NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
14
45. Considerable improvements have been effected
to the Jubbulpore veterinary dispensary buildings by rais-
ing the walls of the dispensary buildings, re-roofing the
premises and enclosing the verandahs of servants' quarters.
46. A new pipe connection was laid to the in-charge
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon's quarters at Seoni; minor
improvements to the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons' quar-
ters at Baihar and Chanda were done and the usual annual
repairs to the Bhandara and Sakoli veterinary dispensary
buildings carried out.
47. A site on nazul land for the construction of dis-
pensary buildings at Waraseoni was sanctioned by Govern-
ment during the year, and it is hoped that the construction
work will be started shortly as the requisite funds have
been collected.
48. A full set of buildings was under construction at
Bhatapara and Pithora, re-roofing the cattle shed at Kat-
ghora was started, a latrine and a compound wall to com-
pounder's quarters at Mungeli is under construction, and
the roof of the dispensary buildings and Veterinary Assist-
ant Surgeon's quarters at Dhamtari have been improved.
49. The number of cases treated by Deputy Superin-
tendents, Veterinary Inspectors and Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons on tour was 314,131 (including 58,211 castra-
tions) as against 350,097 (including 51,428 castrations) in
the previous year. The number of cases treated at dis-
pensaries was 137,647 (including 6,272 castrations) as
against 126,259 (including 4,981 castrations) in the past
year. The moffussil cases, i.e., those supplied with
medicines but not brought to the dispensaries, were
148,518 against 145,939 in the previous year.
50. For want of accurate details, it was stated in
paragraph 51 of the annual report for 1927-28 that the
management of the veterinary dispensary at Ahiri was
taken over by the zamindar of Ahiri. The Deputy Com-
missioner, Chanda, has since pointed out that the
veterinary dispensary, Ahiri, is maintained by the
Independent Local Board, Sironcha, and that the
zamindar of Ahiri contributes liberally towards its
maintenance.
15
III.-BREEDING OPERATIONS.
51. The Agricultural Department has, as usual,
undertaken the work of cattle-breeding and the upkeep of
breeding farms, and the officers of the department have
assisted by giving advice on professional matters and pay-
ing regular visits to the farms. Owing to paucity of staff
only two Veterinary Assistant Surgeons could be placed
on special duty to emasculate unsuitable bulls during the
cold weather, one in Jubbulpore Division and one in
Nagpur Division.
The large number of animals dealt with shows the
increasing popularity of castration by the burdizzo
method in preference to the cruel process of mulling.
52. During the year under report 20 cattle fairs and
shows were held at different places in Central Provinces
and Berar as shown in Table No. XIV attached. The
cattle fairs at Singaji (Nimar district), Wun (Yeotmal dis-
trict), Garhakota (Saugor district), and Hirdenagar
(Mandla district) were largely attended. No cattle show
was held in connection with the Garhakota fair owing to
the failure of crops in the northern districts. District
agricultural and cattle shows were organized at Raipur,
Bilaspur, Drug, Pithora (Bilaspur), Pusad (Yeotmal dis-
trict), agricultural farms at Harda and Betul, Mundara
(Seoni district), Burman (Narsinghpur district), Rin-
mochan (Amraoti district), and cattle shows were held also
at Loni (Basim), Pimpalgaon Devi (Malkapur), Mayamba
(Buldana district) and Adgaon (Basim circle). The
American Mission, as usual, arranged a cattle show at
Jogidongri near Pendra. The departmental staff attended
these and some other less important religious fairs and
shows, opened temporary dispensaries and arranged
lectures on veterinary matters supplemented by practical
demonstrations of inoculation, castration, spraying and
intravenous injections. This propaganda work was further
developed in some cases by giving ocular proofs of the
presence of some of the organisms by means of the
microscope and seemed to be appreciated by the general
public.
53. The Veterinary
Inspector,
Hoshangabad,
attended a co-operative rally at Babai, the Veterinary
Inspector, Raipur, and Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
16
attended the rally held at Baloda Bazar, and the Vete-
rinary Inspector, Nagpur, attended a co-operative rally at
Satak, Ramtek tahsil, and these officials delivered lectures
on veterinary matters. Extensive propaganda work was
carried on in the Berar and Chhattisgarh Divisions by
lectures and magic lantern displays.
IV.—ESTABLISHMENT.
54. Mr. R. V. Pillai, Deputy Superintendent,
Nagpur Division, was in charge of the current duties of
the second Superintendent, in addition to his own duties,
with effect from the 12th September 1928. He carried out
his duties in a most satisfactory manner.
55. Rai Sahib Gouri Shankar Shrivastava worked
energetically and supervised efficiently the staff of the
Chhattisgarh Division.
56. Messrs. Abdul Quadir and Kashi Prasad worked
well and carried out their duties in the Berar Division in
a tactful and efficient manner.
57. Mr. Subbanah worked well and maintained the
efficiency of the staff in the Nerbudda Division.
58. Mr. Rahim Bux carried out his duties and super-
vised the work of the staff in the Jubbulpore Division. The
work of the division was heavier than usual this year owing
to the continual recurrence of outbreaks of rinderpest in
Saugor district occasioned by the importation of diseased
animals.
59. Mr. James worked well and carried out his
duties satisfactorily. As has been seen, the work of the
laboratory has been much more heavy than in any
previous year.
60. Subordinate staff.—Owing to the creation of a
post of a veterinary lecturer at the Nagpur Agricultural
College, the post of the Veterinary Inspector attached to
the Agriculture Department in charge of Menagerie and
Government Farms was abolished, and the duties con-
nected with the latter work entrusted to the veterinary
lecturer. The strength of the Veterinary Inspectors was
therefore 16 during the year. One Veterinary Inspector
retired, one Veterinary Inspector was deputed for six
17
months training to the Imperial Institute of Veterinary
Research, Muktesar, and subsequently employed as offici-
ating Deputy Superintendent, Laboratory, two officiating
Veterinary Inspectors were reverted to the grade of
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, and four Veterinary Assist-
ant Surgeons were promoted as officiating Veterinary
Inspectors.
61. The strength of the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
at the close of the year was 127. During the year two
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons resigned, three Veterinary
Assistant Surgeons retired, one Veterinary Assistant Sur-
geon died and the services of two Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons were dispensed with.
62. Recruiting.—Six new Veterinary Assistant Sur-
geons joined the department, of whom three were
graduates of the Bombay Veterinary College and three of
the Bengal Veterinary College.
V.—GENERAL REMARKS.
63. The laboratory.—As already shown, the labor-
atory work has increased very much and in order to cope
with it Mr. Nair and, later, Mr. James have had to forego
almost all holidays. For instance, during the Christmas
holidays the laboratory was open every day from 10 a.m.
till 4 p.m. except on Christmas day itself. There is one
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon attached to the laboratory
who works under the Deputy Superintendent in charge.
There should be two, but an extra man cannot be spared
from the Field at present.
For many years past the department has been beg-
ging for a proper laboratory or institute. A site has been
provisionally selected for departmental offices and a
veterinary institute. The site under consideration is
sufficiently large to contain a veterinary college or school
later.
About 21,900 glass slides and a large number of
pipettes with instructions for their use were issued from
the laboratory for various bacteriological and other tests.
8,73,050 c. c. of trypan blau solution were issued for
use in the districts.
Sera and vaccines for the control of contagious
diseases, amounting in all to 29,85,900 c.c, were issued to
the field staff as against 10,20,250 c.c. in 1927-28.
18
64. The cattle owner has now realized that trypan
blau, in addition to being more or less a specific for tick
fever, is an excellent tonic. The demand for this drug,
during the year became so great that the District Coun-
cils were asked to bear some of the expense. This they
agreed to do. An arrangement has been made whereby
the councils supply for each dispensary a certain amount
of the dry powder. This is then sent to the laboratory at
Nagpur where it is made into solution, sterilized, bottled
and sent back to the dispensaries in the proportion in which
the powder was received from each. This has reduced
the cost to the department which was becoming too heavy
for it to bear with a normal budget.
An interesting point is mentioned by the Deputy
Superintendent, Chhattisgarh Division. He states that he
got better results in using the serum-alone method of
inoculation against rinderpest, when he combined with it
an intravenous injection of trypan blau. This is a field
confirmation of the view expressed in paragraph 22.
When a research officer is appointed an attempt must be
made to ascertain the incidence of coccidiosis (coccidiæ
are minute intestinal parasites) in animals of the Central
Provinces, as this disease has also a great influence on the
mortality in outbreaks of rinderpest.
65. The fall in the number of cases treated on tour
is due to the fact that there were fewer outbreaks of foot-
and-mouth disease during the year, and also because the
staff had to concentrate all their energies in combating the
very serious and widespread outbreaks of rinderpest.
Also on account of shortage of staff, there were no touring
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons at some headquarter dispen-
saries for the greater part of the year, and, in many
instances, when assistants had to be granted leave, on
medical grounds, the dispensaries had to be run by com-
pounders using only the more simple remedies. Further-
more, owing to financial stringency towards the end of the
year, the touring of Veterinary Inspectors was restricted
to attendance on outbreaks only.
66. The reason for the non-attendance of outbreak
reports in Raipur, Drug, Bilaspur, Jubbulpore, Seoni and
Chhindwara districts is that there was a rush of reports
19
close of the year when all the Veterinary Assistant Sur-
geons were busy in attending reports received from other
directions in the same area.
67. Agricultural College.—During the year 47 stu-
dents of the Agricultural College, Nagpur, 13 of the 4th
or B. Ag. course, 23 of the Intermediate Ag. course, 3
of the 4th year (L. Ag. diploma) course and 8 of the
second year (certificate) course were examined by me in
elementary veterinary subjects and 13, 22, 3 and 7 were
successful. In addition papers were set by me for the
Intermediate and degree examinations in agriculture of
the Nagpur University in veterinary subjects.
68. Forty-eight sanads were awarded during the year
to landowners and others in recognition of the help given
by them to the subordinate staff in the carrying out of
inoculations and in encouraging other activities of the
department.
69. No publications were contributed to professional
papers by the members of the department during the year.
70. Pamphlets in Hindi for the diagnosis and report-
ing of cattle diseases written by the Deputy Superintend-
ent, Chhattisgarh Division, were printed by the Raipur
District Council and distributed among mukaddams,
patwaris, police and forest officers in the Chhattisgarh
districts.
71. I have to report with regret, the death of Veter-
inary Assistant Surgeon N. L. Ghatne, by whose death
the department lost a trustworthy assistant.
72. All ordinary leave had to be stopped from 26th
September 1928 till the end of the year, owing to the great
prevalence of contagious disease and the shortage of staff.
But as it was necessary to grant leave on medical grounds,
and more assistance was needed in combating serious out-
breaks of cattle epidemics, several Veterinary Inspectors
were placed in charge of headquarter veterinary dispen-
saries in addition to their own duties, and their touring
restricted to attendance on outbreaks. By this arrange-
ment 14 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons were released for
other duties.
73. The fifth annual session of the Central Provinces
Veterinary Association held its meetings at Nagpur during
20
the first week of November, the opening meeting being
presided over by the Hon'ble Mr. T. J. Kedar, Minister
for Agriculture, Central Provinces. Seventy-eight mem-
bers of all grades took part in the discussions which covered
a wide range of technical knowledge. This annual rally
of all ranks of the departmental staff is undoubt-
edly beneficial, in that it gives the men an opportunity
of hearing the results obtained by their colleagues in the
treatment of various diseases.
74. There has been a marked improvement shown
in the reporting of outbreaks by village officials, and
instances of delay were brought to the notice of the higher
revenue officers who invariably took suitable action.
This is probably one reason why more outbreaks of disease
are recorded.
75. Opposition to inoculation is still noticeable on
the part of villagers in backward and hilly tracts, chiefly
on account of religious opinions, apathy and lack of
education.
76. Proposals for the opening of several new dis-
pensaries both in Berar and Central Provinces have had
to be kept in abeyance for want of staff. It is hoped that
the requisite staff will be forthcoming by the year 1932
when the first batch of 22 scholarshipholders sent to the
Bombay Veterinary College this year should complete
their course.
77. The clerical staff was strengthened by the
appointment of two lower division clerks sanctioned by the
Local Government for the newly opened office of the
Deputy Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
West Berar Division.
78. In some places the work of the department was
affected by unfortunate disputes between District Councils
and Municipalities as to the relative contributions made
towards the upkeep of dispensaries. In one or two places
the District Councils decided to charge fees for animals
coming from municipal areas, forgetting perhaps that by
far the greater amount of the work of this department is
done in the districts and outside municipal areas. Refer-
ence may be made to the figures given in paragraph 49.
The Balaghat District Council still refuses to have a tour-
ing Veterinary Assistant Surgeon at Balaghat. This is
21
most unfortunate. Apart from the effect on the work in
Balaghat itself, twice during the year when the man at
Baihar was ill, it has meant that for days no reliever could
be found and this at a time when rinderpest was acute in
the Baihar and Garhi tracts.
79. The District Councils have been asked to provide
relieving compounders in each district or, where the dis-
tricts contain few dispensaries, it has been suggested that
two councils might unite, such as Nagpur and Bhandara.
The Berar councils have adopted the suggestion, but it
has not been generally welcomed in the Central Provinces.
In 1928 there were four compounders, who were
Government stipendiary students, who were not working
as compounders but employed as either clerks or packers
in the Deputy Superintendents' offices. Fortunately these
men have now been transferred gradually to their proper
duties where new dispensaries were opened or a District
Council had a vacancy.
It must be pointed out that the post of compounder at
Pachmarhi having been practically abolished, Government
compounders are required only for Nagpur dispensary.
It is impossible for Government to keep four or more
compounders idling in Nagpur until a District Council asks
for a reliever because one of their men is sick or on leave.
I am afraid District Councils must make their own arrange-
ments about reserves, and the department is only too will-
ing to train any men that are sent to Nagpur to undergo
the compounder's course.
80. To return to the question of rinderpest. The
last outbreak was in the year 1925-26 and the following
figures may be of interest: —
In 1925-26, reports were 4,533 in number and in
1927-28, 1,573.
In 1925-26, 1,40,866 inoculations were performed.
In this year 2,578 reports were received and 1,71,238
inoculations were performed.
Two points here arise. In the first place it is seen that
rinderpest again proves to have a 3 or 3½ yearly cycle of
intensity. Secondly, although the number of reports in
1925-26 was roughly 2,000 more than in this year, the ino-
culations in 1928-29 came to 30,000 more than in the prev-
ious year of acute disease. This in itself shows plainly that
22
the cultivator is utilizing the services of the department
more freely.
81. It has long been recognized that the geographi-
cal situation of this province was a main factor in the
incidence of contagious disease.
In November 1927
Mr. Wilson sent a statement to the Local Government
showing the main routes by which cattle entered this prov-
ince. These have been verified again and there is definite
evidence that our main outbreaks this year came from the
group of states adjoining the northern boundary of the
province.
In order to show graphically the routes taken by the
nomad tribes and the main places at which rinderpest
occurred, I am including in the appendices this year a
rough sketch map (loose flap at the end of report).
I travelled along most of the northern routes from
Khurai to Narsinghpur and Seoni and found numerous
cases of rinderpest amongst the herds. I, and others, did
our best to persuade the owners or cattle-drovers to have
their cattle inoculated. They all promised to halt at the
next dispensary, but, of course, avoided it as if it were a
place of plague. Without any powers one had to let these
disease-carrying herds go on their way, knowing full well
that they would sell at the next village, at a cheap rate,
all animals not actually showing lesions but sick, and that
any of the dying would be left in the nearest piece of
jungle.
82. The following short account of an outbreak, that
threatened Nagpur and was stopped, is of interest in that
it shows how the disease might possibly be controlled if
inoculation was made compulsory. In the month of
December it was reported that the disease was severe in
Ramtek tahsil and had got within 10 miles of Kamptee.
The first action taken was to get together all the men
who could be spared in Nagpur and convey them, with
serum, by car, to villages on the main approaches to
Nagpur. They were dropped at various places throughout
one night, a distance of 89 miles being covered.
On the following days Mr. Pillai, recalled from tour,
took charge of the western side, whilst I devoted my atten-
tion to the Kamptee approach and Nagpur proper. All
the Government animals and many private herds in
23
Nagpur were immunised, and at the same time, with the
aid of the Deputy Commissioner and the Cantonment
Officer, the cattle of Kamptee were protected. The cattle
in villages beyond Kamptee were also inoculated.
The result was that the disease never got into Kamptee
nor was a single case reported in Nagpur.
A belt of
immunised cattle had been made ; and, as has been proved,
rinderpest does not travel except by actual contact of
healthy with diseased cattle.
In this connection I have to thank Mr. Crofton,
Deputy Commissioner, Nagpur, for arranging that speedy
intimation, of the occurrence of rinderpest, was to be given
by the village officials to the nearest Tahsildar who, for a
time, was ordered to communicate to this department by
telegram.
83. Although Rs. 57,000 had been allotted in the
budget of 1928-29 for the purchase of sera and vaccines,
on account of the heavy demands made, the whole amount
was expended by October 1928.
In spite of there being a state of financial stringency
in the province, the Local Government, within a few days,
gave an additional grant of Rs. 40,000. As this proved
insufficient, an extra amount of Rs. 18,875 was reappro-
priated from savings in the departmental budget with the
sanction of the Local Government.
The department is, and the cattle owners should be,
grateful to Government for the celerity with which this
extra money was given. It undoubtedly saved the lives
of thousands of cattle.
84. The Local Government has under consideration,
at the moment, a scheme whereby the serum-simultaneous
method of protecting animals against rinderpest can be
gradually introduced into this province.
85. In paragraphs 95 to 99 of last year's report a
reference was made to the use of hæmorrhagic septicæmia
vaccine, which gives protection against this disease for at
least one year, as against the nine days attained by the use
of serum alone.
86. The vaccine was inoculated into 36,088 cattle
before the monsoons of 1928-29 and the results were excel-
lent. After consultation with the Director of the Imperial
Institute of Veterinary Research, the vaccine was used
24
with serum in actual outbreaks during the rains. 20,460
animals were thus treated.
87. The method has proved so successful that
demands for vaccine for use in 1929-30, made from the
divisions in December 1928, were very large and in future
this vaccination will entail extra expenditure on the
department.
88. The number of animals protected against black-
quarter by means of aggression rose from 12,439 in 1927-28
to 26,326 this year. Aggressin also protects for one year
and has gained a remarkable popularity in those areas
where, previously, the fatal disease blackquarter had a
yearly incidence.
89. The question of legislation for the control of
contagious disease is receiving consideration by both the
Government of India and the Local Government.
90. In some districts, owing to the personal attitude
of the Deputy Commissioner, cruelty to animals is being
dealt with under the existing laws or rules. One Deputy
Commissioner recommends that prosecutions should be
instituted, under the cruelty act, against the "mulling" of
bulls. The time has perhaps not yet arrived for such salu-
tary action, and it would probably meet with an outcry that
the Government was interfering with the customs and
liberties of the people.
But so much waits to be done.
One keeps hoping that some influential Indian gentle-
men, encouraged by the Local Government, will combine
to start a branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals in this province.
They would be
assured of all the help and advice that the officers of this
department could give them.
91. With reference to the question of castration,
owing to the staff of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons being
about 20 below the sanctioned cadre, no attempt could be
made to carry into effect the suggestion put forward in the
Government resolution to last year's report that an
intensive campaign in a limited area should be undertaken.
92. In my opinion there has been, in the past, a
certain lack of information concerning the attitude of the
Veterinary Department in regard to castration.
When
the use of the Burdizzo castrator was introduced
generally in the Central Provinces the underlying inten-
tion was not to improve the stock of the province, but to