NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BENGAL,
FOR THE YEAR
1914-1915.
PREFACE and General Administration.
I HELD charge of the department throughout the year. I was on tour 112
days and travelled 290 miles by road, 7.909 by rail and 770 by river.
Mr. MacGregor, officer on training at the Bengal Veterinary College,
accompanied me on tour for training in district work during the college
vacation in April, May and June.
Serampore Municipality
Maida District Board
Dacca Municipality
Barisal District Board
Noakhali District Board
...
...
...
...
...
1
1
1
2
1
There were 69 veterinary assistants working in the province. I
inspected about half of these men and interviewed the local authorities con-
cerned with a view to obtain their co-operation in
the work of extending the department. The local
authorities named in the margin employed 6
more
veterinary assistants during the year.
Fifteen more veterinary assistants in the districts
named below have also been sanctioned and applications for 3 more assistants
are now pending receipt of Government sanction.
24-Parganas
Burdwan
Murshidabad
Mymensingh
Rajshahi
Rangpur
Jessore
Jalpaiguri
Tippera
Bankura
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
1
2
1
0
2
1
2
2
1
My routine inspection tours have rather suffered this year owing to my
being called back to attend glanders outbreaks, and also through the
necessity arising for my revisiting places several times—notably Dacca and
Rangpur.
From August to Xmas 1 remained in Calcutta as much as possible in
order to put in the requisite number of drills to make myself efficient as a
volunteer.
Veterinary dispensaries have been started in Khulna, Krishnagar,
Faridpur, Gaibandha. Jalpaiguri and Dacca Municipalities and the opening of
others in Alipore, Berhampore, Midnapore, Barisal and Rajshahi is under the
consideration of the local authorities.
I visited Dacca three times in connection with the selection of a site
for the veterinary hospital. The railway now propose to acquire a large
portion of the site selected by the Hon'ble Mr. P. 0. Lyon and acquired by us ;
the matter as to whether the remainder of the site will" be sufficient for our
requirements is under consideration of the Director of Agriculture.
2
I attended the Agricultural Conference at Rangpur and inspected the
Rangpur Farm three times and the Kalimpong Farm once.
I went to the Garo Hills in January to purchase some breeding bulls
required by several District Boards, but no suitable bulls were available.
In addition to inspection work, I attended outbreaks of glanders at
Chinsura, Rangpur, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Berhampore.
Part I—Veterinary Instruction.
The scheme sanctioned in the latter part of the last year for a senior
member of the subordinate staff to go on deputation to other provinces for
extra
training
was given effect this year, and Veterinary Inspector
Moulvi M. S. Chaudhuri was sent, last cold weather, to the Bombay Veterinary
College for one month, to the South Punjab for district work for one month,
and the Hissar Farm for one month.
From the report submitted by him it appears that the training has been
beneficial. The report has been submitted to the Director of Agriculture.
Part II—Treatment of Diseases.
Table II shows the number of deaths from contagious diseases reported
during the year.
The number of deaths reported of equines and bovines were 229 and
15,707, respectively, against 279 and 12,847 of the previous year. The increase
noticed is apparently due to the greater interest taken by the police in keep-
ing more accurate records of these figures in most districts. All these figures
have been checked by the veterinary assistants locally as far as possible.
Although an improvement has been noticed in many districts in reporting
outbreaks of cattle diseases much still remains to be done to bring the system
into proper working order. In many instances it has come to my notice that
the reports of outbreaks were received by the veterinary assistants after the
disease had subsided. Up to date very few reports have been received from
officers of other departments as a result of the order of Government, alluded
to in the previous year's report, enjoining their co-operation in this direction.
Attention of the authorities concerned may be drawn again to this important
matter.
Equine.
Glanders.—Thirty-eight cases of deaths were reported from 4 districts
excluding 167 from Sodepur Pinjrapole against 36 from 6 districts in the
previous year. The outbreaks were severe in all these four districts as-
per details below :—
DISTRICT.
Hooghly
Berhampore
Darjeeling
Rangpur
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total
Number of
animals tested.
... 28
... 24
... 23
... 23
... 98
Number
destroyed.
8
10
13
7
38
Anthrax.—Only 4 cases of deaths under this head have been reported from
Mymensingh and the disease was confirmed by bacteriological examination.
Surra.—Five cases were reported from Dacca.
Other Diseases.—There were 15 deaths from other diseases, of which 10
occurred at the Sodepur Pinjrapole. No details are available.
3
Bovine.
Rinderpest.—This disease was, as usual, fairly prevalent throughout the
province. Mymensingh, Burdwan, 24-Parganas, Murshi labad, Dacca, Rangpur,
Tippera and Midnapore appeared to be affected most seriously.
The mortality from this disease was 13,662 against 10,318 of the
previous year.
All possible measures were taken by the veterinary assistants to prevent
1he spread of this disease, but the heavy loss is duo to the following causes :—
(1) Late receipt or non-receipt of outbreak reports.
(2) Oppositions offered by the villagers to have their cattle inoculated.
(3) Stoppage of serum-supply for some time at the beginning of the
year.
Of these, No. 2 is the most serious cause, but another which tends to the
spread of the disease is the indiscriminate removal of the hides of the animals
which die of this disease. Some measures should be taken to put a stop to
this practice.
Foot-and-mouth.— Loss from this disease was comparatively small this
year, being 587 against 610 of the previous year. Of this number 335 occurred
in Jalpaiguri district
Haemorrhagic Septicaemia.—This disease appeared in a sporadic form in
almost all the districts, and 1,021 animals succumbed to it against. 1.624 of the
previous year, the highest mortality being recorded in the district of Mymen-
singh where 252 animals died of it. Preventive inoculation was carried out
in the districts of Khulna, Midnapore, Bankura, Malda, Dinajpur and
Mymensingh.
Blackquarter.—Only 6 deaths were reported from the district
of
Mymensingh.
Anthrax.—This disease is reported to have caused 46 deaths against 41
of the previous year. Of these. 40 occurred in the Sodepur Pinjrapole alone.
The disease was only confirmed
by bacteriological examination in
Mymensingh town where 1 stud bull and 4 hackney-carriage ponies died of
the disease. Fifty-two horses and 59 cattle were inoculated.
Other Diseases.—Three hundred and eighty-five deaths wore, reported
against 237 of the previous year. No details are available.
Contagious Diseases among other animals.—The total number of deaths
under this head was 14 against. 10 of the previous year.
Preventive inoculation.
Table III shows the record of preventive inoculation performed during
the year.
Inoculation was undertaken in 362 outbreaks, and 39,882 animals were
inoculated as per details below against 252 outbreaks and 29,393 animals.
respectively, of the previous year :—
Rinderpest
...
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia ...
Anthrax
Bovine
... Equine
...
...
...
...
Total ...
... 37,813
...
1,958
... 59
... 52
... 39,882
Besides the above figures, 1,198 animals were inoculated by the college
staff in Calcutta and its suburbs.
The death-rate among the inoculated was very small, being 224 in all, a
little over 1 per cent.
The increase in the number of inoculation is due to the greater prevalence
of rinderpest during the year ; it would have been still greater, had not the
supply of serum from the Mukteswar Laboratory been stopped for some time
during the early part of the year.
4
In some districts such as Burdwan, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Barisal,
Rangpur, the people in the rural tracts are still opposed to this method of
treatment, but the good results obtained and the gradual development of the
department will, I think, gradully overcome their prejudices.
Rupees 9,687-8 was paid during the year to the Imperial Bacteriologist on
account of the cost of serum supplied. Of this, Rs. 3,504-8 is recoverable
under orders of Government from the districts in West Bengal, named below,
at 2 annas per dose of serum used.
24-Parganas ...
Khulna ...
Nadia ...
Murshidabad ...
Burdwan ...
Ditto
Municipality
Birbhum ...
Midnapore ...
Bankura ...
Hooghly ...
Serampore Municipality
Darjeeling ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Rs. A.
595 12
638 2
9 6
274 0
521 14
12 8
112 12
205 0
465 8
318 12
22 12
328 2
3,504 8
In accordance with the recent order of Government, the District Boards of
Eastern Bengal will this year be charged for the serum they use at the same
rate.
Table IV.
Table IV shows the work of the itinerant veterinary assistants during
the year.
There were 44 itinerant veterinary assistants working in the province
and 14 stationary veterinary assistants placed in charge of dispensaries who
toured in the interior either at fixed periods or at the time of outbreaks.
The number of cases treated increased from 50,598 to 53.287. or an
increase of 2,689 and the number of villages visited by them from 9.810
to 10,189.
In the following districts there is a decrease from last year principally
due to foot-and-mouth disease being less prevalent :—
Bankura, Nadia, Jessore, Khulna, Mymensingh, Faridpur, Barisal,
Tippera and Pabna.
Hospitals and Dispensaries.
Table V shows the working of the hospitals and dispensaries. There
were 18 dispensaries at the close of the previous year and 6 were added
during the year, making a total of 24, all of which were inspected either by me
or the Circle inspectors, except those at Sodepur Pinjrapole, Howrah. and
Cooch Behar, which are managed privately and are outside my jurisdiction.
The dispensary at Cooch Behar was closed during the early part of the
year for want of a suitable man. Application has been made for the services
of a veterinary assistant of the Provincial Service to work under the supervi-
sion and inspection of this department.
Of the 6 new dispensaries opened during the year, in five cases, viz.,
Khulna, Krishnagar, Faridpur. Gaibandha and Jalpaiguri. the veterinary
assistants in charge have to work in the mufassal also when required. In
one case only, viz., at Dacca, the veterinary assistant is a purely stationary
one. This dispensary is, however, intended solely for the treatment of
animals of the Dacca Municipality.
At Jalpaiguri, the dispensary is now held temporarily in a room of the
Commissioner's office pending construction of a building for the purpose.
5
The total number of cases treated at the dispensaries was 24,049 against
21,503 of the previous year. The addition of the new dispensaries may
account for a part of this increase. The increase against Chinsurah,
Mymensingh and Chittagong is due to the increased popularity of the institu-
tions and is a credit to the ability of the veterinary assistants employed
there. The large falling-oil noticed against Tippera Dispensary is due to the
absence of foot-and-mouth disease in the neighbourhood, of which 315 cases
only were treated by the veterinary assistant this year against 1,798 of the
previous year.
Opening of dispensaries at Bagerhat, Satkhira, Berhampore, Midnapore,
Alipore, Rajshahi, Barisal is now under consideration of the District Boards
concerned.
Part III—Breeding operations.
Table VIII shows the number of stud bulls in the province as reported
by the local authorities.
Excluding the jail bulls there are at present only 28 bulls maintained in
the whole province.
Continued efforts are being made through this department to impress
upon the minds of the people the necessity and advantage for care in breed-
ing and management of cattle, but appreciable result is slow to appear.
Some districts are trying to obtain good bulls and applications were
received from them to find suitable animals, but I was unfortunately unable
to supply them.
Fairs and shows.
Tables XIII and XIV give particulars of the fairs and shows held during
the year.
In all these fairs the veterinary inspectors and assistants, when attend-
ing, delivered lectures to the people present on veterinary matters, explain-
ing to them the methods of treatment of disease and management of cattle.
A
Bull Rearing and Breeding Farms and Depots.
Table IX shows the working of the farms in the province.
The farms at Kalimpong and Rangpur are the only breeding farms in
Bengal.
Horse and Pony Stallion.
There was no horse or pony stallion in this province. Tables X, XI and
XII are therefore blank.
Part IV—Subordinate Establishment.
Table VII shows the strength of the subordinate staff of this depart-
ment employed during the year.
The strength of the subordinate staff of the department at the beginning
of the year was 6 inspectors, 4 staff veterinary assistants, 6 reserve
veterinary assistants and 63 district veterinary assistants. Six veterinary
assistants were added to the staff during the year, making the total number
of veterinary assistants employed in the districts to be 69. Of this number
11 were purely stationary, 14 both itinerant and stationary, and 44 itinerant
only.
As a result of the remarks made in the previous year's report, the
District Boards have applied for more men than the department can supply
this year, and several new appointments have had to be postponed till next
year when new graduates from the Bengal Veterinary College will be
available.
7
This system might improve if chaukidars in villages were encouraged in-
this respect by giving some remuneration out of the Chaukidari Fund for all
verified outbreaks promptly reported.
Cattle poisoning.—As reported last year, this practice is most common
in Bengal, and I can only reiterate my recommendation that more stringent
legislation be introduced regulating the possession and sale of poisons
particularly arsenic.
Office Establishment.—The office staff have, as a whole, worked well.
Maulvi Dalliluddin Ahmed, the Accountant, is still on sick leave throughout
the year. This has entailed extra work for the rest of the staff, particularly
the head clerk, as substitutes have a habit, after learning the work, of
getting permanent posts elsewhere.
My office safe was burgled on 1st March and Rs. 616 stolen. The duftry
was prosecuted for abetting the robbery, but was discharged for want of
evidence.
A special report of this has been submitted to Government and orders
thereon are awaited.
I have much pleasure in acknowledging the valuable assistance 1 have
received from all the District Officers with whom I have had to deal.
Obituary.—I regret to have to report that the three undermentioned
veterinary assistants died during the year :—
Babu N. B. Das.
„ A. C. Chaki.
„ K. C. Mitter.
P. J. KERR.
Superintendent,
Civil Vety. Dept..
Bengal.
TABLE II
Showing number of deaths from contagious diseases amongst animals
during
the year 1914-15.
PROVINCE
1
Bengal—
1. Burdwan
2. Birbhum
3. Bankura
4. Midnapur
5. Hooghly ..........................
6. Howrah
7. Sodepur Pinjrapole
8.
24-Parganas
9. Nadia
10. Morshidabad
11. Jessore
12. Khulna
13.
Darjeeling
14. Cooch Behar
15. Dacca
18. Mymensingh ...................
17. Faridpur
18. Bakarganj
19. Chittagong
20. Tippera
21. Noakhali
22. Chittagong Hill Tracts ...
23. Raishahi
24. Dinajpur
25. Jalpaiguri
26. Rangpur
27. Bogra
28. Pabna
29. Malda
Total
EQUINES.
Glanders.
2
...
...
...
...
8
...
167
...
...
10
...
...
13
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
...
...
...
206
Anthrax.
3
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
Surra.
4
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
5
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
5
Other
contagi-
ous diseases.
5
...
...
...
...
3
...
10
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
2
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
15
Total.
6
...
...
...
...
11
...
177
...
...
10
...
...
13
...
7
4
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
...
...
...
229
BOVINES.
Rinderpest.
7
1,325
247
453
534
346
...
742
1.242
270
949
...
434
69
264
828
1,728
1
212
214
555
113
...
16
324
528
623
275
1,025
375
13,662
Foot-and-mouth
disease.
8
...
...
5
...
36
...
100
4
...
3
...
...
44
...
...
7
2
...
17
19
3
...
...
6
335
4
...
...
2
587
Hæmorrhagic
septicæmia.
9
...
...
69
34
...
...
10
50
21
5
101
56
10
...
...
252
...
6
122
14
...
...
...
8
141
...
54
54
14
1,021
Blackquarter.
10
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6
Anthrax.
11
...
...
...
...
...
...
40
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
1
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
...
...
...
...
46
Other contagions
diseases.
12
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
5
...
...
...
3
...
...
...
...
...
...
28
204
109
...
...
...
27
...
...
...
2
385
Total.
13
1,325
247
527
568
382
...
869
1,301
291
957
101
493
123
264
829
1,994
3
218
381
792
225
...
16
338
1,035
627
329
1,079
393
15,707
OTHERS.
Rabies.
14
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
12
...
...
...
1
13
Distemper
of
dogs.
15
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
1
Total.
16
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
12
...
...
...
2
14
ii
TABLE III.
Statement showing results of preventive inoculation during the
year 1914-15.
DISTRICT.
1
24-Parganas
...
...
Murshidabad
Nadia
Khulna
Burdwan
Birbhum
Bankura
Hooghly
Midnapore
Darjeeling
Malda
Jalpaiguri
Rajshahi
Bogra
Sirajpur
Rangpur
Pabna
Dacca
Faridpur
Mymensingh
Chittagong
Tippera
Noakhali
Total ...
Khulna
Midnapur
Bankura
Malda
Dinajpur ... ....
Mymensingh
Total ...
Mymensingh
GRAND TOTAL ...
Bengal
Veterinary
College.
Name of disease
against which
inoculation
was carried
out.
2
Rinderpest ...
.........
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia.
......
Anthrax ...
......
Rinderpest ...
Method of
inoculation
followed.
3
Serum alone
method.
i
......
Serum alone
method.
......
Serum
alone
method.
......
Serum
alone
method.
Number of
outbreaks
in which
inoculation
was under-
taken.
4
24
7
1
50
10
6
6
12
17
3
23
15
3
9
19
18
31
10
1
01
4
10
5
340
6
3
1
1
1
8
20
2
362
23
NUMBER OF ANIMALS
WHICH DIED UNINOCUL-
ATED IS COURSE
OF OUTBREAKS.
Equines.
5
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
4
...
Bovines.
6
681
95
4
406
225
155
44
138
252
20
278
122
40
86
173
486
267
357
1
534
79
100
41
4,584
35
10
8
8
5
78
144
1
4,729
49
NUMBER OF
ANIMALS INOCULATED.
Equines
7
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
52
52
...
Bovines.
8
3,833
1,185
225
3,742
2,328
889
1,424
1.536
1,538
142
2,839
2,049
596
451
2,275
2,989
3,434
1,219
21
3,055
434
1,060
549
37,813
663
345
100
35
200
615
1,958
59
39,830
1,198
NUMBER OF
INOCULATEDANIMALS
WHICH DIED
OF THE
DISEASE.
Bovines.
9
45
1
......
33
8
......
......
26
2
......
14
18
5
......
14
7
17
......
18
7
6
......
221
3
.....
.....
....
....
.....
3
224
5
V
TABLE VII
Showing the total strength of Subordinate Veterinary Staff of Bengal
during the year 1914-15.
DISTRICT.
1
Burdwan
...
Buirbhum ...
Hoogly
...
Bankura ...
Howrah
...
Midnapur
...
24-Parganas
...
Nadia
...
Murshidabad
...
Khulna
...
Jessore
..
Dacca ...
Dacca
...
Mymensingh
...
Faridpur
...
Bakarganj
...
Chittagong
...
Tippera
...
Noakhali
...
Rajshahi ...
Dinajpur ...
Jalpaiguri ...
Rangpur
...
Bogra ...
Pabna
...
Malda
...
Darjeeling
...
Cooch Behar ...
Sodepur Pinjrapole
Bengal
Veterinary
College.
How employed.
2
Inspectors ...
Staff Veterinary Assist-
ant.
Reserve
Veterinary
Assistant.
Stationary ...
Itinerant
Stationary and Itinerant
Stationary
...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant* ...
Itinerant ...
Stationary ...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Dttio ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Stationary ...
Itinerant ...
Stationary ...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Stationary ...
Itinerant ...
Stationary ...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Stationary ..
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Itinerant ...
Itinerant and stationary
Stationary ...
Total ...
In schools or Colleges ...
In hospital ...
On other work ...
Total ...
GRAND TOTAL ...
Whether
paid from
Provincial or
Local funds.
3
Provincial ...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Private
...
Provincial ...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
Private ...
Do. ...
......
Provincial ...
Ditto
...
Ditto
...
.......
......
Veterinary Inspector.
4
6
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
......
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6
...
1
9(b)
10
16
Veterinary Assistant.
5
...
4
6
1
1
1
1
3 1
1
1
1
3
3
2*
2
3*
1
3
1
5
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
3*
1
2*
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
79
...
2
...
2
81
Subordinate teaching staff.
6
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6(a)
...
...
6
6
REMARKS.
7
For 5 Riparian Munici-
palities.
New
Municipal
Dispen-
saries.
Two new posts.
A new post.
*(a)
Assistant Principal 1
Lecturers
5
6
(b) Glanders Inspectors 8
Court Veterinary
Inspector
... 1
9
* These officers are
all
ranked
as
Deputy
Superintendents.
* One of them is both itinerant and stationary.