NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
[Maximum limit of report—nine pages.]
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PARAGRAPHS.
1.
2—4.
5—11.
Preface ... ... ... ...
Officers in charge ... ... ... ...
Extent and duration of tour ... ... ... ...
Pages,
i
ib.
1—4
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.
12-17. Veterinary colleges and schools ... ... ...
4 and 5
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
18-34.
35.
36-41.
42.
43—17.
Contagious disease, outbreaks, mortality and preventive inocula-
tion ... ... ... ... ... ...
Diseases treated by veterinary assistant surgeons on tour ...
Investigation of disease ... ... ... ... ...
Cattle-poisoning ... ... ... ... ...
Veterinary hospitals and dispensaries ... ... ...
5—7
7
8 and 9
9
9 and 10
III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
(1) BOVINE.
48. Stud bulls ... ... ... ... ...
10
(2) SHEET-BREEDING.
49. Sheep-breeding ... ... ... ... ...
ib.
(3) POULTRY-BREEDING.
50. Poultry-breeding ... ... ... ... ...
ib.
(4) EQUINE.
(i) Horse and pony stallions.
51 and 52.—
53—55.
5G and 57.
Number of stallions ... ... ... ...
Number at stud work, details of coverings and opening of new
stands ... ... ... ... ...
Issue of covering and foaling certificates and improvement of
horse-breeding in non-selected districts ... ...
ib.
10 and 11
11
(ii) Donkey stallions.
58.
59.
Number of stallions, number at stud work and details of cover-
ings ... ... ... ... ...
Fairs and shows ... ... ... ... ...
ib.
ib.
IV.—SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT.
60—62. Number, supervision and work performed ... ...
12
V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
61. Expenditure of the department ... ... ...
12
VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.
65. Special features of the year's work ... ... ...
12 and 13
( ii )
PARAGRAPHS.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73 and 74.
Treatment of surra
Apathy of district boards pertaining to veterinary department
Mobile squad
Training of students in England
Experiments on Kumri in horses
Death of Babu Srish Chandra Bhattacharjya
Issue of sanads
Acknowledgment of assistance given by officers and subordinate
staff of the department
Programme of work for 1928-29
Pages,
13
t/>.
14
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
15
LIST OF APPENDICES.
Table no.
„
„
II.—Deaths from contagious diseases amongst animals
III.—Results of preventive inoculation ...
IV.—Number of animals treated anl castrated by veterinary
assistant surgeons on tour
V.—Number of animals treated at hospitals and dispensaries
VII.—Total strength of subordinate establishment ...
X.—Return of horse, pony and donkey stallions
XI.—Services and produce of each class of horse, pony and
donkey stallions
XIV.—Abstract of particulars regarding cattle fairs and shows ...
XIV-A.—Cost of Civil Veterinary department in the province
17
18-20
21
22 and 23
24—26
27 and 28
29
30
31
Sketch map of the United Provinces showing distribution
of the operations of the department.
Annual Report on the Civil Veterinary department
United Provinces, 1927-28.
1. The administration report on the department for the year
ending March 31, 1928, is herewith submitted.
2. I held charge of the department during the whole of the year.
3. Captain W. H. Priston, Superintendent, held charge of the
Agra circle up to December 1, 1927, when he proceeded on leave out
of India for ten months and Mr. T. S. Davies, Deputy Superintendent,
Moradabad, took over charge of the office from him.
4. Khan Sahib Shaikh Niaz Mohammad officiated as Superin-
tendent, Allahabad circle, throughout the year.
5. Tours of officers.—During the year I remained on tour for 144
days and travelled (5,486 miles by rail and 2,950 miles by road and visited
32 districts. As necessity arose, some of the districts were visited
more than once. I inspected 48 veterinary hospitals and dispensaries as
well as the work of itinerating veterinary assistant surgeons during the
course of my tour. The stallion stands in the districts of Etawah,
Mainpuri, Moradabad, Sitapur and Rae Bareli have been inspected by
me. The stallion depot at Moradabad required my frequent attention
and I had to visit that institution several times during the year for the
inspection and allocation of stallions to different district stands. I
attended the Poultry Show at Etah and a newly opened cattle fair at
Shahpur, district Sitapur. In the month of May, I proceeded to
Bombay to purchase stallions for the Local Government. I inspected
the offices of the circle superintendents at Agra and Allahabad and those
of the deputy superintendents at Jhansi, Moradabad and Basti. I con-
ferred with the Agricultural Adviser to the Government of India at
Bareilly in connexion with the question of reducing the price of serum
supplied to the hill tracts of Kumaun.
6. Captain W. H. Priston remained on tour for 111 days and
travelled 4,555 miles by rail and 1,378 miles by road. Mr. T. S. Davies,
while in charge of the office of the Superintendent, Agra circle, toured
for 57 days, travelling 879 miles by rail and 1,308 miles by road.
During the year, 39 veterinary dispensaries of the circle, the work of
3 itinerating veterinary asistant surgeons and 13 stallion stands were
inspected by them. Most of the institutions were inspected more than
once, and the inspections were generally done by surprise and unexpected
2
( 2 )
visits. Six important horse shows and cattle fairs were attended
by Captain Priston and Mr. Davies, judging at most of them
was conducted by the superintendent and the temporary dispensaries set
up at the fairs were inspected. Live-stock in many outlying villages
were inspected on the spot, investigation into the prevalence of cattle
diseases were carried out, and inoculations checked. Several unreported
cases were discovered, and immediate action was taken. Steps were
also taken to prevail over the orthodox villagers, and counsels were given
in favour of scientific methods of inoculation. A deal of the Lower
Garhwal was again explored and the results of inoculations in the
district were found to be good. Although veterinary improvements in
the district are urgently called for, the district board does not appear to
be quite alive to the situation, also there is a lack of funds. In June,
Captain Priston went to Lahore to examine final year students of the
Punjab Veterinary College.
7. Khan Sahib Shaikh Niaz Mohammad travelled 5,617 miles by
rail and 2,524 miles by road, and was 129 days on tour. He inspected
40 veterinary hospitals and dispensaries in 15 districts (most of which
were twice visited) and checked the work of 7 itinerating veterinary
assistant surgeons in 5 districts in connexion with which he per-
sonally verified some of the inoculations performed by the sub-
ordinate staff. Some outbreaks of cattle diseases were also
personally attended by him. In the course of his travels, he
interviewed the commissioners of divisions, district magistrates
and the chairmen, district boards, and a few other gentlemen
interested in the welfare of the department. He also inspected the
Municipal Veterinary Hospital, Mirzapur, at the request of the chair-
man, municipal board, and issued necessary instructions for their guid-
ance. He attended the Dewa Pair (Bara Banki) and the Dadri Fair
(Ballia) and acted as a member of the judging committee where demon-
strations and lectures on various useful veterinary subjects by the sub-
ordinate veterinary staff were supervised. He attended the first meeting
of the executive body of the Dadri Pair and District Agricultural Asso-
ciation, Ballia, organized under the presidentship of the district magis-
trate. He inspected stallion stands in the districts of Allahabad,
Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Gonda and Bara Banki. He also interviewed the
Special Manager of the Balrampur Estate during the year, and discussed
with him on veterinary matters concerning his estate.
8. Mr. T. S. Davies, Deputy Superintendent, Moradabad, held
charge of the sub-division up to the end of November, 1927, prior to
his transfer to Agra, and toured for 56 days, travelling 1,116 miles by
rail and 306 miles by road. He inspected 11 dispensaries and 4 stalltion
stands.
9. M. Ghulam Qadir officiated as Deputy Superintendent, Morad-
abad, from December 1, 1927, to the end of the year. His tour ranged
( 3 )
for 65 days, during which he travelled 1,972 miles by rail and 464 miles
by road. He inspected 21 veterinary dispensaries and 7 stallion stands
in his sub-division. He attended the horse and cattle fairs at Deorania,
district Bareilly, and the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition at
Moradabad. He checked the inoculations performed by the subordinate
veterinary staff and personally attended seats of outbreaks, wherever
necessary.
10. M. Moin Khan, Officiating Deputy Superintendent, held
charge of the Basti sub-division from April 1 to October 15, 1927, sub-
sequent to which date he was transferred to the Jhansi sub-division,
which he held under his charge to the end of the year. During the year
he toured for 153 days and travelled 5,553 miles by rail, and 656 miles
by road. While in Basti, he inspected 13 veterinary dispensaries, 3
stallion stands and checked the work of 7 itinerating veterinary assistant
surgeons. In the district of Bahraich he dealt with the outbreak of
rinderpest, and a number of inoculations were performed under his
supervision. He attended the Debi Patan Fair in the Gonda district
and made necessary arrangements. In the Jhansi sub-division he in-
spected 15 veterinary hospitals and dispensaries, 4 stallion stands, and
scrutinized the work of 2 itinerating veterinary assistant surgeons. He
attended a meeting of the district board, Jhansi, in the interest of the
department. In both the circles of Basti and Jhansi he called upon the
district officers to have their sympathy and co-operation in the smooth
working of the department. He also interviewed the chairmen, district
boards, in the interest of veterinary work in general. While on tour
he endeavoured to impress upon the general public the advantages of
this department, and explained to them by demonstrations and lectures
that the proper care of cattle lives was so important as those of human
beings, and that the prosperity of the country depended on the welfare
of the cattle-wealth for which the services of the Veterinary department
should best be utilized in the right direction. He also drew special
attention to the horse-breeding scheme.
11. M. Nazir Husain, Officiating Deputy Superintendent, held
charge of the Jhansi sub-division from April 1 to October 25, 1927,
when he was transferred to Basti sub-division. He toured for 214 days
in the year, travelling 6,445 miles by rail and 898 miles by road.
While in Jhansi he inspected 19 veterinary hospitals and dispensaries,
and the work of one itinerating veterinary assistant surgeon and 3
stallion stands. His proposal for the building of stallion stands at Jhansi
and Mauranipur has been accepted, and the stands have been built.
He also caused a Government stallion to be sent to Bath, district
Hamirpur. He attended outbreaks of cattle diseases in the district
of Cawnpore where it was violent in June and July, 1927, and got about
5,000 cattle inoculated under his supervision and checked inoculation
work at different places. On his proposal, Banda district board built
a stallion stand at Banda.
A vernacular pamphlet about cattle
( 4 )
epidemics was compiled by him with the approvals of the District
Magistrate and Chairman, District Board, Cawnpore, and the Super-
intendent, Civil Veterinary department, Agra, which were distributed
among villagers and patwaris for guidance.
In the Basti sub-division he inspected 14 veterinary hospitals and
dispensaries and checked the work of 3 itinerating veterinary assistant
surgeons. He inspected the stallion stands of Gorakhpur, Gonda and
Azamgarh. He also visited the bull stand at Gonda, and also 2 cattle
pounds in the Gorakhpur district. He attended the Dadri Pair in
Ballia district, and the horse and cattle exhibition at Gorakhpur. At
both the places he worked as a member of the judging committee and
supervised the veterinary staff under his control. While on tour he
tried to induce the people to take up horse-breeding.
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.
12. As reported in paragraph 12 of the last year's annual report,
supplementary estimates were passed by the Legislative Council and
3 stipendiary students, sent to the Bengal Veterinary College, Calcutta,
in July, 1927, for training. It has also been decided that 3 students
will be sent annually for 5 consecutive years as the Bengal Government
have made a special reduction in the tuition fee for that period.
13. The veterinary assistant surgeon attached to the office of the
Veterinary Adviser, having completed the course of special training at
the Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research at Muktesar, has been
promoted to the grade of a veterinary inspector and placed in charge of
the office laboratory and isolation wards at Lucknow. The practical
training at Muktesar afforded the subordinate to prove himself a very
useful assistant in my research work.
14. A veterinary assistant surgeon from Agra was deputed to under-
go training for a second course in bacteriological technique for 3 months.
on the completion of which he has been placed on a special experimental
and research work. It is proposed to put him in charge of the laboratory
in the office of the Superintendent, Agra circle, where he is expected
to prove himself worthy of the special qualifications attained by him.
15. It is now proposed to depute a third desirable veterinary
assistant surgeon to undergo practical training at the Muktesar labora-
tory who can befit himself to take charge of the laboratory in the office
of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary department, Allahabad.
16. The year under report has been specially marked by the
awardal of state scholarships valued at £290 a year, tenable for four
years, to two highly qualified Indian graduates in science, for the
study of veterinary science in the United Kingdom.
17. As in the previous years, demonstrative lectures were arranged
by the members of this department at the different cattle fairs and
shows about infectious diseases and care of animals, etc. These were
(5)
attended by the agriculturist community who took a keen interest in
them, and it was strengthened by the free distribution of pamphlets in
simple vernacular dealing with the causes and means of suppression of
cattle diseases containing valuable information.
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
See table II
18. There has been an increase this year in the number of deaths
reported from contagious diseases, the total mortality being 41,192 as
against 30,789 in the previous year. Rinderpest, unfortunately, has
been responsible for 30,742 deaths, although it is believed that the
number would have been appreciably less if the supply of serum had
not been suspended temporarily for want of funds. The large number
of deaths may, at the first sight, look depressing, but the fact is that
ignorant and superstitious vilagers are gradually shaking off their false
dread of Western scientific methods of animal treatment, and are now
coining out to supply correct information, which they were in the habit
of suppressing in the past. There is a reduction in the death-rate from
blackquarter and anthrax as compared with the last year. It is pleasing
to note that the death-rate among horses and ponies was comparatively
low.
19. Equine.—The figures under this head indicate the mortality
amongst equines in the whole of the province—selected and non-
selected districts. A sum of Rs. 63 was paid to poor owners towards
compensation for animals destroyed in the selected districts.
20. Glanders and Farcy.—There
was only one positive case of
this malady at Hardwar, district Saharanpur, detected during the big
Kumbh Fair which aroused a great professional interest as it proved to
he a case of mixed infection with simultaneous attacks of two different
infectious diseases, viz., glanders and surra.
21.—Surra.—The disease appeared this year in a less widespread
form than in the previous year. Twelve out of 48 districts in the
province had its outbreak of which three, viz., Muzaffarnagar, Meerut
and Bulandshahr were from the selected districts.
The disease
appeared, as in the previous year, about the middle of August and sub-
sided towards the end of December, 1927. The first case was reported
from Saharanpur district and due to prompt action being taken the
disease was well controlled, for which the staff employed at the work
is to be congratulated. A sum of Rs. 493 was paid towards compensa-
tion to the poor owners.
22. Anthrax.—No cases of this disease were reported to have
occurred during this year.
23. Dourine.—So far as information goes, there was no death from
this disease.
(6)
24. Other contagious diseases.—One
hundred and twenty-two
cases of deaths were reported under this heading which included cases
of strangles, tetanus, scabies, rabies, horse-pox and Miliary fever.
BOVINE.
25. Rinderpest.—During
the year, rinderpest was widely spread
throughout the province. The number of deaths being 30,742 as against
22,110 of the last year. In only 4 districts the mortality was below a
hundred and in 9, it rose to over a thousand, the highest being that in
Garhwal where it figured to 3,408 as against 8,365 in the previous year.
The comparison shows that the virulent form of epidemic that ravaged
the district of Garhwal in the previous year has greatly been controlled
by the help of the head-quarter staff in addition to the staff of veterinary
assistant surgeons maintained by the district board. The Government
have sanctioned a mobile squad of 10 veterinary assistant surgeons for
carrying out campaigns against the disease in the Kumaun division, but
owing to the paucity of qualified men the squad could not as yet
be formed. The second district in the province where the disease swept
away a large number of animals was Cawnpore, where a deputy super-
intendent and a veterinary inspector were specially deputed to deal with
the outbreaks, and an extra veterinary assistant surgeon has also been
temporarily" employed since September 1, 1027. Cattle dealers who
emigrated with their wandering herds of cattle from the bordering pro-
vince of the Punjab. Rajputana, and Central India and pass through
these provinces are. to some extent, responsible for the outbreaks in
these provinces.
26. Foot-and-mouth
disease.—This was responsible for the death
of 3,453 cattle as against 2,712 in the previous year. With the excep-
tion of 7 districts only, the whole of the province was subjected to this
disease. Advice was given on hygienic measures, and curative treat-
ment adopted, wherever possible.
27. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—This
appeared in 43 districts, and
the number of cases reported to have succumbed to it was 3,009 as
against 2,674 in the previous year. The disease assumed a serious form
in the districts of Saharanpur, Aligarh, Mainpuri, Rae Bareli, Kheri
and Partabgarh.
28. Blackquarter.—This
disease appeared in 18 districts, causing
a mortality of 219 as against 370 in the previous year. Serum-alone
and serum and aggressin simultaneous methods have this year been
used to inoculate cattle with satisfactory results. The serum-alone me-
thod has been proved to be of benefit during the actual outbreak of the
disease.
29. Anthrax.—This
disease is reported to have made its appear-
ance in 28 districts during the year, destroying 919 animals as against
1,295 last year. Full reliance cannot be placed on these figures as the
(7)
disease suddenly appears and generally runs a rapid fatal course, giving
little time for proper diagnosis.
30. Other contagious diseases.—Eight
hundred and twenty-eight
cases were reported to have died from other contagious diseases which
include pleuro-pneumonia, cow-pox, liver fluke, contagious abortion,
tuberculosis, red water, etc.
31. Contagious diseases amongst other animals.—Under this head-
ing comes rabies, distemper, piroplasmosis in dog, fowl, sheep and goat
diseases and various other parasitic ailments amongst animals other than
the equines and bovines.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
See table III.
32. This year has been specially marked for the high figure of
222,655 inoculations against rinderpest, hæmorrhagic septicæmia, black-
quarter and anthrax, as compared with 160,765 in the previous year.
The number could have been higher still if the work had not been
temporarily suspended during a part of the year for non-supply of serum
owing to want of sufficient funds for which additional provision had to
be sought from the Government on application. The gradual rise in
the number of inoculations tends to show that the popularity of the
veterinary operations is firmly gaining ground in the minds of the cattle-
owning public who, on occasions, have now shown eagerness for inocu-
lation, but formerly they were the people extremely averse to this
method and tried their best to hide cattle whenever they had a chance
of meeting a veterinary assistant surgeon passing through their village
making enquiries about cattle diseases. This is no small achievement
for this understaffed department, and as years roll on it is expected
that the antipathy ever borne against the activities of this department
will, with an adequately increased staff, be completely washed away in
no long future, and good feeling will prevail instead.
33. It is pleasing to observe that two head-quarter veterinary
assistant surgeons who were temporarily added to the extremely small
present staff of two veterinary assistant surgeons in the mountaneous
district of Garhwal satisfactorily accounted for themselves, and the
number of inoculations performed during the year in that district was
26,590.
31. Inoculations were performed against rinderpest in all the
districts, hæmorrhagic septicæmia in 35, blackquarter in 4, and anthrax
in 3 districts of the provinces. Azamgarh unfortunately was the only
district in which all the diseases appeared and inoculations had to be
performed.
See table IV.
35. There were 2(1 itinerating and 139 stationary veterinary assist-
ant surgeons put in charge of dispensaries who toured in the districts
when there were outbreaks. They visited 16,470 villages and treated
and castrated 88,482 animals while on peripatetic duties as against
14,175 and 57,946 respectively in the previous year.
(8)
36. Investigation of disease.—During the year 401 smears of blood,
pus, faeces, scrapings, etc., were received for examination and report
at the head-quarter and circle laboratories. The following details will
specify the different diseases and the results obtained:—
Species.
Equine
Bovine
Canine
Fowls
Name of disease suspected.
Surra .. .. ..
Dourine .. .. ..
Strangles
Scabies
Glanders
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia .. ..
Blackquarter .. .. ..
Tuberculosis
Johnes' disease .. .. ..
Pyaemia
Piroplasmosis .. .. ..
Pneumonia (includes a tiger) ..
Spirochætosis .. .. ..
Fowl Cholera .. .. ..
„ Typhoid .. .. ..
Scabies Deplumance .. ..
Fowl Scabies
Duck Septicæmia .. ..
Parrot Septicæmia .. ..
Total
Total
number
examined.
75
2
2
1
5
6
1
13
1
2
83
4
143
28
8
20
1
3
3_
401
Result.
Positive.
43
..
1
..
1
4
1
..
..
..
42
4
32
8
3
15
1
1
2
158
Negative.
32
2
1
1
4
2
..
13
1
2
41
..
111
20
5
5
..
2
1
243
37. Some pathological specimens, parasites, etc., were received and
the interesting ones have been stocked in the head-quarter laboratory.