NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
13
and took a heavy toll of life in spite of the prompt veterinary aid
given by the staff. The above statistics exclude the number of
deathsrecorded in equines.
70. 5,144 outbreaks were attended by the staff during the year.
71. Statistics of livestock diseases.—The table below show
the particulars of outbreaks, seizures, deaths, etc., recorded range
by range, together with the area and livestock population :—
Range.
1
North
Bihar
Range.
Central Range ...
Chota
Nagpur
Range.
Total ..
Area in
square
miles.
2
20,457
21,907
27,013
6,9377
Livestock
population*.
3
10,544,878
7,876,838
6,832,851
24,254,567
Number of
outbreaks
reported.
4
1,063
2,088
2,373
5,524
Number of
outbreaks
attended.
5
1,063
1,963
2,118
5,144
Number of
animals
affected
in out-
breaks.
6
12,688(a)
19,278(b)
31,608(c)
63,574
Number of
deaths
recorded
in out-
breaks.
7
3,976
11,5529
7,265
22,470
*The figures are according to the census of 1930.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Includes 6,906 cases of Foot and Mouth Disease.
„
403
„
„
„
„
„
17,852 „ „ „ „
72. Reporting of diseases.—During the year the agencies
by whom cattle-diseases were reported remained the same as in
preceding years, viz., Co-operative Societies, Agriculture
Department, private persons and village chaukidars.
The
village chaukidars formed the main agency and for taking
interest in this part of their duties 111 were recommended for
rewards while 72 were reported against for their neglect.
EQUINES.
73. Glanders and Farcy.—During the year the disease was
not reported among equines.
74. Surra.—Nine outbreaks were reported in the North
Bihar Range, 2 from Darbhanga, 6 from Saran and 1 from
Muzaffarpur affecting 7, 2 and 1 ponies, respectively. In all
these cases treatment with Naganol injection was adopted but
only two animals were saved. Five outbreaks of this disease were
also reported from the Central Range with 7 attacks and 3 deaths.
75. Dourine.—No case was brought to notice.
76. Anthrax.—This disease did not affect equines.
77. Tetanus.—Eleven animals were affected with this
disease in the North Bihar and the Central Ranges out of which
9 succumbed.
There were three outbreaks of strangles in the Central
Range affecting 69 animals with no deaths.
78. Rabies.—There was one case of rabies which died.
14
BOVINE.
79. Rinderpest.—This disease was reported from all the
districts of the province except Muzaffarpur, but was of
a virulent nature only in Gaya, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Manbhum,
Shahabad and Palamau. Outbreaks were most numerous in
Gaya but it extracted the heaviest toll of life in Ranchi, the
figure being 831. Altogether 1,569 outbreaks were reported
and of 16,756 attacked, 7,826 animals died as compared with
611 outbreaks, 7,724 attacks and 3,182 deaths recorded during
1937-38. The death-roll was distributed as follows, 4,827 cattle
and 2,999 buffaloes.
80. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—This disease was reported
from all over the province, severe epidemics were, however,
confined to Patna, Gaya and Santal Parganas districts of the
Central Range and Ranchi district of the Chota Nagpur Sub-
Range. Heavy death-roll was recorded in the districts of Santal
Parganas, Patna, Ranchi and Darbhanga where the figures
soared up to 1,005,914, 794 and 745, respectively. High death-
rate in Darbhanga was due to the severance of communications
by floods and the resulting non-receipt of reports of outbreak.
Death-rate amongst buffaloes from this disease was heaviest
in the district of Patna. During the year 1,813 outbreaks were
reported affecting—10,480 animals and resulting in 7,628 deaths
as compared to 1,057 outbreaks, 6,081 attacks and 4,565 deaths
recorded in the previous year. The number of deaths includes
2,894 buffaloes.
81. Foot and mouth disease.—This disease too visited all
the districts of the province, the heaviest affected being Purnea,
Darbhanga, Gaya and Moughyr (North). In all 199 deaths
were recorded during the year out of a total of 32,362 seizures
in 1,446 outbreaks as compared with 93 deaths, 21,551 attacks
and 998 outbreaks reported in the preceding year.
82 Blackquarter.—362 outbreaks were reported affecting
2,003 animals with 1,583 deaths (including 222 buffaloes) against
111 outbreaks, 548 attacks and 408 deaths recorded in the
previous year. The death-rate from this disease was highest
in the district of Muzaffarpur in North Bihar Range.
83. Anthrax.—This disease appeared in the district of
Purnea of the North Bihar Range and all the districts of the
Central Range and the Chota Nagpur Sub-Range except
Manbhum. Of 623 animals affected in 96 outbreaks, 404 died
of the disease as compared to 453 attacks and 356 deaths in 70
outbreaks in 1937-38.
84. Surra.—This disease was reported from eleven districts
viz., Patna, Arrah, Gaya, Purnea, Bhagalpur, Monghyr (North),
Darbhanga, Saran, Champaran, Palamau and Manbhum and
accounted for 139 deaths.
85. Other diseases.—44 outbreaks of ephemeral fever were
reported from all the districts of the North Bihar Range except
15
Bhagalpur and Monghyr (North) with 205 seizures hut no
death.
Besides this there were three deaths from Bovine
Tetanus, three from Bovine rabies, three from Bovine Piroplas-
mosis, 88 from Parasitic Diarrhoea and 263 from other unclassified
diseases in the Central Range and Chota Nagpur Sub-Range.
86. Other causes.—116 deaths of cattle from various other
causes were reported during the year from the Chota Nagpur
Sub-Range.
87. Sheep, goats and dogs.—Table I appended to the
report will show the number of deaths that occurred amongst
these animals during the year under report. Altogether 378
deaths of sheep, goats and dogs were reported and of these 70
represent cases of rabies in dogs, two deaths of sheep occurred
from pleuro-pneumonia, 82 goats died of anthrax, 146 of other
contagious and parasitic diseases and 8 of foot and mouth
disease. In addition to these 1,464 deaths of sheep, goats and
dogs were also reported from other causes.
88. Avian.—102 deaths were reported among birds on
account of fowl cholera.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATIONS.
89. Protection to animals by all the known methods of
prophylaxis continued to be given by the departmental staff
energetically. Altogether 6,16,720 cattle were protected
through inoculations in 1,147 outbreaks occurring in 1,261
villages with a total bovine population of 777,098. In these
villages 5,289 animals died during the course of the outbreaks
while only 295 deaths were recorded among the protected ones.
The percentage of deaths of the immunized animals was .04 as
compared with .005 during the previous year.
Details of the work done in each district are furnished
in table II. Of this number, the North Bihar Range has to
its credit 242,309 inoculations, the Central Range 218,637 and
the Chota Nagpur Sub-Range 155,766.
90. Rinderpest.—Inoculation of cattle against Rinderpest
by the 'serum alone' and the increasingly popular 'Goat-
Tissue-Virus' methods was carried out in all the districts.
(a) Serum alone method.—During the year under report
77,478 animals were immunized by the serum
alone method as compared with 27,973 animals
during the previous year.
116 deaths were
recorded among the inoculated animals.
(b) 'Goat-tissue-virus' method.—Altogether 420,023
animals were protected by this method as compared
with 346,518 during the previous year. This
shows an increase of 73,505 animals protected
which is most satisfactory.
91. Of this 190,059 animals were protected in the North
Bihar Range, 125,116 in the Central Range and 104,848 in the
16
Chota Nagpur Sub-Range. Of the districts Purnea with 44,300,
Champaran with 31,225 and Muzaffarpur with 28,683 inoculations
deserve mention. Of this huge number protected only 125 animals
died of complications that set in following inoculations.
The Goat Tissue Virus method was employed both as a pro-
phylactic measure and in face of actual outbreaks.
The experimental work done by the (Veterinary) Disease
Investigation Officer is shown under, "Investigation of Diseases ".
92. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—Altogether 78,682 animals
were immunized with serum in 373 outbreaks of Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia as compared with 62,649 animals in 301 outbreaks
of the preceding year. Only 28 deaths were recorded among the
inoculated animals giving a percentage of .03 death. In addition
to the 'serum alone' method protection was also given with the
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia vaccine to 13,645 animals.
Only
5 among the inoculated animals died.
93. Anthrax.—Altogether 9,541 bovines were protected
with anti-anthrax serum in 51 outbreaks compared with 8,162
bovines protected in 40 outbreaks in the year 1937-38. Only 11
deaths were recorded among the inoculated animals. In addition
to these, 12 horses were vaccinated with Anthrax Spore Vaccine.
94. Black Quarter.—Protection against Black Quarter was
given to animals by two products viz., "Serum" and "Vaccine",
17,339 animals being immunised in 76 outbreaks as compared
with 15,073 in 44 outbreaks of the previous year. Only two
animals among the inoculated died of the disease.
95. Supply of Sera and Vaccines.—During the year sera and
vaccines to the value of Rs. 65,154-8-0 inclusive of the cost of
bottles and boxes were obtained from the Imperial Veterinary
Research Institute, Muktesar, and the Branch Serum Institute,
Izatnagar, for supply to the customers through the different
serum depots of the department. The Range Officers indented
for sera and vaccines consistent with the bare requirements of
the districts, and these were utilized to the best advantage, and
as promptly as possible and special steps were taken for the
recovery of their cost from the consumers.
Out of a total sum of Rs. 88,531-10-11 due to the Muktesar
Institute, a sum of Rs. 53,293-3-7 was recovered from the
customers and credited to Government leaving Rs. 35,238-7-4 aa
outstanding on 1st April, 1939.
A scheme for the manufacture of Goat Tissue Virus at the
Bihar Veterinary College, Patna, has been submitted to Govern-
ment and when it comes through the local bodies will get prompt
supply of fresh vaccines even during summer months and at the
same time it will effect considerable saving in cost of immunisa-
tion against Rinderpest.
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VETERINARY DISPENSARIES.
96. As usual due to the financial difficulties of the local
bodies much headway could not be made in this direction during
17
the year under report and in order to get over this obstacle in
the way of the expansion of the Department a scheme is under
preparation and will be submitted to the Government shortly for
their consideration. The post of (3rd) Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon in Champaran district which was sanctioned
last year was filled during the year. This post has been allotted
to the Bettiah subdivision and the new dispensary has been
opened at Dhanaha. The post of (2nd) Touring Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon for the Gumla Subdivision with Basia as its
headquarters mentioned in the previous report was also sanc-
tioned by the district board, Ranchi. In addition to this the
district board, Bhagalpur, allotted funds for one post of (2nd)
Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeon for Supaul Subdivision.
This proposal is now under the consideration of Government.
The headquarters of the (2nd) Touring Veterinary Assistant
Surgeon of Bhagalpur Sadr Subdivision was shifted from
Bihariganj (Madhipura) to Sultanganj (Sadr) during the year.
For the facility of work the shifting of headquarters of the
Monghyr Sadr Veterinary Dispensary to Luckesarai, which is
a more central place, was also sanctioned by the board. The
proposal for retaining on a permanent basis both the (3rd and
4th) posts of Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons which were
sanctioned by the Purnea district board on a temporary basis for
the Sadr Subdivision was also placed before the board for
consideration. Besides, the district board, Shahabad, promised
to provide funds for an additional touring post in the district.
The number of Touring Veterinary Assistant Surgeons employed
in districts increased from 120 to 122 during the year.
NUMBER OF ANIMALS TREATED.
97. During the year altogether 430,088 fresh cases were
treated by Touring V eterinary Assistant Surgeons in mofussil as
well as at headquarters compared with 374,203 patients treated
in the year 1937-38 and 332,072 in 1936-37. Of these 29,664
cases were of contagious diseases and 306,988 of non-contagious
diseases while the rest of 93,446 represent castrations. This
shows a gradual increase in extension of the beneficent activi-
ties of the department over previous years. In addition to the
above 25,926 old cases were also treated.
98. The touring veterinary staff visited 56,066 villages during
the year as compared to 51,292 villages visited by them in the
year 1937-38 and 46,585 in 1936-37.
The details of the work done by the Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons on tour are shown in Table IV.
99. Rural Field Veterinary Dispensaries.—As stated in the
previous report greater attention was paid to increase the number
of rural veterinary dispensaries with a view to meet the growing
demands of the livestock owners. In the beginning of the year
there were 132 dispensaries at work and as many as 40 additional
dispensaries were opened at important centres during the year
under report. The total number of such dispensaries at the
18
close of the year was 175. Of these, 75 dispensaries function
in the North Bihar Range, 57 in the Central Range and 43 in
the Chota Nagpur Sub-Range. Altogether 1,78,036 fresh cases
including 48,013 castrations were treated at these dispensaries as
compared with 143,441 fresh cases treated during 1927-38.
VETERINARY HOSPITALS.
100. During the year under report the number of veteri-
nary hospitals remained steady at 29 as in the previous year
(including one maintained by the Bettiah Raj). The Chairman,
District Board, Purnea, proposed to convert the Arraria Veteri-
nary Dispensary into that of a hospital but the question had
to be kept in abeyance on financial grounds. For the same
reason no hospitals could be opened at Dinapore, Jamui,
Daltonganj and Chaibassa. The District Board, Palamau, has,
however, agreed to re-open this year the question of running
a hospital at Daltonganj jointly by the board and the munici-
pality, as suggested by me.
101. Construction and repair of veterinary hospitals and
dispensaries.—The alterations and additions to the veterinary
hospital buildings at Muzaffarpur at the old site, which were
very badly damaged by the earthquake, were completed during
the year. The Sitamarhi Veterinary Hospital was also shifted to
the new buildings at Dumra which were completed last year.
The proposal for the construction of quarters for the Touring
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Sitamarhi, at the site earmarked
at Dumra was under the consideration of Government. Some
additions and alterations to the Bikramganj Veterinary Dispensary
buildings were made to suit requirements. Proposals for the
purchase of land for the construction of new buildings at Buxar,
Piro (Shahabad) and Daudnagar (Gaya) did not develop further.
The District Board, Ranchi, made a grant of Rs. 3,000 towards
the construction of buildings for the Government Veterinary
Dispensary, Simdega, for which a site was selected and plan
and estimate were prepared but the same could not be utilised
during the year as Government decisions were not received
in time. The board has again provided the money in the
current year's budget and it is expected that work will start
on receipt of the sanction of Government to the project.
102. Number of patients treated at veterinary hospitals.—
During the year 119,576 in and out-patients were treated at
the 29 district and the college veterinary hospitals as compared
with 103,459 patients in 1937-38 and 100,790 in 1936-37.
In addition 22,380 castrations were performed, 132,171 old cases
were treated as out-patients and 18,798 patients not brought to
hospitals were supplied with medicines as compared with 22,637
castrations, in 1937-38 and 21,015 in 1936-37, 135,818 old cases
and 19,961 patients supplied with medicines in the previous
year. Increase in work is mainly due to the fact that the
department is daily gaining the confidence of the public by its
HARNAUT F. V. D. DT. PATNA
RAJ VELY HOSPITAL, BETTIAH (CHAMPARAN).
PAKHNAHA FIELD VETY. DISPENSARY. (CHAMPARAN).
19
utilitarian activities especially in the rural areas. Of the total
number of 119,576 new patients, 65,870 were treated at
14 veterinary hospitals of the North Bihar Range, 40,329 at
10 veterinary hospitals of the Central Range and 13,377 at
6 veterinary hospitals of the Chota Nagpur Sub-Range, the
number of castrations performed in these ranges were 14,184,
6,188 and 2,008, respectively.
CHAPTER IV.
BREEDING OPERATIONS.
103. Control of Live-stock improvement.—The general
policy of Government as regards cattle-breeding operations in
the province is still under consideration of Government and
accordingly the activities of the Department continued to
remain confined to the Cattle Breeding Farm, Patna, only.
104. Stud Bulls.—During the year 2 stud bulls were
obtained by the district board of Muzaffarpur. The total number
of bulls at stud at the end of the year was 48 with a net cost
of Rs. 7,702 for their up-keep.
Particulars are shown in
table VIA. The bulls maintained by Government are under the
control of the Agriculture Department.
105. Castration.—The campaign to eliminate the scrub
bulls as an essential corollary to improvement of breeds was
pushed on by the veterinary staff, as usual. During the year,
a total of 115,826 bulls and bull calves were castrated by the
staff as compared witb 116,043 in the year 1937-38 ; of these
58,279 were castrated in the North Bihar Range, 42,211 in the
Central Range and 15,336 in the Chota Nagpur Sub-Range.
CATTLE FARM.
CATTLE BREEDING FARM, PATNA.
106. Staff.—I supervised the work of the Farm throughout
the year.
Babu M. M. Banerji, Veterinary Inspector of the Civil
Veterinary Department, held the post of manager up to the
3rd January, 1939, after which he reverted to his substantive
post on relief by Babu Sunder Lall who worked as a Farm
Manager during the remainder of the year.
107. Livestock.—On the 1st of April, 1938, the Farm herd
consisted of 30 desi cows, 135 Tharparkar cows, 94 Tharparkar
male calves, 185 Tharparkar female calves, 26 cross-bred male
calves, 15 cross-bred female calves, 14 Tharparkar bulls,
71 bullocks and 1 pony or a total of 571 animals. During the
year 54 Tharparkar male calves, 74 Tharparkar female calves,
10 cross-bred male calves and 8 cross-bred female calves were
born and 2 Tharparkar bulls were received back from the Gram
Uthan Samity, Jasidih, raising the total to 719. Of this number,
there were 27 casualties, 79 animals were sold and 21 animals
were seat to Pinjrapole bringing down the strength of the herd
to 592 on the last day of the year as shown in table XVI.
20
108. Disease and disease protection.—The 27 casualties
of the Farm Stock were due to the following diseases :—
Johnes Disease, Foot and
Mouth disease, parasitic
Diarrhoea, Pneumonia, Uremia, Metritis, Entritis, Piroplasmosis
and Internal Hæmorrhage.
Examination of faeces of the Farm young stock revealed
a large scale infestation with intestinal worms.
As some positive cases of Johnes Disease were detected
during the year, all the Farm stock were tested for Johnes
Disease by double intradermal test which revealed 17 reactors.
As in previous year Foot and Mouth disease again appeared
in the herd in the last week of February, 1939 and in a few days
spread to all the dairy stock. The whole herd was mixed
together in order to shorten the duration of the disease. The
disease was of a very virulent type and 8 deaths occurred
amongst young stock.
All the Farm cattle were protected with Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia and Black quarter vaccines in the month of June
and 57 animals were vaccinated with Goat Tissue Virus against
Rinderpest.
The Camp Jail which accommodates the Reserve Police
Foree causes the Farm authorities considerable concern and
hampers their attempts at disease control because a number of
village cattle are always allowed in the Jail area which carry the
virus of infectious diseases like Foot and Mouth from the
neighbouring herds. Unless some satisfactory arrangements are
arrived at in this respect there will always be the danger of some
serious epidemic being introduced amongst the Farm Stock
resulting in considerable loss to Government and worry and
anxiety to Farm authorities.
109. Disposal of surplus stock.—Thirty-two cows, 23 heifers,
23 bull calves and 1 bullock were sold by public auction and
Rs. 1,948-4-0 was realised. Details are given in table XVI.
110. Milk and milk products.—Sixty-five lbs. of milk was
brought over on the 1st April, 1938. The total milk yield during
the year was 370,382½ lbs. or an average of 10.8 lbs. per cow per
day against 395,272 lbs. during the last year or a decrease of
24,889½ lbs.
The decrease in milk may be attributed to the outbreak of
Foot and Mouth disease of a virulent type which affected all the
milch cows. The average number of cows in milk per day
during the year was 94. The average milk yield of the country-
bred cows throughout the year works out at about 9 lbs. per head
per day while that of Tharparkar cows at 11.8 lbs.
111. Manufacture of Butter —The manufacture of butter
from buffalo milk was taken up mainly to provide separated
milk to the weaned calves, to train students and to meet the
requisitions of cream and butter from public and the Hospital as
the Farm-milk was not sufficient to cope with the increased
demand under these heads.
21
Five-thousand seven-hundred and thirty lbs. of buffalo milk
was purchased from outside for the manufacture of butter. The
outturn of butter from the buffalo milk was 271 lbs. 6 ozs. The
cream before being churned is pasteurized.
Out of the total quantity of 370,447½ lbs. of milk, 346,580f
lbs. were sold, 7,741½ lbs. were separated for cream, 5,082f lbs.
were lost in measuring and bottling and the balance 11,042½ lbs.
was fed to the calves.
In addition to the disposal of milk, in the manner indicated
above, 544 lbs. 6 ozs. of cream, 188 lbs. of butter and 112 lbs.
10 ozs. of ghee was sold.
112. Cultivation.—The total area under cultivation was 303
acres; 213 bighas 10 cottahs and 3 dhurs were leased out at
a rental of Rs. 2,454-10-9, Rs. 870-8-0 was realised during the
year as rent and credited, to Government. A further sum of
Rs. 586-9-0 has since been realised up-to-date leaving a balance
of Rs. 997-9-9 which, it is expected, will be realised early.
Juar, maize, gram, oats, pea, paddy, mung, bajra, Sudan grass,
elephant grass, burseem and lucerne, etc., were grown on the Farm
Elephant (Napier) grass which had been standing for a very long
time in one place and had become coarse and comparatively
innutritious was transplanted and 1 acre of Guinea grass was put
down in plot no. 2 and in the garden north of plot no. 4.
The ditches along the Railway line have been levelled for
paddy cultivation and it has provided about 8 acres of land.
The total outturn of monsoon rabi and kharif crops was
32,134 mds. 7 seers including green fodder and bhusa valued at
Rs. 34,645-12-0 at a cultivation expenditure of Rs. 10,843-1-0.
The rabi crop was a failure due to excessive and untimely
rainfall. Details are shown in table XVII.
Trees and Orchards.—The fruit trees were settled for the
season at a rental of Rs. 775 and all the juice-producing palm
and date trees for the year at a rental of Rs. 600. Rs. 1,375
was realised during the year and credited to Government.
113. Irrigation and Drainage.—The supply of water for
irrigating the farm land was inadequate although there was some
relief with the supply of water from the temporary Camp Jail
tube-well, 2 Rahat pumps have also been fixed up in the existing
wells and will be of some help.
Drainage of the Farm is also unsatisfactory.
114. Plants and Machinery.—Improved chains attached to
rods were introduced for tying bullocks as the previous system
was not satisfactory.
Calves stanchions of wood were also made to secure them at
the time of feeding milk.
The following additional registers were opened for the proper
running and control of the Farm :—
(1) Complaint Register, (2) Complaint Book with the
delivery men.
Requisition
Book of different