48
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
inoculation. The text of the orders now in force provides for the compulsory inoculation
of cattle exposed to danger in certain selected districts and all inoculations with serum
are to be performed free of charge.*
The process of so-called " hyperimmunization " was definitely abandoned ; no cattle
were bled out for " virus " during the year, and the method of anti-rinderpest serum manu-
facture is now as humane as any other method of serum production.
Experiments in connection with the action of salts in provoking an increase in immune
bodies when injected into the circulation, according to principles laid down by Madsen,
had progressed so far towards the latter part of the year that salt injection was practised
as a routine measure in the case of the majority of the buffaloes used for serum production
at Izatnagar during the cold weather.
Active immunization against rinderpest, by the serum-simultaneous method. Consider-
ing the large extent to which passive immunization, by the "serum alone " method, is
practised in India, it is rather surprising to find that the system of conferring a permanent
immunity has been undertaken hitherto on a relatively diminutive scale, especially when
account is taken of the wide application that the method finds in African territories beset
with the disease. The reasons why the system has not hitherto found much favour
in India except on Government-owned establishments, where it is largely now systema-
tically adopted, are to be found in the disfavour of cattle owners towards the inoculation
of blood and also in the risks, although perhaps small in degree, and the trouble connected
with the form of inoculation. Much pains have been taken by the laboratory during
recent years to propagate the method, by simplifying the procedure to be adopted while
safeguarding it as far as possible from danger, and the method of inoculation is now
prescribed in printed circular instructions in which the various steps to be taken are pre-
cisely explained. A rather serious inconvenience connected with the method is that of
obtaining suitable virulent blood at the place of inoculation, for even richly virulent blood
may lose its virulency within three days of withdrawal, and it has been found that if
*Copy of G. O. No. Press 1004 Dev., dated 23rd May 1924.
Read the following paper :—
From the Chief Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, No. 845-A—23, dated
4th October 1923.
Order :—
In his letter C. No. 845-A-23, dated 4th October 1923, the Chief Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, submitted proposals for making inoculation against rinderpest
compulsory in infected areas to which the Madras Cattle Diseases Act, 1866, is applied.
The Government have considered the proposals and are pleased to accept the principle
of compulsory inoculation by the " Serum alone " method. They are of opinion that
compulsory inoculation should at first be introduced only in selected places at the dis-
cretion of District Magistrates or in Madras City of the Commissioner of the Corporation
and on the advice of the Veterinary Department. The inoculations should be done free
of charge.
2. The following notification will be published in the Fort St. George Gazette :—
Notification.
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 18 of the Madras Cattle Diseases Act,
1866, the Government of Madras (Ministry of Development) are pleased to make the
following by-law :—
In any district or part of a district in which the provisions of the Madras Cattle
Diseases Act, 1866, are put in force, the District Magistrate, or in the city of Madras, the
Commissioner of the Corporation may, if he considers such a course necessary in order
to check the spread of rinderpest where this disease exists, order compulsory inoculation
by the ''Serum alone" method by the officers of the Civil Veterinary Department.
(By order of the Government, Ministry of Development.)
(Sd.) F. NOYCE,
Secretary to Government.