NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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2. Live stock improvement.—The number of cows
in the Punjab is about 28 lakhs, and it is held that at
least 50,000 bulls are required to serve them. To
supply selected sires to meet this demand is a need
which cannot be satisfied for a very considerable time,
but the Live Stock Officer should consider what could
be done by the selection of good bull calves from village
stocks, and by encouraging the owners of approved
animals to rear them for stud purposes with the object
of promoting both the milking efficiency of cows and
also the quality of draught bullocks in the 34,000
villages in the Punjab. Co-operative societies can do
much towards improving the type of heifers to be
brought to approved bulls, whether the latter are
selected from the village strain or supplied or sub-
sidized by Government and the District Board. Both
in Government's cattle-breeding farms and in the big
cattle-breeding grants increased attention is being de-
voted to the establishment of pedigree herds of cattle,
but it may also be desirable to supplement their efforts
by selecting the best animals from the village stock and
by confining breeding to selected sires as soon as public
opinion will recognize the advantages to be obtained
from so doing.
The buffalo has always occupied a special position
as a milk producer, and deserves greater attention
than it has hitherto received. Further, the goat is the
poor man's source of milk supply and its breeding should
not be neglected. The number of goats in the Province
is nearly 45 lakhs. The crossing of indigenous stock by
Angora goats has been recommended by the Royal Com-
mission.
Sheep-breeders in the Province are as a rule ignorant
and unprogressive, and the Ministry agrees with
Mr. Branford that it is desirable to produce a pure breed
of country sheep, which will be more resistant to disease,
and will require less attention than the cross-bred Merino
variety. A start has been made in selecting a country
strain at Hissar. Sheep are numerous in the Province
and are almost equal in numbers to goats. The Ministry
endorses the growing trend of expert opinion in favour-
ing, first of all, the study of the best types of indigenous
animals and the regular breeding of indigenous flocks
3
by selection and then, when the indigenous flock has
been built up, securing its improvement by judicious
crossing. Work on these lines should be taken in hand
at places where conditions for success are promising.
3. Milk supply .—Just as animal nutrition suffers in
the country owing to the existing overload of stock, poor
nutrition and unscientific herdsmanship are responsible
for the insufficient supply of milk for the population of
the Province. In towns the estimated consumption of
milk per head of population has been reckoned at 7
gallons per annum, and if the standard of living is to
be raised, milk supplies must be made more abundant.
The importance of the buffalo in this regard has already
been mentioned, and it also needs emphasizing that a cow
has an economic value just as much as a bullock, and
that the problems of her feeding and breeding need full
attention. An average Hissar cow weighing 1,100 lbs.
needs 40 lbs. of grass daily in the dry season, and for
each seer of milk she gives she requires an additional
9 per cent. to be added to her requirements in the way of
food, otherwise the milk she produces is only obtained
at the price of her stock deteriorating. Endeavours
should be made to produce dairy cows yielding 4,000 to
5,000 seers of milk and not only in the countryside but
in cities too the better breeding of milch cattle needs
encouragement.
4. Cattle-breeding.—It was found impossible till
after the close of the year under report to appoint a
whole-time Live Stock Officer for the Province, and
Mr. Branford had of necessity to hold charge of that post
in addition to his work as Superintendent of the Cattle
Farm at Hissar. At the close of the year there were 2,890
approved stud bulls at work as against 2,501 in 1926-27.
Seven hundred and thirty-two were issued during the
year which constitutes a record for the Province, and
343 are said to have been cast for various causes. It
appears, however, that the "casting" is only theoreti-
cal and in actual practice it is found extremely difficult
to induce Zamindars to dispose of the old and otherwise
unsuitable bulls even after they have been cast by the
department as no longer fit for breeding purposes.
They remain in villages until they die. The Chief
Superintendent has laid stress in the report upon
the necessity for castrating at the proper time, and
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the Ministry agrees that earlier action in this direc-
tion and more prompt replacement of bulls are essential
to success in cattle breeding. No less essential is the
careful allotment of approved bulls when issued to
suitable localities. Full advantage can only be taken of
the system of issuing such bulls if district boards will
agree to be guided by their veterinary advisers in the
choice of suitable villages for the creation of a stock of
good cattle and will allot the bulls purchased from the
Hissar Farm or elsewhere to those villages only. As
matters stand at present, many boards purchase a
few bulls which are unsystematically scattered over the
district. The result is that for all practical purposes
many of them are wasted. If they were confined to
selected villages, all other unsuitable bulls in which
were castrated, a few years would see the creation of
a fine breed of cattle from which other parts of the
district could be supplied to the general improve-
ment of the breed of cattle throughout the surrounding
country. The resources of the Hissar Farm, which is
the main source of supply for approved bulls, are being
expanded, but are still and always must be limited, and
at present except in the districts of Rohtak and Gurgaon
which have taken sufficient balls to effect a general
improvement in the stock, their resources are not being
used to the best advantage. If a policy of concentra-
tion, as outlined above, were adopted, the Ministry is
confident that there would be a much more rapid
general improvement in the cattle of the Province.
Bulls would be cast at the proper time, because the
Zamindars would know that they could be at once re-
placed. The good done by the magnificent animals
from Hissar would not be negatived by the presence
of innumerable scrub bulls, and the production of
animals suitable for breeding would thus steadily in-
crease until it would become possible to insist upon the
castration of all but approved animals, as is done in
every other progressive cattle-breeding, country.
5. Hissar Farm.—The Hissar Farm again had a
successful year under the care of Mr. Branford, who has
done so much to bring it to its present state of efficiency.
Unfortunately this was his last year as Superintendent
as to the great regret of the Ministry he has now re-
tired from the service. As, however, he is settling in the
5
Punjab it is hoped that the Province will still occasion-
ally have the benefit of his unique experience as a cattle
breeder. The Ministry notes with interest the efforts
that have been made to improve the milking qualities of
the farm herd. Fodder cultivation was extremely success-
ful, and the efficiency with which it is carried out on
the farm should provide a valuable example to neighbour-
ing farmers; but the failure of the local peasant to
adopt ensilage, though perfectly well acquainted with its
advantages and with the methods of making and storing
it, is disappointing. Other distircts have been quick to
realise its possibilities.
6. Veterinary work.—On the Veterinary side the
year, however, has been one of continued development
and expansion. A comparison of the activities of the
department in the year 1921-22 with those of the pre-
sent year is instructive in showing the rapidity of ad-
vance of the department and the increase in. the calls
upon it. In 1921 there were 159 veterinary dispensaries in
the Province. They are now 241, and the cases treated
in them amounted to 792,149 as against 360,715 six
years ago. The district staff visited 17,530 villages,
treated 111,433 animals and performed 22,209 castrations
in 1921. This year they visited 34,084 villages, treated
220,039 animals and performed 143,322 castrations.
Three lakhs nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six inoculations against rinderpest and hæmorrha-
gic septicæmia were carried out as against 176,699.
Two hundred and fifteen bulls were supplied to District
Boards by the Government Cattle Farm at Hissar in
1921. This year the number was 439. The sanctioned
cadre of the subordinate staff now consists of 344 Inspec-
tors, Surgeons and Assistants, and the total expenditure
by Government and local bodies amounted in the year
under report to nearly 22½ lakhs of rupees. Unfortun-
ately it has not been possible to strengthen the superior
directing and supervising staff of the department in
a proportion corresponding with the enormous increase
of work, and the above figures give an indication of the
burden which the last few years of expansion have
thrown upon the shoulders of the Chief Superintendent
and his handful of gazetted colleagues. The Ministry is
taking steps to strengthen the directing staff, the insuffi-
ciency of which is the chief weakness of the department
and one which seriously threatens the prospects of sound
development.
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7. Punjab Veterinary College.—The examination re-
sults show clearly that many of the students admitted find
the course too severe to be able to complete it, and only
half of the small number who succeeded in surviving
the test of the yearly examination were successful in
the Final Examination. This indicates that most of the
students are lacking in general educational equipment
when admitted to the college. The Province now re-
quires to recruit 35 qualified Veterinary Assistants a
year to keep pace with development, and in the year
under report the college was only able to supply eight.
Government has accordingly decided to raise the stand-
ard of admission to the Intermediate qualification, and
as the number of applicants is always several times
reater than that which it is possible to admit it is
hoped that really suitable students will be forthcoming
whose educational attainments allow of their taking full
advantage from the start of the instruction imparted.
The Ministry hopes that an Educational and Research
atmosphere will grow in the college and the staff's and
the students mix together as comrades and make it one
of the finest institutions in the world. Much experi-
mental and research work of great value was carried out
in the College Laboratory, and the average daily attend-
ance at the hospital attached to the college increased
from 119 (last year's figure) to 133. The institution is
generally acknowledged to be the finest of its kind in
India, and one of the best in the Empire.
8. District Veterinary Work.— Forty-two thousand
four hundred and sixteen deaths from contagious
diseases were reported as against 45,107 in the previous
year, but as Mr. Jacob pointed out in 1921, approximately
a million and a half bovines and equines must die in the
Province during the year, and it is obvious that report-
ing arrangements are defective as the remaining 1,450
thousand odd can hardly die from natural causes. As usual
rinderpest is the most destructive disease among bovines
and accounted for more than half of the total number of
deaths reported. It was this year again particularly
severe in the hill districts of Kangra and Simla. It has
not yet been possible to adopt the serum simultaneous
method of inoculation which is considered by the Royal
Commission on Agriculture to be the most hopeful
means of dealing with this pestilence, as the treatment
7
requires skilled hands, and it has not yet been found
possible to give the officers of the department the neces-
sary training at Muktesar. It is hoped that a start
will be made next year, as in the absence of any legis-
lation for the control of contagious diseases and owing
to the apathy and ignorance which militate against the
adoption of' simple and necessary safeguards, serum
inoculation, which only confers immunity for nine of ten
days, must always be expensive and unsatisfactory. The
Chief Superintendent has expressed his disappointment at
the fact that the co-operative societies of the Province,
which number 470 thousand members, most of whom
are agriculturists have so far done little towards the pro-
pagation of certain simple rules and precautionary
measures which would to a great extent safeguard their
village from the destructive visitation of cattle disease.
The Ministry agrees that much more could be done in
this direction, and hope that the officers of the Veterinary
and Co-operative Departments will give their joint
attention to this question. So much social and financial
improvement has been achieved by co-operative societies
that it seems certain that if given the necessary stimulus
they could render valuable assistance in this matter.
The Chief Superintendent has remarked that owing to
the spread of water-logging hæmorrhagic septicæmia is
on the increase, and is second only in destructiveness to
rinderpest. The connection between this disease and
marshy water-logged areas is one which deserves further
investigation, and it may be necessary to undertake
special measures, for combating it in badly drained areas,
which are also the home of surra and of a variety of para-
sitic diseases.
9. The Ministry wishes to record its appreciation of
the excellent work done by Mr. Quirke, the Chief Superin-
tendent, and the officers of the department through-
out a year of unusual expansion and considers that in
the circumstance of acute shortage of staff the
progress made has been most creditable.
By order of the Punjab Government.
JOGENDRA SINGH,
W. R. WILSON,
Minister for Agriculture.
Secretary to Govt., Pb.,
Revenue Department.
286 FC—230—28-2-29—SGI P Lahore.
Annual Report of the Punjab Veterinary College
for the year 1927-28.
Gazetted Staff.
THE charge of the institution remained with Mr. Taylor
throughout the year, except for from 6th
May 1927 to 2nd July 1927, when he was
on leave out of India prefixed to college vacations, commencing
on 3rd July 1927. Captain Walker officiated for him during
this period. Lala Durga Das worked as Professor of Medi-
cine in addition to his own duties from 6th May 1927 to
2nd July 1927.
Mr. J. F. Shirlaw joined his appointment as Professor
of Pathology in the forenoon of 3rd of April 1927. He pro-
ceeded on Medical leave on 6th May 1927 to 2nd July 1927,
and Syed Riazul Hassan carried on the duties of the Pro-
fessor of Pathology in addition to his own duties.
Non-gazetted Staff.
There had been no change in the non-gazetted establish-
ment during the year.
Admissions.
One hundred and thirty-four candidates offered them-
selves for admission to the College in
June 1927, out of which 31 were selected
by the Principal. Nine Matriculated candidates were nomi-
nated by various Indian States.
Six candidates with F.Sc. Medical group qualification
were admitted to the 2nd Year Class in October 1927 by the
Principal and one with similar qualification was nominated
by the Hyderabad (Deccan) State.
-Number of Students.
At the close of the year under report the number of
students was :—
1st Year Class .. .. .. ..
2nd Year Class .. .. .. ..
3rd Year Class .. .. .. ..
4th Year Class .. .. .. ..
Post Diploma Course .. .. ..
48
47
27
23
2
Twenty students left the College during the year. Eleven
out of the 1st Year Class, 4 from the 2nd Year Class, 3 from
the 3rd Year Class and 2 from the 4th Year Class. Some
Myasore students left Lahore on account of communal riots in
My 1927 and did not return.
Examinations.
The annual examinations were held in June 1927 and the
supplementary examinations for students,
who failed in one subject only, took place
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in October 1927 with the following results :—
1st Year .. ..
2nd Year .. ..
3rd Year .. ..
4th Year .. ..
Number
examined.
42
34
23
16
Passed.
27
23
16
8
Farriers.
Four farriers were examined and awarded certificates
in June. Eighteen farriers joined the
class in October.
Hospital Attendance.
The attendance at the Hospital during the year was :—
General Ward.
In-patients ..
Out-patients ..
1,287
3,003
against
„
1,384
2,908
last year.
„ „
Dog Ward.
In-patients ..
Out-patients ..
418
541
against
„
414
564
last year.
„ „
Contagious Ward.
In-patients ..
Out-patients ..
357
91
against
..
349
..
last year.
..
The average daily attendance in the various wards of
the Hospital was 132.74 against 119.05 last year.
Fifty-five dogs underwent the anti-rabic treatment dur-
ing the year.
Special Work.
An X-Ray apparatus has been installed during the
current year. This apparatus has al-
ready been proved very valuable for
purposes of diagnoses.
Further experiments have been carried out in the use of
an instrument invented by Chaudhri Mushtaq Ahmad, a
member of this College staff, for the treatment of Prolapsus
recti in all animals. These experiments have resulted in
100 per cent. of cures having been effected in cases of this
troublesome condition.
Glanders.
Experimental treatment of Glanders by means of a serum
obtained from a horse immunised against
the disease has been carried out. In
conjunction with a vaccine, followed by mallein inoculation,
serum treatment has exhibited a decided curative effect on
horses reacting strongly to the mallein test and cutaneous
glanders lesions have healed rapidly. Furthermore, such
treated horses have yielded negative reactions to the accepted
linlogic tests for glanders.
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The number of animals experimentally treated has ne-
cessarily been small, but the results have been sufficiently
encouraging to warrant further sustained investigation.
Poultry Diseases.
Investigations have been carried out in a disease of
poultry, which appears widely prevalent in
the Punjab. Numerous outbreaks, attend-
ed with heavy losses, have been reported. A considerable
amount of work in the disease has been done at the Punjab
Veterinary College, and important data collected : investiga-
tion has been concentrated in the nature of the casual virus
method of spread, and the essential pathology of the disease.
A wide range of therapeutic agents has been employed
in experimental treatment. The results up to the present
warrant further investigation.
Buildings.
The new Hostel, Tube Well and the Principal's Bungalow
were completed during the year.
Income.
The total amount credited into the Government Treasury
during the year was Rs. 27,652-2-11
against Rs. 27,158-10-9 last year, the
increase is due to the enhanced rate of hostel fee.
Expenditure.
The total cost was Rs. 1,58,086 against Rs. 1,61,157
last year. The decrease is due to Mr.
Taylor's pay being drawn in England
while on leave.
Employment of the
Alumni of the College.
The demand for qualified men is much more than the supply.
To improve conditions and ultimately
the supply of qualified candidates the
local Government has sanctioned the
standard of admission to this College to be raised to the inter-
mediate in Science or Arts Faculty. For the first two years,
however, any vacancies can be filled up by Matriculates of
the 1st Division only.
General Remarks.
During the year the health and behaviour of the students
residing in the College hostel, were good.
Games and sports, however, could not be
satisfactorily undertaken on account of the inability to ob-
tain water for the playing field. It is hoped that this draw-
back will be overcome in the near future.
The Principal wishes to record his appreciation of the
work of the staff throughout the year.
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Sohawa Laboratory.
Chaudhri Kahan Singh remained in charge of the office of
the Camel Specialist, Sohawa, throughout the
year under report.
Nine hundred and three animals belonging to private owners
were treated for various diseases during the year.
Surra in Camels.—One hundred and forty-two camels belong-
ing to private persons were treated for natural surra, out of these
137 were discharged cured, 4 died in the course of treatment and
one was destroyed on account of broken leg due to fall.
Surra in Equines.—Three centres at Bhera, Qilla Sheikhupura
and Muridke were reopened for Surra affected animals. These
still proved to be insufficient for the purpose and more are
recommended.
Three out of four were cured at Sohawa. One died during
treatment. At Bhera 13 were cured out of 14, one being taken
away before completion of treatment. At Qilla Sheikhupura and
Muridke 44 and 52 cases respectively were admitted. Of the
former 36 were cured, 6 died during treatment, and two were taken
away before the completion of treatment. Eight out of 36 cured,
relapsed again. Of the latter 48 were cured.
Transmission Experiments carried out.—Proved that the tick
(O. Crossi) is capable of spreading disease up to 622 days after
it has fed on an infected animal and can survive for 720 days with-
out food.
Results with regard to experiments if this disease can be
transmitted to the factus while in the womb or through the medium
of sucking milk from a sick mother still show negative results.
Treatment of Mange in Camels had been carried out by appli-
cation of taramira oil, the dip still failing to remain water tight.
The Fly Survey.—The areas (a) between the rivers Sutlej and
Beas and comprising of Districts of Jullundur and Hoshiarpur, (b)
between the rivers Chenab and Ravi lying south of Grand Trunk
Road and comprising most of the districts of Sheikhupura, Gujran-
wala, Lyallpur, Jhang and Multan, (c) lying along the border of
Jammu and Kashmir State, comprising Gujrat, Sialkot and
Gurdaspur districts, (d) lying between the boundary line of Jammu
and Kashmir State and Grand Trunk Road comprising parts of
Jhelum, Rawalpindi and Campbellpur Districts (this area for ticks
only) and (e) along the Pathankot-Dalhousie Road (5 to 7 miles
both sides) were surveyed for flies and ticks during the year
under report.
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The residential quarters of the superior and inferior staff,
the office and the Laboratory blocks have been condemned as un-
safe for habitation. Plans for remodelling the Laboratory are
under the consideration of Government.
The total expenditure incurred in running the Sohawa
Laboratory during 1927-28 was Rs. 34,702.
W. TAYLOR, I.V.S.,
Principal, Punjab Veterinary College.