NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
6
Report on the Civil Veterinary Department, Punjab,
for the year 1927-28, by Mr. T. F. Quirke, M.R.C.V.S.,
I.V.S., Chief Superintendent.
PART I.—ADMINISTRATION.
1. The following statement shows the names of officers
who held charge of the several appointments and the details
of touring work done by them during the year under report:—
Name of appoint-
ment.
Chief Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary De-
partment, Punjab.
Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Depart-
ment, South Punjab.
Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Depart-
ment, North Punjab.
Officiating
Superin-
tendent, Civil Vet-
erinary Department,
North Punjab.
Officiating
Superin-
tendent, Civil Vet-
erinary Department,
North Punjab.
Deputy Superintend-
ent, Central Punj-
ab Circle.
Deputy Superintend-
ent, Civil Veter-
inary Department,
North Punjab.
Deputy Superintend-
ent, Civil Veter-
inary Department,
South Punjab.
Deputy Superintend-
ent,
Civil Veter-
inary Department,
South Punjab.
Deputy Superintend-
ent, Civil Veter-
inary Department,
South Punjab.
Deputy Superintend-
ent, Civil Veter-
inary Department,
South Punjab.
Officer under training
Ditto ..
Ditto ..
Ditto ..
Name of officer.
Mr. T. F. Quirke
Mr. J. S. Garewal
Mr. T. J. Egan ..
K. S. M. Talib
Khan.
Mr. S. M. A. Shah
Kh. Ghulam Has-
san.
K. S. M. Talib
Khan.
S. Ghulam Hussain
P. Janki Nath. ..
M.
Qammar-ud-
Din.
M.
Mohammad
Abdulla.
Mr. S. M. A. Shah
Mr. R. R. Ghulati
Mr. B. N. Handa
Mr. S. I. A. Shah
DATES OF HOLDING
CHARGE.
From
1-4-27
1-4-27
30-11-27
1-4-27
6-4-27
1-4-27
1-4-27
3-6-27
1-4-27
27-4-27
&
7-11-27
1-4-27
1-4-27 &
30-11-27
6-11-27
12-3-28
22-3-28
To
31-3-28
31-3-28
31-3-28
5-4-27
29-11-27
31-3-28
31-3-28
31-3-28
31-3-28
2-6-27
&
31-3-28
31-3-28
5-4-27 &
19-12-27
31-3-28
31-3-28
31-3-28
Number of days
spent on tour.
239
174
42
2
50
255
100
145
139
61
194
..
64
5
2
NUMBER OF
MILES.
By
rail.
12,231
11,765
3,419
..
4,015
12,017
7,332
7,028
6,139
839
4,220
..
2,085
402
162
By
road.
3,713
5,963
821
66
1,815
1,152
869
1,258
1,271
573
1,678
..
925
..
33
7
2. The Chief Superintendent, Superintendents and
Deputy Superintendents toured in their respective circles in
connection with horse, mule and cattle-breeding, the
investigation and control of contagious diseases and inspec-
tion of Veterinary Dispensaries. As usual, during the course
of these tours, District Officers, Members of District Boards
and other prominent zamindars were interviewed and matters
relating to the Veterinary requirements of their districts freely
discussed with them.
3. Propaganda work is being pursued with vigour in
conjunction with the officers of the Co-operative Department,
who gladly provide the opportunity for our district staff to
address co-operative meetings on veterinary topics.
4. The Department readily accepted the invitation to
take part in the Demonstration Train which toured the Pro-
vince during the past cold weather months. A complete
veterinary car was fitted up, of which full advantage was
taken, to demonstrate, by means of simple interesting exhibits,
the work being done for the improvement of the Live Stock of
the Province.
The National Horse Breeding and Show Society of India
collaborated in the Horse Breeding Section. The Cattle
Breeding propaganda films so kindly lent for use on this
tour by the Imperial Dairy Expert were particularly appre-
ciated by zamindars. Demonstration by means of magic
lantern slides illustrating diseases of animals was a regular
feature of the propaganda work done in the course of the
train's tour and it proved extremely popular. Leaflets on
cattle disease were also distributed extensively during the
tour.
5. The Chief Superintendent acted as an Examiner at
the Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore, for the L. V. P. Ex-
amination. He attended as an official delegate the seventh
Congress of the Far-Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine
held at Calcutta in December 1927.
6. The Chief Superintendent toured in the Hariana and
Dhanni Cattle Breeding tracts to examine the progress of the
work done there. He also visited the grantee farms in the
Lower Bari Doab canal colony, the Government cattle
farm, Hissar, and many other places outside the central
Punjab circle during the course of the year.
8
PART II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
I.—CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
Mortality .—Table II.
7. During the year under report 42,416 deaths from
contagious diseases were reported against
45,107 in the previous year. In the
absence of any legal powers to prohibit the movements of ani-
mals or to enforce other effective measures against the spread
of disease, the Department's policy is to try and convince
zamindars, as a means of self protection, of the necessity of
adopting simple precautionary measures against the intro-
duction of disease into their villages. Certain progress has
been made in this way, but no appreciable results can be
expected until lambardars, zaildars and other village officials
accept some responsibility for dealing with disease.
Examination and collec-
tion of Pathological speci-
mens.
8. During the year 203 specimens were received from the
subordinate veterinary staff for examin-
ation. These were, as usual, examined in
the Laboratories attached to the offices
of Superintendents at Lahore, Rawalpindi and Ferozepore.
(a) Equines.
NOTE.—Only those outbreaks of contagious diseases amongst equines which occur
in non-selected districts of the Province are dealt with by this Department.
Glanders.—Table II.
9. Thirty-nine confirmed cases of Glanders occurred in
three districts, Simla, Lahore and Amrit-
sar, during the year under report against
14 cases in three districts last year. As usual, none of these
cases were reported by their owners, they were either detected
by our district staff or came under suspicion at the hospital
clinic of the Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore. The De-
partment finds very great difficulty in applying any effective
measures against this disease, particularly in the large
municipalities, as Amritsar and Lahore, where tonga ponies
are often kept under most insanitary conditions and cases
remain undetected sometimes for very long periods.
Anthrax.—Table II.
10. No case of Anthrax was reported during the year
under report. None last year.
Surra.—Table II.
11. The total number of cases confirmed by micros-
copical examination of the blood during
the year under report was 36, as com-
pared with 123 during the previous year. The highest mortali-
ty took place in Gurgaon district. These were sporadic
cases, which came under the notice of our ordinary district
staff.
9
By arrangement with the Principal, Punjab Veterinary
College, additional centres for the treatment of this disease
are being opened during the Surra season under Veterinary
Assistants specially trained for this work. A note on the
progress of the work done in the treatment of the disease at
these centres will be found in the report of the Sohawa.
Laboratory.
As the result of recent research work done by the Direc-
tor, Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar,
very noted progress has been made in the Chemotherapy of
Surra of horses and cattle, which is likely to have far reaching
results in this Province.
Dourine —Table II.
12. No case of Dourine was detected during the year
under report. There had been no case
during the previous year.
Other contagious diseas-
es.—Table II.
13. Fifty deaths were reported during the year against
11 deaths last year. Under this head
are included such diseases as strangles,
biliary fever, influenza, etc.
(b) Bovines.
Rinderpest.—Table II.
14. Rinderpest appeared in all the districts of the Pro-
vince. Twenty five thousand seven
hundred and eight deaths were reported
against 27,626 in the previous year. This disease was parti-
cularly severe in the hill districts of Kangra and Simla and
also in Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Gujrat districts.
The introduction of this disease into the hill districts is
nearly always followed by severe mortality amongst the local
under-fed cattle owing to their low resistance to disease and
the difficulty in enforcing any effective measures to limit the
spread of disease from village to village. Propaganda work
is being done in these districts, to make the local inhabitants
understand that the spread of contagious disease is a danger
which they can themselves largely avert by adopting simple
protective measures, such as the segregation of newly pur-
chased animals before being allowed to mix with the village
herd. Proposals have been made to the Kangra district board
for the protection of the district against the introduction of
contagious disease by dealers' cattle coming from the plains in
the early months of the year.
Anti-Rinderpest Inocu-
lations.—Table III.
15. Anti-Rinderpest inoculations were performed in
919 outbreaks and 192,659 cattle were
inoculated against 1,113 outbreaks and
10
211,295 inoculations in the previous year. One hundred and
fifty seven animals died after inoculation, which were probably
in the incubative stage of the disease at the time of inoculation.
The demand for serum inoculations in the face of out-
breaks of rinderpest is so great that the department has
difficulty in satisfying it owing to the heavy expense entailed.
Recent research work by the Director, Imperial Institute
of Veterinary Research, Muktesar, has greatly simplified the
carrying out of the serum simultaneous method of inocula-
tion as a routine measure in the field and arrangements are
now in progress for adopting this method which gives a more
durable immunity.
Foot and Mouth disease.
—Table II.
16. During the year under report 1,815 animals died
from this disease, as compared with 1,041
in the previous year. This disease ap-
peared in 26 districts of the Province.
The highest mortality took place in Attock district where
alone 561 animals died of this disease. The necessary pre-
ventive measures were, as usual, adopted by the subordinate
veterinary staff. The disease was fairly widespread through-
out the province and assumed an unusually severe form
particularly in the northern districts where there was short-
age of fodder.
Hæmorrhagic
Septi-
cæmia.—Table II.
17. During the year under report hæmorrhagic septi-
cæmia appeared in all the districts of the
Province. Eleven
thousand
three
hundred and forty-seven animals were reported to have
died against 10,780 in the previous year. This disease
was responsible for heavy mortality in Shahpur and Lahore
districts. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia runs a rapid course and
causes very serious mortality amongst cattle and particularly
buffaloes unless prompt measures are taken to protect by
means of serum inoculation in contact animals. The Depart-
ment finds very great difficulty in obtaining early information,
which is so essential for successfully dealing with this disease
and in addition facilities are also wanting for increasing the
mobility of our staff.
Hæmorrhagic septicæmia is only second in importance
to rinderpest as a menace to cattle rearing in the province
and it is undoubtedly on the increase, owing to the extension
of water-logged areas and the consequent increase in para-
sitic infestation of the villagers' cattle, which condition leaves
them a prey to this disease.
11
Inoculations
against
Hæmorrhgic Septicæmia.
—Table III.
18. Preventive inoculations against hæmorrhagic sep-
ticæmia were performed in 410 out-
breaks and 117,217 animals were inocu-
lated, as compared with 349 outbreaks
and 89,758 inoculations.
Preventive Vaccinations
against Hæmorrhagic Sep-
ttæmia.—Table III.
19. Vaccinations against this disease were performed on
298,676 animals in 1,063 villages of 27
districts against 204,415,752 and 28, res-
pectively, during the previous year. The
highest number of vaccinations was per-
formed in Mianwali district where 26,457 animals were
vaccinated. The Department is concentrating on preventive
measures against this disease, the efficiency of the vaccine
being now well established in many villages which hitherto
suffered very severely.
Black Quarter.—Table
II.
20. During the year under report 499 deaths were re-
ported, as compared with 710 deaths
during the previous year. The highest
mortality took place in the Hissar district
where 174 animals were reported to have died of this disease.
Vaccinations
against
Black- Quarter. —Table
II.
21. Vaccinations against this disease were performed
on 36,818 animals in 161 villages of 10
districts against 23,146, 124 and 8, res-
pectively, during the previous year. The
Department is not yet in a position to pass judgment on the
efficacy or otherwise of the new preventive Black Quarter
aggression, which is still on trial.
Surra.—Table II.
22. During the year under report 295 deaths were re-
ported from Surra in two districts against
1,380 deaths during the previous year.
A larger network of veterinary dispensaries is very necessary
in the affected districts in order to facilitate measures being
taken against this disease.
Other contagious dis-
eases.—Table II.
23. During the year under report 269 deaths were re-
ported to have taken place amongst
Bovines from other contagious diseases,
as compared with 870 deaths in the pre-
vious year. These include the following diseases:—
Gillar, mange, cow pox, liver fluke, influenza, pleuro-
pneumonia, etc.
Parasitic diseases are becoming very important in this
Province as the result of the increase in badly drained areas
over which cattle are allowed to graze.
12
(c) Other animals.
Mortality.—Table II.
24. During the year under report 2,358 deaths occurred
amongst other animals of the Province,
as compared with 2,552 deaths in the
previous year. The detail of mortality is given below :—
Rinderpest
..
..
Foot and Mouth Disease
..
..
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia ..
..
Other contagious diseases ..
..
Total
1,062
200
70
1,026
2,358
II.—OTHER DISEASES.
Treatment of diseases in
villages.—Table IV.
25. During the year under report 34,084 villages were
visited by the district staff on tour.
Two lakhs twenty thousand and thirty
nine animals were treated and 143,322
castrations were performed, as compared with 23,457
villages, 129,803 cases and 114,165 castrations during the
previous year. These figures show that progress in the
field work done by our staff is being steadily maintained.
The castration work is particularly creditable.
The Chief Superintendent is anxious to increase the
mobility of the staff as being very essential to their effi-
ciency, particularly in hill districts where the area controlled
by our veterinary assistants is very large.
PART III.—VETERINARY HOSPITALS.
Number of Veterinary
Dispensaries.—Table V.
26. In the beginning of the year under report there were
219 veterinary dispensaries in the Pro-
vince. During the year 22 new veterin-
ary dispensaries were started at the
following places :—
1.
2.
8.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Sisana .. ..
Joan .. ..
Sanghi .. ..
Farrukhnagar .. ..
Dharuhera .. ..
Punahana .. ..
Barwala .. ..
Tosham .. ..
Khanna .. ..
Lalgarh .. ..
District Rohtak.
Ditto.
Ditto.
District Gurgaon.
Ditto.
Ditto.
District Hissar.
Ditto.
District Ludhiana.
District Dera Ghazi
Khan.
13
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Sangla Hill ..
Karkan .. ..
Khurrianwala ..
Thikrianwala ..
Chutiana ..
Narwala .. ..
Mangowal ..
Jokalian ..
Sheikh Fazil ..
Tumman ..
Valtoha ..
Mochiwala
.. District Sheikhupurs.
.. Ditto.
.. District Lyallpur.
.. Ditto.
.. Ditto.
.. Ditto.
.. District Gujrat.
.. Ditto.
.. District Montgomery.
.. District Attock.
.. District Lahore.
.. District Jhang.
Thus at the close of the year there were 241 veterinary
dispensaries in the province, as shown in the map at the end
of this report.
Government has also sanctioned the appointment of the
additional staff mentioned below for the opening of 17 dis-
pensaries during the year 1928-29 in special breeding tracts
and low lying areas:—
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons
..
Veterinary Assistant, 1st grade ..
Veterinary Assistants, 2nd grade
..
Veterinary Assistants, 3rd grade
..
Total
8
1
4
4
17
Work of Veterinary dis-
pensaries.—Table V.
27. The total number of animals treated in the veteri-
nary dispensaries during the year under
report was 792,149 against 673,293 dur-
ing the previous year. In addition
109,888 cases against 123,822 last year were supplied with
medicines, but were not brought to the dispensaries. One
lakh twenty-eight thousand eight hundred and forty
castrations were performed in these dispensaries against
104,219 during the previous year.
It is very satisfactory to note the steady increase in the
number of sick animals treated at our veterinary dispensaries.
The scheme of outlying dispensaries introduced during
the preceding year is being carried on successfully in many
places throughout the Province. The Department is making
every effort with the staff at its disposal to bring veterinary
treatment within the reach of the poorest zamindar. The
network of veterinary dispensaries provided is steadily
being expanded, whilst the scheme of outlying dispensaries
is bringing each veterinary assistant in charge of a dispensary
14
into constant touch with a larger number of villages in his
charge.
Building of Veterinary
dispensaries.
28. Many dispensaries are still located in unsuitable,
temporary or hired buildings. The dis-
trict boards concerned are being induced
to provide buildings on the lines of the
approved standard plans according as funds are available.
It is hoped with the help of the Government grant-in-
aid for the construction of new veterinary dispensaries that
suitable buildings will be provided at many of these places
in the course of the next few years.
Government grant-in-
aid.
29. Steps have been taken to impress upon district
boards concerned the importance of
utilising without unnecessary delay the
Government grant, together with their own contributions
on the construction of new rural veterinary dispensaries or
on improving the existing ones.
The following is the detailed distribution of the Govern-
ment grant-in-aid during the year under report:—
1. Hissar .. .. ..
2. Gurgaon .. .. ..
3 Karnal .. .. .. ..
4. Ambala .. .. ..
5. Simla .. .. .. ..
6. Kangra .. .. ..
7. Hoshiarpur .. .. ..
8. Jullundur .. .. ..
9. Lahore .. .. .. ..
10. Amritsar .. .. ..
11. Gurdaspur .. .. ..
12. Sialkot .. .. ..
13. Gujranwala .. .. ..
14. Sheikhupura .. .. ..
15. Gujrat .. .. .. ..
16. Jhelum .. .. ..
17. Rawalpindi .. .. ..
18. Attock .. .. .. ..
19. Mianwali .. .. ..
20. Jhang .. .. .. ..
21. Muzaffargarh .. .. ..
22. Dera Ghazi Khan .. .. ..
Total
..
Rs.
10,000
10,000
5,000
10,000
2,000
7,000
5,000
3,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
3,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
1,20,000
15
Simla Veterinary Dis-
pensary.
30. The receipts and expenditure of the Simla Veterinary
Dispensary during the year under report
were Rs. 12,658 and Rs. 9,096, respec-
tively, against Rs. 13,274 and Rs. 9,637
during the previous year.
PART IV.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
I.—BOVINES.
Stud bulls.—Table VII.
31. At the close of the year under report there were
2,890 District Board stud bulls at work
in the various districts of the Province
against 2,501 last year. There were 732 additions and 343
castings during the year.
Indents for 521 Hissar bulls were sent to the Govern-
ment Cattle Farm, Hissar, out of which 439 only were avail-
able for supply before the close of the year. The castings
include bulls which died or were cast on account of old age
or being otherwise unsuitable for further retention on the
strength.
The tendency of district boards to retain bulls on strength
which should normally be cast and replaced is one of the big
difficulties which the Department has to face in its cattle-
breeding work. Earlier casting and more prompt replace-
ment of bulls are being recommended as essential to success.
Details of the total number of bulls supplied during the
year as shown in column 3 of Table VII are given below :—
Stud bulls from Government Cattle Farm, Hissar,
supplied to districts
Bulls of Hariana breed purchased by Rohtak dis-
trict board .. .. ..
Bulls of the Hissar breed purchased by district
boards from the grantee farms ..
Dhanni bulls obtained by the district boards of
Shahpur, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock and
Mianwali .. ... ..
Montgomery bulls purchased by district boards
from the grantee farms
Bhagnari breed bulls purchased by the district
board of Multan .. .. ..
Dajal bulls purchased by the district board of
Multan .. .. ..
Local bulls purchased by the district boards ..
Strayed district board bull found during the year
and brought on to strength .. ..
Total ..
439
69
26
153
12
24
6
2
1
782.
16
The number of bulls issued to districts this year
creates a new record for the Department, though it is far short
of the number which is really required to make any marked
impression on the cattle industry in this vast Province. It is
satisfactory, however, that such steady progress is being
maintained, and that the demand for well-bred Hissar bulls
continues to exceed the supply from the Government Cattle
Farm, Hissar.
The Department is very anxious to improve the existing
arrangements for the supply of stud bulls to districts if dis-
trict boards can be induced to earmark a definite percentage
of then income to the improvement of cattle breeding. This
is necessary in order to overcome the present difficulty which
the Department has to contend with in being unable to
guarantee zamindars that even the bulls which are cast will
be replaced. As noted in last year's report, any cattle im-
provement scheme which cannot guarantee continuity in the
supply of approved bulls to particular villages loses much of
its value.
Hariana Cattle Breeding
Scheme.
32. The following statement shows the allotments made
and the expenditure incurred by the
district boards of Hissar, Rohtak and
Gurgaon towards the scheme in their respective districts
during the year under report :—
District.
Hissar ..
Rohtak ..
Gurgaon ..
Govern-
ment
Grant.
Rs.
5,000
10,000
15,000
30,000
District
board
contribu-
tion.
Rs.
5,000
*15,000
5,400
Total.
Rs.
10,000
25,000
20,400
Expendi-
ture.
Rs.
10,000
25,000
20,400
Balance.
Rs.
..
..
..
REMARKS.
* Includes Rs. 1,000
recovered as part
price of bulls from
zamindars for the
bulls supplied.
I would again repeat the suggestion made in last year's
report that it would be wise to concentrate as large a per-