpest.—It was thought that this year would
have been a healthy one so far as rinderpest was concern-
ed, as the crest of the three and a half yearly waveseemed
to have been reached in 1928-29. It is true the disease
occurred only in a sporadic form in the interior and
south of the Central Provinces, and in the whole of
Berar. At the same time in the north (Jubbulpore
division), west (Nerbudda division) and in Chhattisgarh
division, there were successive outbreaks throughout
the year.
In almost all these outbreaks the source of contagion
was traceable to animals imported from the neighbour-
ing states, so that, although the province itself seemed
to have passed the highest point of incidence, it appeared
as though the time interval in the states was not the same
as in the Province.
This disease prevailed throughout the province and
its virulence was most marked in the Chhattisgarh,
Nagpur, Jubbulpore and Nerbudda Divisions. The
highest number of outbreaks, namely, 512, was reported
from Saugor district.
This disease alone accounted for 36,022 deaths in
4,432 outbreaks. In the previous year there were 2,578
outbreaks and a mortality of 17,878. All of these out-
breaks were attended to.
The northern districts of the province suffered
greatly in this respect owing to the main trade routes
being situated in this area. Definite cases were reported,
in which the efforts of the local staff to suppress a severe
outbreak in one area had not been successful, owing to
a batch of infected animals being brought in from outside
the Province and sold in the district at much cheaper
prices than the market rates.
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15. The number of inoculations undertaken amounted
to 251,338. In several instances inoculations had to be
repeated in herds every ninth day owing to the tem-
porary nature of the immunity established by the "Serum
Alone" method of inoculation.
In 1,918 outbreaks the number that were protected
with serum alone against rinderpest were 251,338 head of
cattle (including 250 goats). The mortality among those
inoculated was only 178.
The "Serum-simultaneous" method of inocu-
lation against rinderpest now practised on a small scale,
when sufficiently well established will, doubtless, afford
the necessary protection against fatal attack for some
years in those animals that are subjected to such
inoculations.
16. Foot-and-mouth disease.—This disease occurred
throughout the whole province. In the last quarter of
the year it spread very rapidly and almost every village
in some districts was affected. The number of reports
received was so heavy in certain areas that it taxed to the
utmost degree the energies of the staff employed and
threatened to disorganize to some extent normal Veteri-
nary work in these areas.
An idea of its intensity may be gathered by the
following quotation :—
"When the Director inspected a certain dispen-
sary it was discovered that, notwithstanding
the
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon concerned had been on
tour for 31 and 30 days respectively in the two previous
months, there were 85 reports still awaiting attention.
Doubtless, this was an extreme case, although in the
neighbouring tahsil as many as 45 and 68 reports were
found "pending" under similar circumstances, and
throughout the province it was not unusual to find
numerous reports unattended owing to the vast extent of
the outbreak."
It was unfortunate that its occurrence should have
taken place just at that time of the year, when the
activities of the Veterinary staff are usually directed
towards castration.
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The reason for non-attendance to some out-break
reports received during the year in Raipur, Bilaspur,
Drug, Jubbulpore, Damoh and other districts was an
abnormal rush of reports of foot and mouth disease
towards the close of the year, when all the Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons were busy attending to reports
received from other directions in the same area.
10,617 outbreaks of this disease resulted in a mor-
tality of 1,078 against 5,102 outbreaks and 625 deaths of
last year. The largest number of outbreaks, namely, 809,
was recorded in the Nagpur district. The loss of life
through this disease alone is negligible but it incapacitates
working cattle from 10 days to sometimes 3 months in
neglected cases. The economic loss to the cultivator
particularly when this happens during an important
season of the year is very great. The departmental
officers toured from village to village treating the affected
animals and advising the cattle owners on simple treat-
ment and sanitary measures to be adopted in such out-
breaks. In addition to these measures printed Marathi
pamphlets instructing the cattle owners, in simple
language the methods to be adopted in the treatment and
control of the disease, were freely distributed. In this
disease death is due more to neglect or complications
with infection by piroplasmosis than to the disease itself.
Injection of trypan blue solution intravenously in the
early stages of infection has been proved to curtail the
duration of the disease. It is now being extensively used
in these outbreaks.
There is no doubt that in cases where the disease
is taken in hand in its early stages the treatment is most
efficacious.
17. It should be mentioned that in the Nimar
district the Deputy Commissioner introduced a scheme
whereby the villagers could procure simple drugs in the
bazar for the treatment of uncomplicated cases of the
disease. The scheme and its results will be reported
on later when more information has been collected.
The procedure certainly would appear to be a sound one.
18. Anthrax.—The disease was reported from all
the districts, except Narsinghpur. The districts of
Nimar, Amraoti and Chhindwara reported one outbreak