NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
9
progress. For this the Principal and his staff are to be con-
gratulated. Colonel Walker is on leave at present, and
it is doubtful whether he will return, but we hope to see
him back to help to carry on the work of development
of the College which he has done so much to improve.
District work.
The report of the Chief Superintendent, Civil Veteri-
nary Department, will be found on pages 37—57.
The division of the province into Veterinary circles
remained the same as last year, viz:—
Serial So.
1
2
8
4
5
6
Northern Circle
Districts.
Rawalpindi.
Attock.
Jhelum.
Gujrat.
Shahpur.
Mianwali.
Serial No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Central Circle
Districts.
Lahore.
Sheikhupura.
Gurdaspur.
Amritsar.
Kangra.
Jullundur.
Hoshiarpur.
Gujranwala.
Sialkot.
Serial No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
6
9
10
11
12
13
14
Southern Circle
Districts.
Hissar.
Rohtak.
Karnal.
Ourgaon.
Ambals.
Simla.
Ludhiana.
Ferosepore.
Multan.
Jhang.
Montgomery.
Muzaffargarh.
Dera Ghazi Khan.
Lyallpur.
NOTS.—Horse and mule-breeding are only done by the Civil Veterinary Department
in non-selected districts. Non-selected districts include Hisaar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal,
Ambala, Simla, Kangra, Hoshiarpur, Jullundur, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Sialkot, Mianwali
and Mnzaffargarh,—vide Agriculture Circular No. 6.
During the absence of Mr. Quirke, Chief Superinten-
dent, Civil Veterinary Department, on leave from 2nd April
1924 to 24th November 1924, Mr. Brandford, Superintendent,
Cattle Farm, Hissar, officiated as Chief Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department.
10
The post of Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, North-Punjab and North-West Frontier Province,
was held by Mr. Brett throughout the year under report.
Major F. G. Sikes was in charge of the Southern Circle till
13th September 1924 when he left the Department. He was
relieved by Mr. Garewal who returned from leave in Britain.
As regards the Provincial Service officers, M. Talib
Khan and Pandit Janki Nath continued to work as Deputy
Superintendents in the Northern and Southern Circles,
respectively, throughout the year. Kh. Ghulam Hasan
was appointed to the vacant post of Deputy Superintendent,
Central Circle, caused by the retirement of Rai Sahib
Lala Kotu Ram. Kh. Ghulam Hasan took over charge on
6th November. 1924.
The control of the Sohawa Research Laboratory remain-
ed with the Chief Superintendent throughout the year. As
usual the report of the work done there, has been published
separately.
At the close of the year under report the complete
sanctioned cadre of the Department for district work, was as
follows:—
Staff.
Northern
Central
Southern
Circle.
... ...
... ...
... ...
Total ...
IMPERIAL STAFF.
Chief
Superin-
tendent.
...
1
...
1
Superintendents.
1
...
1
2
PROVIN-
CIAL
STAFF
Deputy Superin-
tendents.
1
1
1
3
SUBORDINATE STAFF.
Veterinary Inspec-
tors.
27
27
Veterinary Assist-
ants.
216*
216
*NOTE.—In addition,three Veterinary Assistants are employed at the Government Cattle
Farm, Hissar and one as Lecturer in Elementary Veterinary Science at the Punjab Agri-
cultural College, Lyallpur.
For further particulars of Subordinate Staff of the
Veterinary Department, see Table VI page xiv.
The following statement shows the numbers of villages
visited by the district staff while on tour; the numbers of
11
animals treated, and the numbers of castrations performed
during the year under report, and in the previous year:—
Work done on tour.
Villages visited ... ...
Animals created ... ...
Castrations
... ...
Year
1923-24.
14,213
82,685
58,534
Year
1924-25.
18,505
109,390
97,869
Differences in
numbers (+)
or (—) in
1924-25.
+ 4,292
+ 26,705
+ 39,335
Percentage
increase (+)
or decrease
(—).
+ 30
+ 82
+ 67
For further details see Table IV, pages x—xi.
In the year under report there were only six more
Veterinary Assistants on district work than there were in
the previous year, and the increase in the number of villag es
visited appears to be due chiefly to the increased sum of
money provided for travelling allowances. The consequent
increases in the numbers of animals treated for disease and
castrated are tremendous.
The statement given below gives a summary of the
number of cases treated at the hospitals by the district
staff in the years 19-3.24 and 1924-25:—
Work done at District hospitals.
Number of
Animals treated ...
...
Cases supplied with medicines
but not brought to hospitals.
Castrations
...
...
Year 1923-24.
496,072
80,289
89,225
Year 1924-25.
539,947
106,338
56,905
Differences
in numbers
(+) or (—)
in 1924-25.
+ 48,875
+ 26,097
+ 17,630
Percentage
increase (+)
or decrease
(—).
+ 9
+ 33
+ 45
C
12
For further details see Table V, pages xii—xiii.
It will be seen that in spite of only three more hospitals
being opened 9 per cent. more cases have been treated,
33 per cent. more cases have been supplied with
medicines, and 45 per cent. more animals have been
castrated at hospitals. These large increases can have noth-
ing to do with an increase in the travelling allowance and
must be a tribute to the value of the work being done at
these hospitals and the faith which the agricultural com-
munity are acquiring in the Veterinary Department.
Combining the work done on tour with that done at the
hospitals we find that the district staff visited 4,292 more
villages, treated 70,580 more cases, supplied 26, 96 more
cases with medicines, and castrated 57,015 more animals
than in the previous year. Considering the comparatively
small staff on district work, I think they are to be highly
complimented on this achievement. The tremendous
increase in the number of castrations performed
seems to me of special importance as a sign of that
awakening of farmers to the need for improving their
breeds of cattle already referred to, and of the impossibility
of doing so while large numbers of undesirable males
are allowed to run at large among the better bred females.
For this advance the province is indebted to the introduction
of the Burdizzo's bloodless castrator (see page 10 of my
last year's report) and the energy of the Veterinary Staff in
pushing on the castration work.
The receipts of the Simla Veterinary Hospital during
the year under report were Rs. 10,329 and the expenditure
was Rs. 6,650, against Rs. 11,138 and Rs. 7,880, respec-
tively, during the previous year. The surplus of income
over the expenditure which has been credited into the
Government treasury by the Municipality, was, however,
Rs. 3,679 against Rs. 3,258 (or Rs. 421 more than last
year). The introduction of certain economies in the ex-
penditure of this hospital has caused a satisfactory reduction
in the hospital charges as is evident from the above figures.
According to the terms of transfer of the institution from
Government to the Municipality, the minimum amount
that is required to be paid to Government annually on
account of pay and allowances of the Veterinary Assistant
and interest on the initial and additional expenditure on
buildings at 4½ per cent. is Rs. 3,459 per annum. Therefore
13
the net profit to Government was Rs. 220 against a loss
of RS. 201 in the previous year.
Three new Veterinary Hospitals were opened during
the year under report and of these one at Indaura, Kangra
District, and one at Qilla Sardar Harnam Singh, Sheikhupura
District, were started by local subscriptions. There is now a
total of 179 hospitals in the province. Since the Veterinary
year closed, Government sanction has been given to the
filling of the 13 posts (7 Veterinary Assistant-Surgeons, and
6 Veterinary Assistants), necessary for the opening of the
12 Veterinary Hospitals referred to in the report of the
Chief Superintendent, and Government has
allotted
Rs. 50,000 to assist District Boards in the construction of
buildings for more hospitals.
A list of 26 hospitals proposed to be opened by District
Boards as soon as staff to open these can be supplied, is
given in Chief Superintendent's report. Their cases are
under consideration. Standard plans of hospitals have been
prepared to meet the various districts' requirements.
Regarding contagious disease, 49,493 bovine deaths
from this cause were reported during the year, against
39,394 in the previous year. Rinderpest alone is res-
ponsible for the increase—there being 30,469 deaths from
the disease, against 12,107 in the previous year. Rinderpest
appeared in all districts of the province except Simla, Mian-
wali, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan. Over 6,000 deaths
were reported from Gujrat, over 4,000 from each of the
districts Lahore and Gujranwala, and over 2,000 from each
of the districts Sheikhupura, Sialkot and Shahpur. Fewer
deaths were reported from other districts.
Four hundred and eighty-four outbreaks were at-
tended to by the Veterinary staff during the year,
and 77,513 cattle were inoculated as compared with
202 outbreaks and 33,643 and 107 inoculation in
cattle and goats, respectively, during the previous year.
Ninety-six animals died after inoculation; the Chief
Superintendent states that these were probably in the
incubative stage of the disease when they were inoculated.
The great increase made in the number of inoculations
against this disease is ascribed by the Chief Superin-
tendent to the partial removal of the restrictions on
touring. He evidently refers to the increased allotment
for travelling allowance. This is certainly a large factor
in the case, and as explained in last year's report
c2
14
I consider that it is of the utmost importance to the
province that the mobility of the district staff should not be
hampered.
The Chief Superintendent states that the increased
dosage of serum now being used is helping to popularise
the practice of mixing inoculated, with diseased, animals
in affected villages, as a means of actively immunising
against this disease. The advantage of this practice is that
when animals are injected with serum and immediately
exposed to infection they acquire an active immunity of
several months' duration.
The Chief Superintendent is of opinion, however, that
the time is approaching when economic conditions will
help to induce the "Serum simultaneous" method of in-
oculation as the more effective method of dealing with
rinderpest in this country. This method consists of inject-
ing the animals with anti-rinderpest serum on one side, and
with rinderpest infected blood on the other. The animal
gets a mild form of the disease and a lasting immunity is
then established. Even when no reaction takes place an
immunity lasting several months is established. The
method has the disadvantage that a small percentage of
deaths occur after inoculation, and that at times it is diffi-
cult to obtain the virulent blood from a sick animal.
In what is known the "serum alone" method, the
animal is injected only with anti-rinderpest serum.
From foot-and-mouth disease, 792 bovine deaths were
reported against 993 in the previous year. Kangra District,
with 214 deaths, had the highest mortality. The usual
measures to check the spread of the disease were taken by
the Veterinary staff. The Chief Superintendent states that
mortality from this disease invariably occurs as the result
of complications which are easily preventable when proper
hygienic measures are taken by the owners.
As regards hæmorrhagic septicæmia, 12,316 bovine
deaths were reported during the year, against 20,676 in the
previous year. The worst attacks were reported from
Shahpur, Sialkot, Lyallpur, Amritsar, Karnal and Rohtak
Districts. Preventive inoculations against hæmorrhagic
septicæmia were performed in 294 outbreaks and on 84,728
animals, against 314 outbreaks and 82,976 inoculations in
the previous year.
15
Hæmorrhagic septicæmia vaccinations were performed
on 155,527 animals in 566 villages, against 131,380 vacci-
nations in 461 villages in the previous year. There is thus
a considerable increase of preventive work done against this
disease, but the Chief Superintendent points out that vacci-
nation to be most effective should be carried out shortly
before the rains and that as the staff is often occupied with
other diseases at that time, further extensions of these
measures will depend to a large extent on an augmentation
of the District staff.
The number of bovine deaths reported from Black
quarter during the year was 2,240 against 1,348 in the pre-
vious year. Attock District suffered most and 1,993 deaths
were reported from that district alone. Over 400 deaths
were reported from each of the districts of Rawalpindi and
Jhelum. The losses reported from other districts were small.
Vaccinations against Black quarter were performed on
15,842 animals in 91 villages in the year under report as
against 15,776 animals in 114 villages in the previous
year. The Chief Superintendent states that measures for
tae prevention of this disease are likely to be more effective
as the result of recent research work done. Personally I
think this would be the case in most diseases if research
work was undertaken on them, and I think it is very impor-
tant that this should be done.
Four hundred and ninety-three bovine deaths were
reported from contagious diseases such as cow-pox, liver
fluke, contagious pleuro pneumonia, gillar, etc., against 310
in the previous year.
Two thousand eight hundred and sixteen deaths from
contagious disease among other animals were reported
against 3,726 in the previous year. Rinderpest alone
accounted for 1,201 of these.
16
The following is a summary of the bovine deaths reported and the bovine inoculations and
vaccinations performed in the year under report and in the previous year:—
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
Rinderpest ...
Foot-and-Mouth
disease.
Hæmorrhagic Septi-
cæmia.
Blackquarter
...
Other contagions di-
sease (cow-pox, liver
fluke,
contagious
pleuræ, pneumonia,
gillar, etc).
Total
DEATHS REPORTED.
1923-24.
12,107
993
20,676
1,348
310
35.434
1924-25;
30,469
792
12,316
2,240
493
46,310
Increase (+)
or decrease
(—) in 1924-
25.
+ 18,362
—201
—8,860
+ 892
+ 183
10,876
INOCULATIONS PERFORMED.
1923-24.
38,643
...
82,976
...
...
121,619
1924-25.
77,513
...
84,728
...
...
162,231
Increase(+)
or decrease
(—) in 1924-
25.
+ 38,870
...
+1,752
...
...
40.612
VACCINATIONS.
1923-24.
...
...
131,380
15,776
...
147,156
1924-25.
...
...
155,527
15,842
...
|
171,369
Increase (+)
or decrease-
(—) in 1924
25.
...
...
+ 24,147
+ 66
...
24,313
For more detailed information see Table II, pages ii—iii.
17
Therefore the province is reported to have lost 10,876 more
bovines from contagious disease in the year under report,
than in the previous year, and the District Veterinaary staff
performed 40,612 more inoculations and 24,213 more vac-
cinations on bovines against contagious disease than in the
previous year.
As regards outbreaks of contagious diseases among
equines, this department only deals with those which occur
in the "non-selected" districts (see statement at pages ii—iii).
Only one case of glanders was reported, against none in the
previous year. This case occurred in the Rawalpindi Dis-
trict. No case of anthrax or dourine was reported either
this year or last year. Seventy-three cases of surra among
equines were reported and confirmed against 73 cases con-
firmed in the previous year. The Chief Superintendent
points out that the incidence of this disease is much more
serious in the province than these figures indicate, as it is
well known to be more prevalent in those districts where
horse-breeding operations and equine diseases are controlled
by the Army Department. The disease is more prevalent
in low lying swampy tracts and tracts bordering rivers
in, or on the banks of which there is much vegetation
than in dry sandy areas, as the Tabanidæ flies which trans-
mit the disease lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic
plants, on leaves of trees and on rocks overhanging water.
It has also been found that the Tabanidæ are more pre-
valent in a year of good monsoon than when the monsoon
is poor. The efforts to combat this disease are recorded in
the annual report of the Sohawa Laboratory.
Twenty equine deaths were reported under the heading
"other contagious diseases". Only one death was reported
in the previous year under this heading. Among other
animals 2,816 deaths from contagious disease were reported
against 3,726 in the previous year. For further details
regarding deaths reported from contagious disease (see Table
II, pages ii—iii), and for details of results of preventive
inoculations (see Table III, pages iv—ix).
Cattle-breeding work was carried on and developed on
the lines indicated in the previous year's report. At the
close of the year under report there were 1,958 stud bulls
at work in the various districts of the province, against
1,774 in the previous year. For further details see Table
VII, page xv.
18
I am glad to note a general improvement in the interest
shown by district boards in cattle-breeding. The department
attaches very great importance to the development of
the Hariana and Dhanni tracts as cattle-breeding centres of
the province, as for economic reasons the rearing of cattle
should prove more remunerative to breeders there than in the
canal irrigated areas. I am therefore glad to note that the
District Boards of these two important cattle-breeding tracts
have begun to take an active interest in the development
of their breeds of cattle. The most serious difficulty faced
in these tracts is the uncertainty of fodder supply owing to
the constantly recurring famines. The question of improv-
ing the fodder supply in these tracts is receiving the atten-
tion of the department. In this connection, 1 may men-
tion that a much needed Fodder Specialist has just been
appointed to the Agricultural Department.
As explained in last year's report, the principle of working
the Dhanni and Hariana Cattle-breeding Scheme is that
bulls are to be provided by grants from Government,
supplemented by at least a corresponding amount from the
District Boards concerned. The Dhanni scheme now em-
braces part of each of the four North-Punjab districts,
Attock, Jhelum, Rawalpindi and Mianwali. A part of
Mianwali has been added during the year under report.
The Government grants-in-aid to this scheme amounted to a
total sum of Rs. 8,500 in the year under report. The total
number of bulls working under this scheme at the end of
the year was 108 against 91 in the previous year. Of the
17 bulls added, three were purchased outright and 14 have
been entered on the subsidy system, explained last year.
Some 12,290 cows were covered by approved bulls during
the year as against 7,157 in the previous year. Calves
were got from an average of about 64 per cert. of the cover-
ings. This represents a very satisfactory increase in the
number of well-bred young stock born in the tract during
the year.
With a view to enlisting public interest in the scheme,
Dhanni Cattle-breeding associations have been started in
Rawalpindi, Attock and Jhelum Districts. All these asso
ciations have held regular meetings during the year and
have collected funds which they intend to apply to the
improvement of the Dhanni breed. The Rawalpindi Associ-
ation has applied to the Registrar, Co-operative Societies,
for registration, and it is hoped that the other associations
will do so in the near future.
19
The Hariana Cattle-breeding Scheme embraces the dis-
tricts of Gurgaon and Rohtak. In the year under re port
a Government grant of Rs. 4,000 for this scheme was divid-
ed between the two District Boards concerned. The record
number of 110 bulls have been supplied to the Gurgaon
District Board from the Hissar Cattle Farm during the year.
There are now a total of 391 approved stud bulls at work in
that district. Also 24 heifers were supplied from the Hissar
Cattle Farm to the Co-operative Cattle-breeding Societies in
the Gurgaon District and arrangements are in progress for
increasing the number. The department is greatly indebted.
to Mr. F. L. Brayne, Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon, for
the extraordinary interest he takes in all matters concerning
the development of agriculture in his district.
The Rohtak District Board has purchased 12 stud
bulls from the Hissar Cattle Farm. The District Board
is now taking a very active interest in cattle-breeding.
The Multan Cattle-breeding
Association, started by
Mr. Fyson, Deputy Commissioner, Multan, last year is doing
very good work. Such District Boards as those of Gujrat,
Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Lahore also take a great interest
in cattle-breeding. There are some others, however, which
are still very backward.
The following statements show some particulars of the
larger grants of lands for the improvement of breeds of
cattle in the Punjab:—
For the Hariana Breed of Cattle.
Name of farm.
1. Fazal Dad Farm ...
2. Babadarsagar Farm ...
3. Qadarabad Farm ...
Total ...
Year granted.
1916
1916
1915
...
Area in acres.
3,140
3,131
1,000
7,271
Required strength
of herd.
6 bulls, 400 cows.
6 bulls 400 cows.
3 bulls, 125 cows.
15 bulls, 925 cows.
20
The total number of young stock on these farms is
1,000 approximately.
For the Montgomery or Sahiwal Breed of Cattle.
Name of farm.
1. Jahangirabad Farm
...
2. Kot Allah Dad Khan Farm
3. Sir Louis Dane Cattle Farm,
Kaliana.
Total ...
Year granted.
1916
1917
1910
...
Area in acres.
4,226
3,800
2,300
10,326
Requited strength
of herd.
8 bulls, 500 cows.
3 bulls, 125 cows.
3 bulls, 150 cows.
14 bulls, 775 cows.
The total number of young stock on these farms is
1,000 approximately:—
For Dairying purposes.
Name of farm.
1. Rakh Chandrai, Lahore Dairy
Farm.
2. Montgomery Dairy Farm ...
Total ...
Year granted.
1922
1921
...
Area in acres.
1,137
485
1,622
Required strength
of herd.
6 bulls, 600 cows.
3 bulls, 150 cows.
9 bulls, 750 cows.
I visited all of these farms with one exception once or
oftener in the past year and I am driven to confess that
most of them are very disappointing as a means of improv-
ing the breed of cattle in the province. To run a
cattle-breeding farm efficiently, close and unremitting
supervision over the many details of animal management
is indispensable, and of such work most of the grantees
have little experience; also the high prices which far-
mers have been getting for crops such as cotton and
21
wheat make crop growing far more profitable than cattle
rearing, and the grantees in their anxiety to make money
rapidly are apt to forget the objects for which the grants
were given. In brief a major trouble is that under present
economic conditions the interests of the grantees and the
Government are antagonistic.
A notice has been served on the grantee of the Sir
Louis Dane Cattle Farm for the resumption of the lands
by Government, and steps are being taken in other cases
to improve matters.
The Jahangirabad Farm which is one of the best of
these grants is being steadily developed. The cream sent
from this farm to the Military Dairy Farm, Lahore, amounts
now to Rs. 1,800 per month.
Daily milk records are now established on all these
farms. Difficulties have been met with as in the Punjab
calves are habitually allowed to suckle their mothers
and the keeping of milk records is expensive; but con-
siderable progress has been made with this work
It may be mentioned that the world over, where
improvement in milk-yields in a breed are aimed at, daily
milk records are kept, and that for business reasons no
up-to-date dairy is run without them. In the Punjab, daily
milk records are kept at such dairies as Keventer's farm at
Tara Devi near Simla, which is run on strictly business lines,
the Imperial Cattle Farm at Karnal, the Military Dairy
Farms, etc.
At the Qadirabad farm milk-yields have been obtained
from Hariana cows which promise well to confirm the belief
in the possibilities of developing the Hariana breed into
dual purpose animals.
As noted in my last year's report, about 5,000 acres of
land near Shergarh were given out in small grants for
cattle-breeding in 1923. These grants are from one-half to
two rectangles each (one rectangle=25 acres) and are granted
to Syeds and Janglis. It is yet too early to say much
about these small grants, but the grantees are born cattle-
breeders and the cattle which they brought up for my
inspection last cold weather were certainly very fine
animals.
Cattle-breeding is a subject of very great importance
to farmers, especially in India where the farmer is depen-
dent on his cattle for cultivation, as well as for other neces-
sities, and with the high prices of labour and cultivated