MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
5
resources in material for this purpose are unique, probably for the whole
world, but little further progress can be made unless the permanent trained
staff of the laboratory is strengthened and suitable accommodation pro-
vided for the visitors who come here to be taught.
One Officer (a professor of the Madras Veterinary College) entered the
laboratory to commence the two years' course of training for Provincial
officers selected for promotion to Imperial grade.
One officer of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps undertook a syste-
matic two months' course of training.
One officer of the Indian Veterinary Service underwent one month's
training.
Fourteen selected Provincial officers and subordinates from the Provin-
cial veterinary services undertook special systematic courses of training,
ranging in duration from two to six months. It was thought that the
training for short periods, particularly in the practical methods of
modern disease investigation, of selected subordinates from the Provinces
would conduce most effectively towards the rapid dissemination of
important information concerning the control of animal disease
throughout India. Experience shows that this form of instruction is
the most profitable kind to take up in the interests of the country and
the laboratory, and when the requisite staff is sanctioned by Government
it is hoped to resume this work intensively.
RESEARCH. (a) Rinderpest. Intensive research was again prose-
cuted upon this most serious morbid entity of cattle in India and striking
advances were made in regard to our knowledge upon the etiology of the
disease and the phenomena attendant upon immunity production. The
factors which govern the survival of the virus in blood withdrawn from
infected animals were investigated, and with the information forthcoming
it has been found possible to devise means of transporting the virus readily
throughout India in a state fit for use in the active immunization of cattle
in the field against the disease, by the so-called serum-simultaneous
method. In the production of a potent anti-serum for use in combating
the disease it was discovered that "hyperimmunization " of the serum
producers, which has hither to been regarded as indispensable, was quite
unnecessary, and that immune animals (buffaloes) could furnish a
satisfactory serum for a period extending over three months by merely
adjusting the dosage of serum administered to them in the initial treat-
ment, with virus and serum simultaneously, so that they exhibited a de-
cided febrile reaction. In the process of active immunization in the field,
however, the dosage of serum necessary to produce the optimum effect
upon inoculated animals was found to be one administered in such ex-
cess that the subsequent reaction was " symptomless " or " blocked out,"
so that the animals were not constitutionally depressed to a degree likely
to evoke resuscitation of dormant internal parasites, notably coccidia.
Systematic tests carried out for over two years indicated that a powerful
and durable immunity could be readily set up in very young calves by the
application of the serum-simultaneous treatment. Researches covering