NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
4
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
The following diseases were treated :—
Infectious Diseases.—
1. Foot-and-Mouth Disease ... ... ... ...
2. Rabies... ... ... ...
3. Distemper... ... ... ...
4. Filaria Lachrymalis... ... ... ...
5. Filaria Immitis... ... ... ...
6, Canine typhus... ... ... ...
7. Demodectic mange... ... ... ...
8. Osteoporosis... ... ... ...
9. Sarcoptic mange... ... ... ...
Total...
5
11
5
4
2
2
3
1
19
52
Non-infectious Diseases.—
1. Diseases of the digestive system ... ...
2. Intestinal parasites ... ... ...
3. Diseases of respiratory apparatus ... ... ...
4. Diseases of the urinary organs ... ... ...
5. Diseases of the genital organs ... ... ...
6. Diseases of the nervous system... ... ...
7. Diseases of the skin (excluding mange)... ...
8. Diseases of the eye ... ... ... ...
9. Diseases of the ear ... ... ... ...
10. Wounds ... ... ... ...
11. Lameness ... ... ... ...
12. Castrations ... ... ... ...
13. Dental Diseases ... ... ... ...
14. Other diseases ... ... ... ...
Total ...
392
275
44
5
92
12
110
72
45
284
33
8
2
147
1,521
CHAPTER III.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES IN
ANIMALS.
FIELD ADMINISTRATION.
Rinderpest.—This disease occurred during the year in all districts of
Burma except the following : —Akyab, Kyaukpyu, Sandoway, Arakan
Hill Tracts, Tavoy, Mergui, Prome, Minbu, and Thayetmyo.
The incidence of the disease was slight and mortality was not
severe except in the following districts.—Pakôkku (1,379), Myingyan
(801), Mandalay (2,164), Sagaing (1,717), Shwebo (1,560), Katha (877),
Bhamo (885), Upper Chindwin (9,391), Lower Chindwin (7,404). These
9 districts contributed 84.25 per cent of the total mortality for the year
of 31,071. The mortality in 1935-36 totalled 28,509.
Reference to the section on preventive inoculation will indicate the
very great increase in the work of control carried out during the year
by the use of Desiccated Goat Spleen Rinderpest Vaccine. Inoculation
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1937.
5
of serum was utilized only in areas where it was not possible to use the
vaccine, viz., outlying areas more than three days distant from an availa-
ble supply of ice with which the vaccine can only be maintained active.
Quarantine restrictions in outbreak areas were imposed under
existing rules where possible, but during this year reliance was mostly
placed on vaccination measures.
The results in practice indicated that this vaccine gave good
protection from the third day onwards and was used, not only in outbreak
areas but in the adjoining clean areas, to form a belt of immune cattle
surrounding outbreaks, with very great success.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease.—This disease was prevalent at the
commencement of the monsoon in many of the districts of Burma and
in some instances interfered considerably with ploughing operations.
Mortality was low and 98 deaths only were reported from 15 infected
districts. In the previous year the mortality was 113 from 17 districts.
Anthrax.—The incidence and mortality in this disease is declining
principally as a result of annual vaccination with spore vaccine as a
prophylactic measure in enzootic areas. Mortality during the year was
690 from 29 districts against a mortality of 929 in the previous year.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—Vaccination as a prophylactic measure at
the commencement of outbreaks has reduced the mortality in this
disease from 8,254 in 1935-36 to 3,937 in the year under report. The
heaviest mortality occurred in the following districts.—Mergui (1,970)
Insein (181), Myaungmya (129), Akyab (371), and Kyaukpyu (424).
Vaccination against this disease is carried out only under extreme
difficulties. Outbreaks are for the most part confined to the coastal
and Delta areas and occur mainly during the rains and after floods
when conditions for bringing up cattle and buffaloes for inoculation are
most unfavourable.
The results of vaccination with dead cultures of the organism have
been successful and owners are beginning to appreciate the value of the
work of the Department on the control of this disease.
Black Quarter.—The incidence of this disease is decreasing due in
some part to the fact that in the past villagers appear to have difficulty
in differentiating this disease from Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia. The
only districts seriously affected were Magwe (89) and Meiktila (98).
The total mortality for the province was 405 as against 909 for the
previous year.
Surra.-Occurred
in 14 districts and was responsible for 115 deaths.
The mortality for the previous year was 83.
Upper Chindwin (52) was the only area seriously affected. All
affected animals, with one exception, were equines.
6
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
Lebetna.—A
disease locally considered to be of parasitic origin,
accounted for 19 deaths in the Salween District. Mortality for the
previous year was 68.
Epizootic Lymphangitis.—One
case was recorded in the Yamèthin
District at the Government Stud Farm, Pyawbwe. The animal was
destroyed.
S rangles.—Nine
deaths were reported from the Pakôkku District.
Glanders.—This
disease was recorded from Rangoon, Pakôkku,
Myitkyina, and Maymyo. In the frontier areas of China and the Shan
States, Glanders is enzootic and this fact definitely accounted for the
presence of the disease in the two latter areas and possibly also in
Pakôkku. The disease has been enzootic amongst gharry ponies in the
Rangoon Municipality and it is likely to remain so for many years if
more efficient action for its control by periodic Mallein testing is not
undertaken by the Municipality.
In Maymyo the disease assumed an Epizootic character owing to
the insanitary and crowded condition of the stables, their unhygienic
construction and the tendency of owners to suppress information about
cases in the early stages of the outbreak. As a result of action taken
by the Department, 176 cases were destroyed on positive reactions to
the Mallein test which was repeated at intervals of about six weeks
until all reactors were eliminated.
PREVENTIVE
INOCULATION.
Rinderpest.—Anti-Rinderpest
Serum was used only in areas to which
it was not possible to extend the use of Dessicated spleen vaccine. In
the Upper Burma Charge 1,719, and in the Lower Burma Charge 728
animals were inoculated by the Serum method, being a total of 2,447
animals against 79,866 animals inoculated with serum in the previous
year.
The cost of anti-rinderpest serum imported from India during the
year was Rs. 5,014-15-0.
Desiccated Goat Spleen Vaccine for Rinderpest, which was intro-
duced as a new prophylactic product in 1935-36, was used in increasing
quantities during the year. The results from this vaccine have been
consistently good. Mortality from vaccination, except in a few isolated
cases in buffaloes in clean areas where the disease had not occurred in
the previous five years, was very low and the immunity was shown by
field results to be solid from the third day onwards.
During the year 364,799 cattle and buffaloes were immunised with
this vaccine. In the previous year the total of animals inoculated was
14,146.
Hæmorrhagic
Septiæmia.—Prophylactic
inoculations
with
a
vaccine consisting of a killed culture of the causal organism, were
carried out in the infected areas, principally in the coastal belt
The
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1937.
7
use of this vaccine was considerably extended during the year under
report, when 18,230 cattle and buffaloes were immunised, as against
8,679 in the previous year.
Anthrax.—(A) Inoculations by Departmental Officers.—Eight thousand
live hundred
and
eighty-two
(8,582)
bovines, 299 equines,
and 457 elephants were immunised by Anthrax Spore Vaccine during
the year by Departmental officers. The elephants were in most cases
the property of the Forest Department.
(B) Inoculations
by private persons.—Elephants
belonging to the
timber firms, who own most of the domesticated elephants in Burma
were inoculated by firms' assistants who had been trained in the
technique of the operation by Departmental Officers.
During the year 2,671 elephants were inoculated by timber firms
against a total of 2,716 during the previous year.
The results of immunisation by spore vaccine in elephants, horses,
cattle and buffaloes, continues to be successful and in consequence of
the organised annual inoculation of elephants, the previous high
mortality in these animals has been reduced practically to zero.
Strangles.—Outbreaks
of strangles at the Pyawbwe stud were
treated by an autogenous vaccine prepared at the Insein Veterinary
Research Laboratory. Inoculations were carried out on 331 animals
during the year.
Good results were reported from the use of the vaccine.
QUARANTINE STATIONS.
The temporary inspection post at Htaukkyan was continued during
the year, with useful results. Nineteen thousand nine hundred and
eleven (19,911) cattle and buffaloes passed through the post on the way
to Rangoon and Insein for slaughter, grazing and work. During the
dry season, from December to April, when the paddy fields are bare
and passable, cattle traders make a point of taking their animals by
jungle routes and thus avoiding inspection and the removal of the
station to places further up on the Rangoon-Magwe and Rangoon-
Mandalay roads is now under consideration. Inspection of suitable
sites will be carried out during next year. In the meantime the
Htaukkyan post will be maintained.
It is an unfortunate fact that up to the present the Cattle Traders
Association and the Rangoon Sale Yards have not co-operated with the
Department to any extent in this effort to prevent the entrance of
contagious disease into Rangoon and its spread from there to delta
areas.
RURAL
RECONSTRUCTION
UNIT.
During the year a rural reconstruction unit was established at
Tatkon village, Yamethin District. A combined dispensary building
8
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
and quarters for the officer-in-charge, a crush pen and temporary stables
were constructed on a three acre site at a total cost of Rs. 5,015. One
Veterinary Assistant was appointed to the unit in charge of the
Veterinary Dispensary and the elementary Veterinary Course to the
students recruited under Rural Reconstruction plans at the adjoining
Agricultural farm. Work in the Unit was initiated in February 1937.
FRONTIRE POSTS.
The posts referred to in last year's report were kept in operation
during the open trading season in the current year.
The following animals were inspected on importation into
Burma :—
—
From Siam.—
Thingannyinaung ...
Shanywathit ... ...
Salween ... ...
From Shan States.—
Yado ... ...
Cattle.
1,083
4
224
136
Buffaloes.
494
32
20
310
Pigs.
128
...
48
...
Ponies.
4
...
.
...
These figures give no indication of the actual numbers imported as
there are no well defined trade routes and therefore no limitation of
animals to any particular points of entry. A large number of cattle
imported from the Shan States along the border from Kalaw southwards
to Yado were not inspected or even seen by the Veterinary staff.
RULES.
Revised rules under the Live-stock Importation Act for dealing with
trans-frontier trade and traffic in animals at Ports are under consider-
ation of Government and are due for issue shortly.
The revised rules for control of contagious diseases under the
Burma Village Act were issued on 12th October 1936, as " The Conta-
gious Diseases of Animals (Villages) Rules, 1936." These have
superseded the Cattle Disease Rules, 1914.
Revised rules under the Glanders and Farcy Act, 1899 were notified
in the Burma Gazette of January 2nd and cited as " The Glanders and
Farcy Rules, 1936."
Rules for the control of animal diseases in town areas are still under
consideration by Government.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 3lST MARCH 1937.
9
CHAPTER IV—VETERINARY EDUCATION.
A. Training of students for posts in the Subordinate Service (Veterinary
Assistant New Grade) at the Insein Veterinary College.—(1) A third batch
of students completed their training in October 1936, fourteen students
out of a total of 18 who entered for the course being successful. Of
these, seven students were granted a Government stipend during their
training and three students were trained for a Timber firm for work in
elephant sick camps. Eleven graduates from this course were appointed
to posts in the Subordinate grade of the Department.
(2). A fourth batch was recruited in November 1936, consisting of
16 students of whom six were awarded Government stipends.
Two additional students, one from the Shan States and one from a
Timber firm, were allowed to undertake the course.
The Evans Memorial prize, which is won by the student gaining the
highest marks in the qualifying examination at the conclusion of the
Veterinary Assistant's Course, was won in 1935-36 by Maung Tha Han
B. Refresher
Course —No refresher course was held during the
year as all the members of the stalf were fully employed throughout
the year in the Anti-Rinderpest vaccination campaign.
C. Students under training in Foreign
Colleges.—Eight
selected
students were sent to Madras in July for training as District Veterinary
Inspectors in a 3-years' course. Of these, two entered for the Degree
Course in the Madras University.
The total number of Burma students under training at Madras
during this year was 21.
Five additional students went for training to the Veterinary College
of Bengal.
In addition to the above, two State Scholars were sent to the United
Kingdom during the year to study Veterinary Science and were admitted
to the London and Dublin Veterinary Colleges respectively.
D. Instruction in villages by the Field Staff.—Propaganda
work was
continued by touring officers. This was principally directed towards
the control of Rinderpest. The results of prophylactic vaccination in
clean and outbreak areas afforded a good opportunity for practical
demonstrations of the value of preventive inoculation work.
E. Bulletins and Leaflets.—The question of organising propaganda
work on a more elaborate system has been held in abeyance pending the
provision of further staff to the Department.
CHAPTER V.—VETERINARY RESEARCH.
LABORATORY WORK AT THE INSEIN VETERINARY RESEARCH.
LABORATORY.
1. Routine work.—Pathological
specimens examined.—(a)
Bloodsmears.
—During the year 832 bloodsmears were examined. Of these 486 were
10
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
submitted by officers of the Veterinary Department, 295 by the various
timber firms, and 51 by the Military Police, Forest Department and
others. Three hundred and seventy-two (372) smears were from cattle
and buffaloes, 281 from elephants, 108 from horses and 71 from other
animals. Of the positive smears 30 were Surra (22 horses, 4 elephants
and 4 cattle), 15 Anthrax (4 horses, 3 elephants and 8 cattle), 16
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia (1 elephant and 15 cattle), one Anaplamosis
in cattle, one Blackquarter in cattle, one Epizootic Lymphangitis in a
horse, and one Secondary Anæmia in a dog.
(b) Fæces.—Five hundred and twenty-two (522) specimens of fæces
were examined, of which 60 were from elephants, 430 from dogs, 7
from horses, 12 from cattle and 13 from other animals.
(c) Other Pathological
Specimens.—One hundred and thirteen (113)
were examined, including ear specimens, skin scrapings, carcases and
urine.
(d) Vaccines Issued.—
Vaccine.
(1)
Anthrax Spore
(Bovine)
Anthrax Spore
(Equine)
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia
Strangles
Rinderpest Desic-
cated
Goat
Spleen.
Total. ...
Number of doses for use in
Ele-
phants.
(2)
4,815
735
...
...
5,550
Cattle.
(3)
18,910
...
25,874
...
Buffa-
loes.
(4)
...
...
...
...
Cattle & Buffaloes
473, 298
5,18,082
Horses.
(5)
...
3,435
...
600
...
4,035.
Sheep.
(6)
100
...
...
...
...
100
Camels
(7)
...
130
...
...
...
130
Total.
(8)
23,825
4,300
25,874
600
4,73,298
5,27,897
These figures show a considerable increase on the vaccine issues in
previous years. In 1935-36 13,591 doses of Anthrax vaccine were
issued. The total figure for this vaccine in 1936-37 was 28,125,
in which is included the following issues to Indian provinces and Siam:—
11,000
200
100
1,655
150
455
120
13,680
doses to the Director of Veterinary Services, Bengal, for
cattle.
closes to the Veterinary Department, Assam, for cattle.
closes to the Veterinary Department, Assam, for sheep.
closes to the Army in India, for horses.
doses to the Veterinary Department, Patna, for horses.
closes to Siam for elephants.
doses to the Army in India, for camels.
doses.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1937.
11
During the year three elephants only are recorded to have died
of Anthrax. Two of these had not been inoculated and one died
a few days after inoculation. This result affords excellent proof of
the value of the vaccine. Previously the Timber Lessees lost about a
hundred elephants annually from Anthrax. During the year under report
no immunised elephant died of Anthrax, even though use Was made of
grazing grounds known to be so grossly infected with Anthrax that in
former years it was imperative to keep them free from elephants. The
third death is interesting as illustrating the individual susceptibility
of elephants to Anthrax.
Out of 3,128 elephants inoculated in
1936-37 this was the only death, and though inoculated in previous
years this animal had shown no reaction to the Vaccine. From the
history of the case it is presumed that death was caused by the reaction
to the inoculation.
2. Laboratory
Research
Work—(a)
Rinderpest.—The
method of
preparation of Desiccated Goat Spleen Vaccine is described in the
Annual Report for 1935-36. Some sixteen thousand doses were issued
in that year to selected inoculators, and the vaccine was still considered
to be in the experimental stage. There is no doubt now about the
value of the vaccine. The preparation, packing, issue, transport, and
emulsification of the product has been standardised and simplified.
Five Veterinary Superintendents, 16 Veterinary Inspectors, and 22.
Veterinary Assistants have been trained at Insein in the technique of
the preparation of the vaccine from the powdered spleen pulp issued,
and the remaining staff is being trained by field demonstrations. The
slight additional cost of desiccating the spleen pulp and of sending it
out on ice is more than compensated for by the increased duration of
the potency of the vaccine. This is an important factor in a country
where in many areas transport facilities are slow and primitive and the
temperatures are high enough to kill the vaccine within a very
few days.
U Tun Aung, Veterinary Superintendent from the Research
Laboratory, toured parts of the Upper Burma Charge in September and
checked the preparation and use of Rinderpest Goat Spleen Vaccine
under held conditions by the staff. He reported very favourably on
the work of the inoculators.
Research work is being carried out to confirm the earlier findings
and to elucidate some problems in connection with this vaccine.
A supply of desiccated Goat Spleen Vaccine was sent by Air
Mail to the Director-General, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries,
Siam, on the 13th October. It is understood this strain of vaccine is
being successfully maintained in goats in Siam and used for prophylactic
vaccination of animals.
(b) Diseases of Elephants.—During
the hot weather a preliminary
investigation was made on the diseases of elephants. This necessitated
12
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BURMA,
tours by the Veterinary Research Officer to various elephant camps,
maintained by timber firms in jungle areas. In a report submitted to
the Field Veterinary Research Advisory Committee the results of the
investigation work were recorded, tentative suggestions given, and
recommendations made for future research work on this very important
subject. It was indicated that investigation of diseases of elephants
would require the whole time of a Veterinary Officer, but at present it
is not possible to depute a man for this work. It is unfortunate that
pressure of work at Insein and elsewhere has made it impossible for the
Research Officer to continue systematically the investigation of elephant
diseases.
An aged elephant, obtained from the Forest Department in January,
was destroyed at the Laboratory. The skeleton is being prepared for
the anatomical museum and the histological structure of the various
tissues and organs is being studied microscopically by the temporary
Veterinary Research Officer.
(c) Kumri —Although much work has been done on this disease
the findings have up to the present all been negative. A complete
series of injections has been made in an attempt to transmit the disease
to horses and to other laboratory animals. Many materials and various
routes have been tried, but all without success. In one batch of Kumri
animals the progress of the disease was stopped and considerable
improvement noted in the clinical appearances. It is, however, very
unlikely that the agent used had any causative relation to the disease.
The biochemistry and the histopathology of this disease is now
receiving attention.
(d) Dry Coat in Horses.—Investigation work on this disease has been
held up for lack of material. One case only was obtained during the
year and this was of many years' standing. No treatment had any
effect on this horse.
It is recognised that until horse owners
cooperate in the investigations, research work will be very protracted
and the disease, which is yearly becoming more serious in Burma, will
continue to remain an unsolved problem.
(e) Strangles in Horses.—An attempt to produce an effective prophy-
lactic vaccine against Strangles in young horses was initiated at the
Government Stud Farm, Pyawbwe. Adequate controls are being kept
and it is hoped to obtain valuable information from this work.
(f) Biochemistry.—A biochemistry laboratory has been fitted up
and work is in progress in connection with Kumri and Dry Coat.
(g) Parasitology.—Collections
of Ecto and Endo parasites of
domestic animals have been made and during the year the following
numbers of parasites were identified.—Ectoparasites 160, including
Ticks (5 genera), Lice (4 genera), mites (2 genera), and Fleas (1 genus),
Endoparasites 143.