NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Review by the North-West Frontier Province
Government (Ministry for Transferred
Departments) on the Annual Administration
Report of the Civil Veterinary Department
for the year 1931-32.
1. This Department is yet small and in urgent need of
development on the sound lines. During the year under
report there has been development both in its field of opera-
tion and the extent of its activities ; but perhaps the most
gratifying point lies in the fact that the old apathy and evil
hostility with which the activities of the Veterinary Officer
were met in the past has now been replaced by recognition
of the value of those activities to the country side and a
growing desire for their extension.
2. At the beginning of the year there were 19 Civil
Veterinary Hospitals at work. During the year eight more
rural dispensaries were opened without incurring additional
cost for the district boards, two in Hazara, three in Peshawar,
one each in Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan ; and in
addition 49 touring dispensaries attended once a week
by Veterinary Assistants on fixed days have been established
in rural areas. During the year under report the staff was
increased by the addition of only one Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon. The steady building up of a staff efficient both in.
quality and number so that hospitals and dispensaries can be
properly manned is now a matter of first importance. But in
view of the very natural desire both of Government and of
the people of the Province that the services of the Province
should be manned by men of the Province, it is important to
recognise that at present the chief difficulty in this regard
facing the Department is the lack of qualified men. This,
however, is a defect for which a remedy will it is hoped be
provided (though the effect cannot be seen for a year or two)
by the fact that we have now got eight men of the Province
studying as Government stipendiaries at the Punjab Veterinary
College, Lahore, four fresh scholarships of Rs. 30 per month
each having been sanctioned during the year under report.
It is important that steady provision for the future should
continue to be made on these lines. Even so some of the
difficulties attending this aspect of the question can be gauged
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from the fact that one scholar for whom a vacancy had been
specially reserved immediately decamped, too late however
for his scholarship to be awarded to any one else during that
session. It is as well however that the public of the Province
should clearly recognise that the choice now lies between
creating higher posts now and filling them with outsiders, or
waiting a little while till our own men are available with proper
qualifications. It is gratifying to note that veterinary activities
have now been started in Swat State.
3. At the beginning of the year there were 156
stud bulls working in the Province, to this number 113
have been added, while 39 have been cast, leaving a
balance of 230 during the year. These covered 810 cows.
Forty-two cows were bought from the Dhanni tract and distri-
buted in the Peshawar District with an entertainment subsidy
of Rs. 3 per month. Government feels satisfied that the
system of importing Dhanni tract animals to improve and if
possible replace the local poor animals is on the right lines
for the greater part of the Province, with the exception of
certain tracts where special hilly conditions produce other
requirements.
Of
17 buffalo-bulls at stud nine were
cast while 17 new ones were purchased leaving a total
of 25 at work. They did 1,150 coverings.
4. Castration of bad bulls is the necessary complement
to the importation and rearing of good ones, and Government
is glad to see recognition of this fact in the increased number
of castrations performed—30,902 in all,—and to know that
the Burdizzo castrator replacing the cruel and wasteful methods
of former days, is popular in rural areas.
5. 40,602 animals were treated for non-contagious
disease in all, against 38,281 in the previous year, that figure
itself having been higher than that of the preceding year.
At the same time the number of cases treated for contagious
diseases dropped considerably from 18,379 to 4,185, owing
to the fact that foot-and-mouth disease was not so prevalent.
Another satisfactory fact is that there were 15,728 preventive
inoculations in 64 villages (of which two animals died)
against 4,942 in 25 villages last year, a further indication
of the growing public appreciation of the value of
veterinary work. 389 animals were vaccinated in Hazara
as a protective measure against black quarter which caused
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213 deaths out of 221 animals attacked elsewhere ; it is satis-
factory to note that the disease did not appear in Hazara.
Altogether Rs. 12,993 was spent on sera and vaccine against
Rs 11,000 during the previous year.
6. The report itself gives an account of the main
diseases which occurred and of the useful work done in
connection with them. Rinderpest caused 180 deaths out of
275 cases occurring. 2,294 inoculations were done in 30
villages. Government is sorry to learn that the most promising
form of inoculation (" serum simultaneous ") could not be
performed owing to shortage of staff and ignorance of the
rural masses. While it is Government's duty to remove the
former, it is the duty of the Khans and leading men to remove
the latter cause. Government is sorry also to receive in this
report confirmation of a melancholy fact already noticed in
the Review on the Chemical Examiner's Report, that Hazara
has achieved an unpleasant notoriety for cattle poisoning,
and hopes that the day is not far distant when public opinion
in that district will assert itself, and make this unspeakable
form of crime impossible. There were 1,118 cases, with 792
deaths, of hæmorrhagic septicæmia.
Of the outbreaks
of contagious disease that which strikes the attention most
perhaps is the outbreak of anthrax at Kotta, Tahsil
Swabi. There were 88 cases among bovines and 40
amongst other animals (including 10 amongst equines)—all
fatal. The outbreak was brought under control with consider-
able difficulty, and was the cause of considerable anxiety
to the authorities. This has brought to notice the limited
nature of the powers with which the public authorities are
equipped to meet such a menace, as a consequence of which
Government is now asking the Chief Medical Officer together
with the Veterinary Department to examine this serious matter.
Here too Government is grieved to observe another of the
baneful effects of a misguided movement ostensibly intended
to promote popular welfare : the Red Shirt Movement placed
obstacles in the way of the vitally important work of combat-
ing anthrax, and by hindering reports of outbreaks and
creating obstructions was also responsible for preventible
mortality from foot-and-mouth disease.
7. Government regrets that the Superintendent was
absent through sickness during half the year and that he did no
touring during the other half. Government places the greatest
4
importance in constant touring and inspection work.
Moreover in a department such as this it is essential that the
Superintendent should be in constant touch with district
officers and district boards : such co operation is for the
mutual benefit of both the Department and the district.
8. Government agrees generally with the remarks
contained in paragraph 39 of the report regarding fairs and
shows, and hopes that district boards will realise the
importance of such. Few district boards perhaps realise
that in certain districts of the Punjab the annual fair has
become not only one of the most popular and agriculturally
useful items of the year, but also ultimately a source of revenue
to the district board.
9. On the whole Government finds the year's report
very satisfactory and considers that the Department, though
it is still in its infancy, and has still far to go, is developing on
the right lines.
By order of the Government,
North-West Frontier Province
(Ministry for Transferred Departments).
ABDUL QAIYUM,
Minister, Transferred Departments,
North-West Frontier Province.
A. J. HOPKINSON,
Secretary to Government,
North-West Frontier Province,
Transferred Departments
GP&SO-NWFP 1948STD- 80-5-4-33 - (148)
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT
OF THE
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT,
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE
FOR THE YEAR
1931-32
PART I—GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
1. Charge—
Mr. S. M. A. Shah, the Superintendent in charge of
the Province, remained on sick leave from the 1st April
1931 to the 1st October 1931 and during his absence the
Deputy Superintendent, Ch. Ghulam Qadir, officiated as
Superintendent. Mr. S. M. A. Shah resumed charge on
the 2nd October 1931 and worked the circle till the 31st
March 1932.
2. Extent and duration of officers' tour—
The Officiating Superintendent spent 120 days on tour
and travelled 1,552 miles by road and 1,936 miles by rail.
The Superintendent, Mr. S. M. A. Shah, spent one day on
tour and remained chiefly at headquarters, drafting and
trying to materialize the schemes regarding the develop-
ment of the Veterinary Department and its activities in the
Province on the lines recommended by the Royal Com-
mission on Agriculture in India.
3. Work performed on tour—
The Officiating Superintendent inspected all the
veterinary hospitals, stallion stables, subsidy bulls, their
progeny and the touring dispensaries in the Province.
He also supervised Mallein test and Surra treatment
of Frontier Constabulary charges at Draban, Tarik and
Peshawar, and checked the work of the subordinate
2
veterinary staff in the villages, as far as possible, and did
veterinary propaganda with regard to the control of
contagious diseases, the treatment of the sick, and improve-
ment in cattle-breeding was made amongst the public. He
also attended Haripur and Bannu Cattle Fairs where cattle
for prizes were judged. To secure the best Dhunni blood
for the Province, Mr. S. M. A. Shah arranged that the
purchase for the local bodies in the Province should be
made at Gujar Khan Cattle Fair. A serious outbreak of
anthrax at Kotta, Tahsil Swabi, was diagnosed and
brought under control.
4. Mortality—Table II—
The most common contagious diseases during the
year under report were foot-and-mouth, hæmorrhagic
septicæmia, black quarter, anthrax, rinderpest and will
fever, etc. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia claimed a heavy
mortality amongst the bovines of the Province, while the
animals affected with anthrax died cent per cent.
Rinderpest was chiefly responsible for the fatalities
amongst the hill cattle of the Hazara District.
5. Pathological specimens—
Ninety pathological specimens and smears were
received for examination during the year under report
out of which 60 proved positive for different diseases,
chiefly hæmorrhagic septicæmia and piroplasmosis.
SECTION I-A—EQUINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
6. Mortality—Table II—
There were 22 cases out of which 15 died as against
272 cases and 16 deaths of the last year. The decrease
is due to the total absence of influenza and mild attack of
surra during the year under report.
7. Glanders—
Two hundred and ninety-nine animals were tested
with Mállein out of which five re-acted positive. The
positive re-actors were dealt with under Glanders and
Farcy Act. Rs. 145 were awarded as compensation to
the owners against Rs. 115 during the last year.
3
8. Surra-
Only four animals were reported during the year
which were successfully treated with Naganol (Bayer 205).
Out of the above four, three animals were from Dera Ismail
Khan -District and the fourth one was from Peshawar.
9. Dourine, anthrax and other contagious diseases—
There was a severe outbreak of anthrax at Kotta,
Tahsil Swabi, District Peshawar, during the year under
report. It accounted for 10 seizures (equine), all of which
died. Due to the ignorance of the masses and the Red
Shirt Movement a great difficulty was faced in controlling
and overcoming the disease.
No case or dourine was reported.
SECTION I-B—BOVINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
10. Mortality—
The number of cases reported this year shows a
decrease than that of the last year, but the rate of mortality
is higher. The decrease in cases reported is due to the
mild attacks of foot-and-mouth disease, whereas the rise in
the percentage of deaths is, to a greater extent, due to the
comparatively greater virulence of the organism responsible
for the disease. The mortality was also increased due
to the Red Shirt Movement which not only hindered the
reporting of outbreaks in time but at the same time created
a lot of difficulty in the control of contagious diseases'
work in the villages. The total number of animals attacked
was 4,447 and 1,358 deaths against 16,665 attacks and
867 deaths during the last year.
Note.—Particulars of the outbreaks of contagious
diseases for the year under report are shown in Table II.
11. Rinderpest—
There were 275 cases and 180 deaths during the
current year against 251 cases and 90 deaths during the
last year. The disease made its appearance in seven
villages of the Peshawar District and six villages of the
Hazara
District respectively. Prompt and adequate
measures both hygienic and anti-rinderpest inoculation were
adopted by the Department and the disease was immedi-
ately brought into control.
4
12. Preventive
inoculation
against
rinderpest-
Table III—
Anti-rinderpest inoculation was carried out on 2,299
animals in 13 villages against 2,021 animals during the last
year. The best method of inoculation against rinderpest
is that of serum simultaneous but, due to shortage of cadre
and trained hands and the ignorance of rural masses, it
cannot be practised in this Province.
13. Foot-and-mouth disease—
The strain of the virus responsible for the disease was
not so virulent as that of the last year. On the whole
2,591 cases were affected with the disease which responded
to curative treatment with fatality as nil, whereas during
the previous year out of 19,817 cases affected with the
disease 884 terminated in death. The imported cattle from
Punjab and the adjoining independent territory are chiefly
responsible for the conveying of disease into this Province.
14. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia-
Out of 1,118 cases reported there were 792 deaths
as compared with 452 seizures and 233 deaths during the
previous year. The disease was very severe throughout
the Province in the low-lying areas, chiefly in Peshawar
and Bannu Districts.
15. Preventive inoculations—Table III—
Fifteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty-eight
inoculations were carried out with serum alone method
in 64 villages out of which two animals died against 4,942
inoculations carried out in 25 villages last year. Public
is now sufficiently educated to appreciate the good results
of inoculation and they are always willing to get the needful
done at the time of outbreaks.
16. Black quarter—Tables II and III—
This year the number of animals attacked was 221 and
deaths 213 as compared with 526 attacked and 383 deaths
of the last year. Although the outbreaks during the year
under report were not many but the rate of mortality was
comparatively high. Vaccination was carried out in the
villages of Hazara District as preventive measure : 540
animals were inoculated with serum alone method with
satisfactory results.
5
17. Vaccination—Table III—
Three
hundred
and
eighty-nine animals were
vaccinated with black quarter aggresine as protective
measure in villages of Hazara District, and the step adopted
was sufficiently efficacious in as much that no disease
appeared there.
18. Anthrax—-Table II—
At Kotta, Tahsil Swabi, there were 88 cases of anthrax
amongst bovines and 40 amongst other animals, all fatal.
The outbreak was brought under control with considerable
difficulty.
18-A. Other contagious diseases—Table II—
There were 154 cases and 85 deaths in the year against
65 cases and 41 deaths during the previous year. The
mortality can be accounted for by liver-rot chiefly and will
fever in rare instances.
19. Expenditure of sera and vaccine—
A sum of Rs. 12,993-7-0 was spent on the purchase
of sera and vaccine as against Rs. 11,000-0-0 spent during
last year.
SECTION I-C—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES—OTHER ANIMALS.
20. Contagious diseases—Table II—
Detail of diseases which occurred amongst other
animals during the year is as under :—
Name of disease
(1) Foot-and-mouth
(2) Anthrax and pleuro-pneumonia ...
(3) Other contagious diseases, such as
sheep-pox, mange and distemper.
During the year
1931-32
Cases
699
72
681
Deaths
...
72
85
Daring the year
1930-31
Cases
4,447
47 538
Deaths
104
47
202
The most common diseases met with amongst other
animals during the year were pleuro-pneumonia, sheep-pox,
foot-and-mouth, mange, distemper and anthrax, etc.
6
21. Rabies—
Forty-five cases were reported, mostly from Kohat,
out of which brains of seven cases sent to Kasauli for
examination four proved positive. No member of the
staff had to undergo the anti-rabic treatment during the
year.
22. Distemper—
This highly fatal disease amongst canines prevailed
nearly throughout the Province during the year, especially
in Peshawar, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu Districts and
Malakand Agency : 225 cases were brought to the
hospitals for treatment out of which 75 per cent. recovered.
23. Piro-plasmosis—
Thirty-seven cases were brought to the headquarter
hospitals for treatment. They were treated with
sulfarsenol and trypan blue. There were 80 per cent.
recoveries, mostly from amongst those that were brought
to the hospital in the early stages of the disease.
24. Canine typhus—
No case was reported during the year under report.
25. Fowl cholera—
Sixty-four cases of the disease were treated in various
hospitals of the Province during the year under report :
45 per cent. recovered.
26. Diptheria—
No case was brought to the hospital during the year
under report.
27. Tetanus—
Thirty-four cases were reported and treated on
scientific lines. Serum was used in several cases as
prophylactic, with good results.
28. Strangles—
Ninety-one cases were reported. All were successfully
treated in the various veterinary hospitals of the Province,
chiefly in Bannu, Kohat and Peshawar.
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29. Pyæmia—
No case was reported during the year.
30. Criminal poisoning—
Twelve post mortem examinations were conducted
by the staff. All proved positive cases of arsenic poison-
ing. This cruel crime is usually met with in Hazara District
every year.
SECTION II—OTHER CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
31. Treatment of diseases in villages—Table V—
During the year under report 3,075 villages were
visited by the staff on tour against 2,774 of the last year :
30,902 castrations were performed against 30,530 ; 4,185
animals were treated for contagious diseases and 40,602 for
non-contagious diseases. The number of castrations and
cases treated for non-contagious diseases is greater than the
last year, but the number of cases treated for contagious
diseases is less than that of the previous year, because
foot-and-mouth disease did not prevail so severely as it
was last year. People are realizing and utilising the
services of this Department to their utmost, and up-to-date
method of castrating with Burdizzo castrator is becoming
very popular in the rural areas.
SECTION III—VETERINARY HOSPITALS.
32. Veterinary hospitals—Table V—
During the beginning of the year there were 19 Civil
Veterinary Hospitals at work in the Province but in the
latter part Mr. Shah very ably managed to open eight
more rural dispensaries, viz. two in Hazara, three in
Peshawar, one in Kohat, one in Bannu and one in
Dera Ismail Khan Districts of the Province without putting-
district boards to any extra cost. Altogether 89,553 cases
received treatment at these institutions. Besides the
above-mentioned dispensaries, 49 touring dispensaries have
been established in the rural areas for the benefit of the
zamindars of the Province which are attended once a week
by the veterinary assistants on fixed days. These
dispensaries have proved of very great advantage to the
zamindars who live at places distant from the proper
8
Hospitals. The details of work performed in the touring
dispensaries of the Province is as follows :—
Name of District or Agency
Peshawar …
Hazara ... …
Kohat ... …
Bannu ... …
Dera Ismail Khan ...
Kurram .. ...
Malakand …
Total …
Number of
touring
dispensaries
14
8
7
5
8
5
2
49
Work performed
Contagious
diseases
60
43
1
189
14
115
1
423
Non-
contagious
diseases
8,083
3,879
3,718
2,909
3,342
5,303
2,824
30,058
Castrations
5,521
3,529
1,682
2,616
2,886
5,919
2,180
24,333
33. Buildings-
No additions or alterations were made in the buildings
of the veterinary hospitals of the Province during the year
under report.
PART II—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
SECTION I—BOVINES.
34. Table VIII—
On the 1st April 1931 there were 156 stud bulls work-
ing in the Province. This number was increased by 113,
whereas 39 were cast. So at the end of the year there was
a balance of 230 stud bulls in the Province. Total number
of cows covered by these bulls was as follows :—
Name of District
or Agency
Peshawar
Hazara
Kohat
Bannu
Dera Ismail Khan
Kurram
Malakand
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Total
Number of cows
covered
...
4,374
...
1,487
… 76
… 1,290
… 704
… 98
… 80
… 8,109
9
Although several bulls were cast and some died during
the beginning of year still the number of coverings has
increased than that of the previous year. The produce of
the subsidy bulls examined on the spots or presented at
various places in the Province looked very promising and
healthy specimen of bovine kingdom : 42 pure cows
purchased from Dhanni tract were distributed in Peshawar
District to produce purer type of Dhanni animals in the
Province. These cows have been entertained on a subsidy
allowance of Rs. 3 per mensem each to encourage the
breeders.
35. Buffalo breeding—
There were 17 buffalo-bulls at stud on the 1st April
1931 : 17 new buffalo-bulls were purchased and enter-
tained, making the total of 34 stud bulls during the year.
Out of these nine were cast, leaving a balance of 25 at
work. They covered 1,150 buffaloes.
36. Montgomery bulls—
On the 1st April 1931 there were 11 Montgomery bulls
at stud out of which six were cast, leaving the balance of
five. They covered 343 cows during the year under report.
No new purchase was made during the year.
SECTION II—EQUINES.
37. Number of stallion stables—Table X—
In the beginning of the year there were 10 horse and
one pony stallions in the non-selected districts. Two new
thorough-bred were purchased from Bombay, making
a total of 18 horse and one pony stallion. The number of
donkey stallions on the 1st April 1931 was 16. Two
were added from Hissar, making the total of 18. Out of
these one was sold, leaving the balance of 17.
38. Services of stallions—Table XI—
Sixteen horses and one pony were actually at stud
during the year under report. The two newly purchased
stallions arrived at the close of the year : hence they
performed no coverings which could be included in the
figures of this report. Sixteen horses and one pony