NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
2
serum-simultaneous method the results would unquest ionably
have been even better. It is unfortunate that the expansion
of this method of treatment should be hampered by want of
funds as the longer period of immunity which it confers is an
extremely valuable factor in arresting the spread of this
disease.
2. There are many indications of the steadily growing
popularity of the department. Resistance to inoculation on
the part of ignorant owners of cattle is rapidly disappearing.
Several enlightened landowners have presented instruments
for castration by the Burdizzo method and in Chhattisgarh,
where the poor quality of the cattle has long been a source of
concern to the local Government, no less than four new
dispensaries were constructed during the year. There is no
question but that the personal influence of officers of the
department is now the most important factor in achieving
progress, particularly in the more backward tracts; and the
local Government has not failed to note that the progress
made in Chhattisgarh coincides with a record of touring by the
Deputy Superintendent R. S. Gouri Shankar Shrivastava
which easily eclipses the record of any other officer of the
department.
3. The fear expressed by the Veterinary Adviser to
Government that the practice of sending to Veterinary
Dispensaries for treatment animals seized by officers of the
S. P. C. A. is likely to endanger the popularity of a dispensary
does not appear to have much foundation. The number of
animals sent in this way to a dispensary is not large and in no
way concerns persons who voluntarily take animals for treat-
ment. At the same time the local Government agrees that
the Veterinary Department is the best judge of whether an
animal requires to be retained for treatment.
4. In spite of the progress made by the department,
much still remains to be done. The immensity of the problem
can be gauged from the fact that in a province with an area of
131,000 square miles and a cattle population of 12,253,335
there are still only 93 Veterinary Dispensaries and 131 Veteri-
nary Assistant Surgeons, whose efforts are nowhere supple-
mented by private practitioners. Expansion must be largely
a matter of local initiative in raising the funds necessary for
the construction of dispensaries.
3
5. A long standing need of the department is better
training in every branch of the service. For the higher ranks
there is at present no training available in India of a standard
which would enable them to fill the place of the present
Imperial service; whilst in the lower ranks the local Govern-
ment regrets to observe not only that assistant surgeons
already in service refused to avall themselves of the opportunity
of further study, but that the province could only supply 2 out
of the 14 new assistant surgeons recruited during the year, and
the scholarships for training which carry with them a practical
certainty of employment by Government were not all taken up.
Research which is the foundation of progress in veterinary
treatment must necessarily remain at a stand-still so long as
these conditions prevail.
6. Another problem of the greatest magnitude is the
prevention of the spread of epizootic diseases. Of the two
main sources of infection, cattle fairs and imported herds,
the former is to some degree susceptible of control, but
for dealing with the latter no scheme has yet been evolved.
The department has conclusively traced the widespread havoc
caused by the passage of infected animals through the
province and it can hardly be doubted that the cost of
quarantine camps on our borders would be more than repaid
by the saving of lives that would result. Until, however,
public opinion can be certainly enlisted in support of such a
measure it would be useless to attempt its enforcement. It
may be long before the agricultural population accepts the
implications of the doctrine that prevention is better than
cure, and learns to co-operate readily with the department in
banning the outsider who brings disease into the province; and
the only method of securing that co-operation is to educate it
to understand the benefits to themselves arising from it. It is
to be hoped that the Veterinary Department will come in for a
share of the increasing attention that is being paid to
propaganda by the Departments of Agriculture and Co-
operative Credit, with which its own interests are naturally
linked. There is ample work for the department in the
accumulation of evidence of the spread of disease and in its
reduction to a form which will permit of ocular demonstration
and so reach the illiterate masses, and the local Government
trusts that this important work will not be forgotten amongst
the many ardous duties which the officers of the department
are more immediately called upon to perform.
4
7. The local Government desires to record its apprecia-
tion of the services rendered by Mr. Wilson as head of the
department, and by the other officers specially mentioned by
him in his report.
ORDER.— Ordered that a copy of this Resolution, together
with the enclosure, be submitted to Government of India in
the Department of Education, Health and Lands, that copies
be forwarded to the Veterinary Adviser to Government and to
all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, Central Prov-
inces and Berar, for information and guidance, and that it be
published in the Supplement to the Central Provinces Gazette.
By order of the Government
(Ministry of Agriculture),
H. C. GREENFIELD,
Revenue Secretary to Government,
Central Provinces.
Govt. Press, Nagpur: —No. 1816, Rev. Secy.—20 . 12-27.—262.
No. 607/1-3
FROM
C. W ILSON, ESQ., M.r.C.V.S., I.V.S.,
VETERINARY ADVISER TO GOVERNMENT,
Central Provinces,
To
THE REVENUE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
Central Provinces.
Nagpur, the 6th July 1927.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of
the Civil Veterinary Department for the year ending the 31st
March 1927.
2. I toured in the Seoni, Chhindwara, Betul, Hoshang-
abad, Damoh, Saugor and Narsinghpur districts by road
marches and also by rail and inspected 24 dispensaries,
namely, all the dispensaries in the Jubbulpore, Damoh, Betul,
Hoshangabad, Seoni and Chhindwara districts and the dis-
pensaries at Saugor, Rehli, Drug, Raipur, Bilaspur, Narsingh-
pur and Khandwa. The dispensary at Chhindwara was in-
spected thrice, the dispensaries at Jubbulpore, Narsinghpur and
Seoni twice, and the rest once.
3. I gave evidence before the Royal Commission on
Agriculture at Nagpur in January 1927, and attended the
examination of the final year students of the Bengal Veteri-
nary College, acting as President of the Board of Examiners,
during the month of February 1927. I also examined the
2nd and 4th year students of the Nagpur Agricultural College
in Veterinary Science during March 1927.
2
4. Major R. F. Stirling, F.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M., F.Z.S.,
I.V.S., Second Superintendent, resumed charge of his duties
from the 1st August 1926 on the expiry of leave and toured in
the Nagpur, Chanda, Bhandara, Balaghat, Wardha, Akola,
Yeotmal, Buldana and Amraoti districts by road marches and
also by rail and inspected 45 dispensaries, namely, all the dis-
pensaries in the Nagpur, Bhandara, Balaghat,Wardha, Chanda
district (except Ahiri), Akola, Buldana, Amraoti district (except
Dharni) and Yeotmal district (except Ralegaon). He also
inspected the slaughter-house at Balaghat.
5. Mr. R. V. Pillai, Temporary Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Central Provinces, continued to super-
intend the Veterinary staff of the Nagpur Civil Division up to
the 31st July 1926 in addition to his duties in the laboratory.
He toured in the Wardha, Bhandara and Balaghat districts by
road marches and also travelled by rail and inspected the six
dispensaries at Sakoli, Arvi, Gondia, Bhandara, Balaghat,
Wardha and the slaughter-houses at the four latter places.
He was on six months' leave from the 1st August 1926 to the
31st January 1927, and on his return to duty on the
1st February 1927 he was appointed by the local Government as
Deputy Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Nagpur
Civil Division, and has been working in that capacity.
6. Rai Sahib Gouri Shanker Shrivastava, Deputy
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Chhattisgarh
Division, toured in the three districts of his division and in
the Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh and Raigarh Feudatory States
and inspected 20 dispensaries including the State dispensaries
at Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh and Raigarh, 15 dispensaries
twice, one dispensary thrice and four dispensaries once. He
visited the Government cattle-breeding farms at Chandkhuri,
Sarkanda and Ruabanda, the Court of Wards cattle-breeding
farms at Pithora and Thakurtola, the Zamindari cattle-breeding
farms at Tarbod and Mohalla, the Krishi Gowrakshini farm
at Sakri and the malguzari cattle-breeding farms of Sarora and
Raikhera. He inspected the slaughter-houses for goats
at Raipur, Dhamtari, Baloda Bazar, Bilaspur, Mungeli and
Drug and for cattle at Raipur and Bilaspur and attended the
District Agricultural and Cattle Shows held at Baloda Bazar,
Pithora, Mungeli and Bemetara. He attended the meetings
of the agricultural associations held at Pithora, Baloda
Bazar, Mungeli and Bemetara.
3
7. Mr. Mohammad Abdul Quadir, Deputy Superintend-
ent, Civil Veterinary Department, Berar Division, held charge of
the Berar Division during the year except for the period from
the 18th December 1926 to the 19th March 1927 during
which time he was on leave He toured in the Amraoti, Akola
and Buldana districts and inspected 15 dispensaries once, i.e.,
all the dispensaries in the Buldana district and the dispensaries
at Anjangaon Surji, Dharni, Ellichpur, Akola, Akot, Balapur
and Basim and also inspected the dispensaries at Amraoti
City, Amraoti Camp, Morsi, Ellichpur, Chikalda, Anjangaon
Surji, Balapur and Patur in company with the Second Super-
intendent, Civil Veterinary Department.
Mr. Kashi Prasad, Senior Veterinary Inspector, who
officiated as Deputy Superintendent, Berar Division, from the
8th January 1927 to the 19th March 1927, inspected the seven
dispensaries situated in Amraoti City, Amraoti Camp, Morsi,
Ellichpur, Anjangaon Surji, Shegaon and Buldana once and the
seven dispensaries at Murtizapur, Karanja, Mangrulpir, Basim,
Umerkhed, Pusad and Daryapur in company with the Second
Superintendent. He attended the agricultural association
meeting held at Patur and delivered a lecture on the benefits
of veterinary treatment and demonstrated Burdizzo's method
of bull castration.
8. Mr. D. M. Swamy, Deputy Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Nerbudda Division, toured in the five
districts of his division and inspected seven important
slaughter-houses and all the 15 dispensaries in his division
twice. He attended the agricultural and cattle show held
at Powarkheda farm and the Singaji fair. He also attended
the meeting of the Co-operative Society of Piparia (Sohagpur
tahsil). He inspected the offices of the Veterinary Inspectors,
Nerbudda Division and Nimar district, once during the year.
9. Mr. Rahim Bux, Officiating Deputy Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, Jubbulpore Division, toured in
the five districts of his division and inspected 14 dispensaries,
i.e., Jubbulpore dispensary thrice, Dindori and Shahpura
dispensaries once and the remaining 11 dispensaries twice.
He visited the cattle markets at Panagarh, Damoh and Saugor.
He inspected the offices of the Veterinary Inspectors, Jubbul-
pore and Saugor. The slaughter-houses at Jubbulpore, Mandla,
Damoh and Saugor were also inspected by him.
4
10. Mr. J. M. Bhatt, Officiating Deputy Superintendent,
attached to the laboratory, proceeded on leave from the
2nd October 1926 afternoon to the 10th March 1927, and on
return was reverted to the Veterinary Inspector's grade,
and posted to Gondia. Mr. P. S. Nair, Veterinary
Inspector, Nagpur, was appointed to officiate as Deputy
Superintendent, Laboratory, from the 2nd October 1996.
11. The touring work performed by the gazetted
officers of the department is tabulated below :—
Name of officers.
I.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mr. C. W. Wilson ...
Major R. F. Stirling
Mr. R. V. Pillai
...
Rai
Sahib
Gouri
Shankar Shrivastava.
Mr. Abdul Quadir ...
Mr. Kashi Prasad, offg
Mr. D. M. Swamy ...
Mr Rahim Bux ...
Total ...
Miles travelled by
Rail.
3,827
140
578
2,742
73
407
3,868
1,686
13,321
Road.
1,428
2,628
114
3,687
1,434
422
877
2,096
12,686
Number of
days on tour.
70
99
19
211
65
41
180
157
842
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.
12. None of the "old type" Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons availed themselves of the opportunities offered
to them for securing an additional year's training at the Bombay
Veterinary College in order that their prospects in the depart-
ment might thereby be improved. Seven scholarships tenable
at the Bombay Veterinary College were awarded to suitable
candidates during the year but only four students joined the
college.
13. The two Central Provinces stipendiary students in the
final year's course at the Bombay Veterinary College passed
the diploma examination and joined the department during the
current year. The second year student and four first year
students passed the annual examination and were promoted
to higher classes respectively.
5
14. Compounder's Class.—In the two sessions of
this class held at the Nagpur veterinary dispensary during
the year under report ten men were admitted for training.
The first session included a District Council student who had
not completed the course by the end of the previous year.
Of the new men admitted eight were Government stipendiary
students, one was sent by the Akola District Council and the
10th was awarded a stipend by the Yeotmal District Council.
Three of these successfully passed the examination, two Gov-
ernment stipendiary students left the class immediately after
joining, the Akola District Council man failed in the final test
and was removed. The scholarships of two Government
stipendiary students were stopped and two remained under
training at the end of the year.
15. Six probationary Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
were trained in elementary bacteriological technique at the
Veterinary Laboratory, Nagpur, prior to their being posted
for work in the mofussil and were also given practical
training in the methods of inoculation and castration by the
Burdizzo method. The Deputy Superintendents, Civil
Veterinary Department, Chhattisgarh, Jubbulpore and
Nerbudda Divisions, similarly trained 3, 2 and 1 probationary
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, respectively, in methods of
inoculation and castration.
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASES.
I. EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS.
16. The year under report shows all-round progress
in the work done in the laboratory.
17. Specimens amounting to 33,894 taken from 19,845
individual cases were received and dealt with. This shows
an increase of 1,265 specimens and 2628 individual cases
on the figures of the previous year.
2,681 special reports (laboratory certificates) embody-
ing the result of 10,852 positive findings were issued. These
figures show an increase in the work done on those of the
previous year.
The fact that the staff of the department took full
advantage of the laboratory is manifested by the greater
number of specimens (such as blood and pus smears,
pathological specimens, parasites both external and internal,
milk, urine, etc.) received for examination and advice.
6
18. The statement attached (marked A) gives total
positive findings.
A.—Statement of positive findings for the year 1926-27.
Kind of animal.
1
Equines ...
Bovines ...
Ovines ...
Canines ...
Aves ...
Others
Total
Anthrax.
2
...
12
1
...
...
...
13
Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.
3
...
580
15
...
...
...
595
Blackquarter.
4
...
59
1
...
...
...
60
Piroplasmosis.
5
1,967
7,248
258
441
...
...
9,914
Anaplasmosis.
6
11
5
...
6
...
...
22
Trypanosomiasis.
7
40
23
...
1
...
...
64
Avian Pasteurellosis.
8
...
...
...
...
*52
...
52
Strangles.
9
32
...
..
...
...
..
32
Spirochetosis.
10
..
...
...
...
13
...
13
Actinomycosis.
11
...
3
..
..
...
...
3
Tetanus.
12
1
...
...
..
...
..
1
Leucocytosis and other anæ
mic changes.
13
9
18
...
26
...
...
53
Distomiasis.
14
...
3
2
...
..
...
5
Ascaridæ.
15
...
...
...
1
...
1
2
Echinococcus cysts.
16
...
1
...
...
...
...
1
Trichophyton tonsurans.
17
...
...
...
4
...
...
4
Trichophyton sabouraudi.
18
...
...
...
8
...
...
8
Oxyuris curvula.
19
4
...
...
...
...
...
4
Gastrophylus equi.
20
1
...
...
...
...
...
1
Osteoma.
21
...
1
.
...
...
...
1
Sarcoma.
22
...
1
1
...
...
...
2
Carcinoma.
23
...
...
...
1
...
...
1
Fibroma.
24
...
1
...
...
...
...
1
Total.
25
2,065
7,955
278
488
65
1
10,852
*Two cases had mixed infection of fowl cholera and spirochetosis.
7
B.—Statement showing cases treated with Trypan blau injection for Piroplasma
infection.
Number of confirmed cases.
1
9,914
Number of injections received.
I
2
5,690
II
3
366
III
4
56
Number of deaths.
Before
injection.
5
341
After
injection.
6
44
Known
to be
cured.
7
6,068
Animals
confirmed
but not
injected.
8
3,461
Remarks.
9
8
2. TREATMENT OF DISEASES.
19. The total number of outbreak reports of contagious
diseases both reported and detected was 9,677 during the
year under report as against 9,899 of the last year. This
shows a fall in the number of reports received during the
year. The mortality for 1925-26 which was 46,265 has
fallen to 20,331 during the year under review.
The timely measures taken by way of preventive inocula-
tion against
Rinderpest, Blackquarter,
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia, etc., are mainly responsible for the decrease in
the mortality. On the whole the year under review was a
healthy one for the cattle of the province.
20. Rinderpest,—Although this disease prevailed in
many parts of the province, fortunately it was not of a very
virulent type. The total mortality from this cause was
8,391 as against 38,685 of the previous year.
21. Out of the 1,217 outbreak reports of the disease
received all except 18 were attended to. In 443 cases
preventive inoculation was done—the total number of animals
inoculated being 56,262. This checked considerably the
mortality amongst cattle and also prevented the spread of
the disease.
22. The percentage of mortality amongst the inoculated
animals comes to the very low figure of 0003 only. In
Chhattisgarh Division the disease prevailed throughout the
year and records 527 outbreaks out of the total of 1,217
for the whole province.
23. An outbreak of rinderpest in sheep and goats in
Chanda district was soon brought under control by preventive
inoculation and other suppressive measures.
24. The number of inoculations, when compared with
last year's figure, shows a great fall and is only due to the
low incidence of the disease. The difficulty in controlling
the spread of the disease is likely to remain a most difficult
problem in the absence of any legislation to prevent the
taking of infected animals from place to place.
For example, the outbreaks of this disease in Mandla
district and Chhattisgarh Division are attributed to the cattle
9
being taken from Central India by tradesmen, while in
Yeotmal the infection was brought from the Nizam's
dominions.
25. Foot-and-mouth disease.—An increase in the num-
ber of outbreaks of this disease was reported, 6,315 outbreak
reports were recorded against 4,137 of the last year, while the
number of deaths reported is 964 as against 793 of the
previous year. The real cause of death in this disease is the
existence of some other infection, notably Piroplasmosis, in
this province. Though it was prevalent throughout the
province, it assumed a severe virulence in Balaghat,
Jubbulpore and Drug district only.
26. Anthrax.—This disease occurred in sporadic form in
almost all the districts except Narsinghpur, Chhindwara and
Amraoti districts. In 183 outbreaks 1,101 deaths were
recorded. Microscopically the disease was confirmed in 13
outbreaks. 872 animals were immunized by protective
inoculation in 183 outbreaks. In Sapos village of Janjgir
tahsil (Bilaspur) the disease assumed an unusually severe form
but was soon brought under control.
27. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—The disease was on
the increase though the outbreaks were of sporadic nature.
Out of 973 outbreaks received preventive inoculation of 1,149
animals were carried out in 166 outbreaks. The reported
mortality from
this disease is 5,314.
The districts
of Yeotmal, Akola, Nagpur, Bhandara, Raipur, Drug
and Bilaspur were mostly affected. Outbreaks of Hæmor-
rhagic Septicæmia amongst goats and sheep were reported
from Berar and the Bhandara district. They were soon
brought under control by the timely action of the staff
concerned.
28. Blackquarter.—Blackquarter,
unfortunately, was
more widespread during the year under report. The number
of outbreaks rose to 740 from 165 of last year with a death
toll of 3,436 animals as against 836 of the preceding year.
29. Of all the districts, Seoni heads the list with a total
of 256 outbreaks, 186 coming from the Lakhnadon tahsil of
that district. This figure is larger than the total outbreaks
of the disease throughout the province in the previous year
Saugor and Akola record 44 and 39 outbreaks respectively.
10
30. In 15 outbreaks 1,017 animals were protected by
preventive inoculation as against 868 inoculations in 110 out-
breaks of last year. More preventive inoculation could not be
carried out either from the unwillingness on the part of the
owners or by the late arrival of the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon on the spot. In 60 outbreaks the disease was con-
firmed microscopically.
31. The results obtained by the special vaccines,
known as Blackquarter Aggressin, as reported last year, are
very encouraging and is undoubtedly becoming more popular
with the cattle owners. 1,684 animals were vaccinated against
this disease during the year. The results obtained by the use
of this vaccination are very convincing and its use is being
encouraged whole-heartedly by this department.
32. Piroplasmosis.—Now it is an almost established
fact that at least 75 per cent of the cattle of this province
suffer sometime or other in their life from Piroplasmosis.
Many of these affected animals carry the disease in a chronic
form, and succumb to a premature death. This disease also
plays an important part in causing a high mortality amongst
those animals which are attacked with Rinderpest, Foot-and-
mouth, etc. 9,914 cases were confirmed for this disease and
of these 6,112 received Trypan blue solution injection; the
use of this drug is of great value not only in treatment of this
disease but it also acts as a powerful tonic.
The drug is
gaining some favour with cattle owners owing to its various
qualities. As an experiment two villages in Nagpur tahsil
were selected to treat all available cattle with Trypan blue
solution. Owners who at first showed diffidence towards
the experiment were soon convinced of the real value obtained
by others.
33. A statement attached (marked B) gives full details
of the drug issued, etc.
34. Trypanosomiasis.—This disease assumed a greater
degree of importance than in previous years. 64 cases were
microscopically confirmed—40 equines, 23 bovines and
1 canine.
35. A severe outbreak of Surra amongst ponies, mules
and donkeys connected with irrigation works occurred at