4
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
as stated at the commencement of this report, the costs of manufacturing
the rinderpest preventive there are disproportionately high as compared
with the estimated costs generally on the plains, for Muktesar is located
in an isolated situation, in the Himalayan foothills, at an altitude of
7,500 feet above sea-level, and 24 miles by bridle path from the nearest
railhead (Kathgodam, R. & K. Railway). The isolation of the station
makes transport arrangements to it difficult and expensive, and the costs
of foodstuffs for animals and other necessities unduly high. The area
of land acquired at Izatnagar about 13 years ago has thus been rapidly
developed for the maintenance of serum producing animals during the
last three years, and with the precise knowledge obtained as the result of
intensive economic research executed in the meantime at Muktesar it
has been found possible to undertake continuous manufacture, throughout
the year, at the plains sub-station. Now, the procedure at the sub-
station is to place the buffaloes on anti-rinderpest serum production for
an appropriate period of time ; then they are immediately prepared for
the production of serum against Hæmorrhagic septicæmia (the second
most formidable cattle disease of India—in the Punjab, the worst); and
now, extensive work is being done to exploit the possibilities of putting
these same buffaloes on again to the manufacture of serum against a
third formidable disease, namely anthrax. After having delivered
in this manner the wherewithal to defend many scores of their fellow
creatures against decimating disease the animals are sold at a remu-
nerative price, leaving the laboratory often in fitter and fatter con-
dition than when they entered it.
The sera manufactured at Izatnagar are returned in large containers
to Muktesar, for storage, careful titration by test upon animals as to po-
tency, mixed as indicated by the tests, and then issued for field use with
guarantees as to their efficacy. In the present state of our knowledge
this procedure is the most satisfactory and economical that can be
devised.
Much has been done during the year in endeavouring to manufacture
products for warding off other serious diseases among cattle in India,
and the most notable achievement has been the production of a perfectly
safe and sure preventive against the common mortal affection of young
cattle known as blackquarter ; the product is the so-called " germ-free
filtrate " or " aggressin " and the reports now forthcoming from the
field concerning its use, especially as compared with the results obtained
after the use of the " pillule " vaccine formerly administered, are most
encouraging (see Appendix I).
In undertaking the routine work of the laboratory a total number of
895 souls are daily employed on an average, comprising the technical
veterinary staff, engineering staff, farm staff, office staff, menials and daily
labour (coolies and gwallas).
Education. A strenuous endeavour has been made with the limited
staff available to expand the natural function of the laboratoy as a pre-
siding centre over veterinary education and learning in India. Its