NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
ANNUAL REPORT
ON THE
CIVIL VETERINARY ADMINISTRATION
IN THE
PUNJAB
For the year 1913-14.
Note on veterinary progress in the Punjab by the Director of
Agriculture.
Three annual reports are here brought together—
(1) Report on the Punjab veterinary college;
(2) Report on veterinary work in the districts;
(3) Report on the Hissar cattle farm.
The two latter reports were due in the first week of June, but did not
reach my office till 2nd and 4th July respectively. This has resulted in the
whole reaching government very late. The farm report is too long, but I hope
this will be forgiven in view of its interest.
2. Colonel Pease's report is the last which will be concerned with the
old veterinary college which has enjoyed a great reputation under the guidance
of Colonels Hallen, Kettlewell, Nunn and Pease.
The new college will be ready for next session and with the new college
a four year course will take the place of the present three year course and a post-
graduate course of one year will be inaugurated. It is understood that a new
college will be built in the United provinces, and there will then be more room
for Punjab students in the Punjab college.
3. Lieutenant-colonel Farmer's report shews that great progress
has been made during the year in the prevention and treatment of disease, in
arousing the veterinary staff to greater energy and zeal, and in instilling in the
people some knowledge of the elementary facts which they ought to know re-
garding cattle breeding and disease. The progress is very largely due to
lieutenant-colonel Farmer's personal enthusiasm and example; and I think
both the local instruction now given to veterinary assistants (paragraph 5) and
the village lectures (paragraph 7) are most useful.
The great increase in castrations from 2,268 in 1912-13 to 15,154 this
year is entirely due to personal persuasion by the veterinary staff.
4. For veterinary staff we depend upon the local government: for
everything else district boards pay. In regard to staff we are still disappointed
in not getting a whole-time superintendent for the north Punjab and a sepa-
rate superintendent for Hariana. Three posts for deputy superintendents
have been sanctioned, and to one of these posts an inspector has been promoted.
The other two posts will not be filled up until suitable men have passed
through the post-graduate course. I asked government to allow one veteri-
nary inspector for each district, but only 3 inspectors have been added to the
cadre, and we now have 15 inspectors for 28 districts. As regards veteri-
nary assistants the chief superintendent was hitherto authorized to increase
2
the cadre by 8 men annually; but now each individual case has to be reported
to government for orders. This has resulted in checking the expansion of the
department. The actual increase of veterinary assistants has been as
follows:—
1910-11.
9
1911-12.
25
1912-13.
6
1918-14.
1
I hope this is only a temporary check, for in all the centre of the
province there is a great popular demand for more hospitals and for these
we need more men. Cattle owners will not, and indeed in many cases cannot,
take their animals long distances to hospitals, and if we are to extend the
advantages of our treatment, and more especially if castration by excision
is to displace the present cruel practice of mulling, hospitals should not be
more than 20 miles apart.
See statements VI-A and VI-B.
5. The district boards are in most cases following a liberal policy in
veterinary matters, but some must be
named here in the hope that they will
be moved to do more. The Rohtak district has hitherto been one of the great
breeding districts, but now nothing is done to provide good bulls, and the
superintendent reports that it is being outstripped in point of quality of
stock by the neighbouring districts of Hissar and Gurgaon. Here the district
board might well supply 15 or 20 balls a year, but in 1912-13 only one was
bought and in 1913-14 none. Karnal has not yet built hospitals at Panipat
and Ladwa. Multan has still to build hospitals at Lodhran, Shujabad and
Mailsi: they spend money on horse-breeding in Multan, but do little for
cattle breeding which after all needs the greater assistance as the poor depend
on it, whereas horse breeding is the profitable occupation of the rich. Dera
Ghazi Khan has to build a hospital at Sanghar and might improve the
valuable Dajil breed by securing more careful selection of both bulls and cows.
The thanks of government are due to the large number of charitable
men who have come forward to build hospitals at their own expense.
6. It is most important that patwaris should be induced to report
outbreaks of disease immediately and in all cases. There is no doubt whatever
that many outbreaks are not reported at all and very many are reported
too late. I hope deputy commissioners will insist on this part of the patwaris'
duties.
7. Lieutenant-colonel Farmer's note on sheep-breeding is being
printed separately. As to cattle breeding, I wrote a note last year shewing
what had been done in each district since 1911 and that note will this year
be brought up to date. The limitations of space do not allow of cattle and
sheep breeding being adequately dealt with in this report.
8. Mr. Branford has done very well at Hissar. The farm has just
sold a bull for Rs. 1,300 to Brazil which is the highest price yet paid.
W. S. HAMILTON,
Director of Agriculture and Industries, Punjab.
3
REPORT
ON THE
PUNJAB VETERINARY COLLEGE
For the year 1913-14
BY
COLONEL PEASE, C.I.E.,
PRINCIPAL.
Staff.
1 The only changes in the teaching staff during the year were that
Mr. S. H. Graiger returned from sick leave and took over
charge of the contagious disease ward from Major G. K.
Walker, C.I.E., who was posted as post-graduate professor. Mr. Pool, one
of the officers under training, was transfereel to Behar and Orissa in January
1914.
2. None of the extra veterinary establishment, sanctioned in May
1912, has been entertained so far, as there is no work for them at present.
Sessions.
3. The summer session commenced on the 20th April 1913, and closed
on 20th June 1913. The winter session commenced at the
beginning of October 1913, and closed at the end of
March 1914.
Admission.
4. Fifty-five students were admitted on the 20th April 1913, and formed
the first year class. There were 60 students in the second
and 57 in the third year classes. The newly-admitted
students came from —
Indian cavalry regiments
Army remount department
Imperial service troops
Native states
Central provinces
...
...
...
United provinces of Agra and Oudh
Punjab district boards
Private students
Baluchistan agency
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
. ...
...
... 27
... 2
...
3
... 3
... 2
...
6
...
1
Of these 21 had passed the middle and 4 the entrance examinations.
5. The military students are admitted under paragraph 68 et seq of
Army Regulations India, Volume VIII.
6. The demand for admission to the college is very great, and the task
of selecting the few private students we can accommodate is a most unplea-
sant one as so many good men have to be refused admission.
Examination results.
7. In June 1913 one final year student, who had been remanded for
three months, passed the final examination. Fifty-five
appeared in the first year examination, and 51 or 92.72
per cent. passed Sixty were examined in the second year, of which 56 or 93.3
per cent passed Fifty-seven of the final year class were examined by the
board of examiners in April, and 52 or 91.22 per cent. obtained the diploma
8. The results of the examination were most satisfactory, the percent-
age of passes is high and there is considerable improve nent over last year.
9 One of the failures in the first year's class has been returned to his
regiment; all the other failures are remanded for a year.
Other classes.
10. Besides the ordinary work of teaching students 23 transport dress-
ers were trained during the summer vacation. There
were also 15 men in the farriers class and all of them
passed the examination.
4
Hospital.
11. The numbers of patients treated in the hospital
are as follows:—
Equines
Bovines
Canines
In ...
Out ...
In ...
Out ...
In ...
Out ...
Contagious Ward ...
534
2,715
23
2,371
191
456
1913-14.
3,249
2,894
647
279
1912-13.
2,650
1,642
532
176
12. I am exceedingly glad to be able to report such a considerable
improvement in the practice in the last two years. The equine patients have
increased by over a thousand, bovines by nearly 1,200, and the contagious
cases very considerably; our total practice being 6,569 against 4,077 in 1911-12.
This is a most important matter, as the practical teaching of the students
depends on the cases available.
Income.
13. The sum paid into the treasury was Rs. 14,299-5-0. The out-
standings on the 31st March last were only Rs. 673-12-0.
Allotment for civil ad-
mission.
14. The following scheme for providing more vacancies for Punjab
civil students was sanctioned in Punjab government
No. 55 (Rev. & Agri.), dated 16th January 1913:—
Military department, all sources—cavalry, artillery and army
remount department ... ... ...
United provinces ... ... ... ...
Central provinces ... ... ... ...
Native states and imperial service troops ... ...
Punjab civilian students ... ... ...
Total ...
28
4
5
6
17
60
Remanded men in the first year count against these numbers.
Demand for graduates.
1 5. The demand for graduates is exceedingly great, and the number we
can train is ridiculous compared with it.
Another vernacular ve-
terinary college.
16. The demands for the Punjab alone could not be supplied this year.
The progress of the various civil veterinary departments
in the provinces requiring our graduates i.e. Behar and
Orissa, United provinces, Central provinces and Baluchistan and Sind is
seriously hindered by lack of graduates. There are numerous demands
also from native states and abroad. The demand from the transport
department is very great, and at the same time many more men are
wanted in the imperial service troops, remount department and mountain
batteries. I have on many occasions strongly recommended the establishment
of another vernacular veterinary college, and 1 feel bound again to bring
this matter strongly to the notice of government.
New college.
17. In the meantime sanction has been given for the building of a
new veterinary college in Lahore on the site selected
by His Honour Sir Louis Dane. The buildings are now
in course of construction, and it is expected that we shall be able to occupy
them at the beginning of the next winter session. No doubt our work will
suffer a good deal during the move, but this is unavoidable.
Punjab veterinary as-
sociation.
18. The veterinary association, which was established last year, has
had a successful year, and the quarterly journal in verna-
cular has proved a great success.
Text-books.
19. The new text-book on equine medicine has been completed and
issued to the students.
Work of staff.
20. As usual the staff have worked loyally and well.
5
REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT, BY LIEUTENANT-
COLONEL J. FARMER, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT.
Part I.
General administration.
1. The following statement shows the names of the officers who held
charge of the several appointments and the amount of
touring work performed by them:—
Name of appointment.
Chief superintendent ...
Superintendent,
north
Punjab.
Superintendent,
north
Punjab.
Superintendent,
south
Punjab.
Officer under training ...
Officer under training ...
Name of officer.
Lieut.-col. J. Farmer
Mr. Woodley ...
Mr. Meadows ...
Mr. Geo. Taylor ...
Mr. Pool ...
Mr. W. Taylor ...
Date of holding charge.
1st April 1913 to 31st
March 1914.
1st April 1913 to 22nd
March 1914.
23rd March 1914 to 31st
March 1914.
1st April 1913 to 31st
March 1914.
1st April 1913 to Sep-
tember 1913.
1st April 1913 to 31st
March 1914.
Number of
days
spent on tour.
195
389
9
166
76
102
NUMBER OF MILES
TRAVELLED
By rail.
9,969
6,085
912
7,437
1,250
2,573
By road.
1,426
2,351
20
1,221
749
725
2. Mr. Pool was transferred to the Punjab veterinary college in
September 1913.
3. The superintendents toured in almost all the districts in their
respective charges.
4 A separate superintendent for the north Punjab is very much
needed. The present arrangement of an officer being under two governments,
north-west frontier province and Punjab, is unsatisfactory.
VETERINARY
NSTRUCTION.
5. A system of instructing veterinary inspectors and assistants has
been started during the year. Meetings are held in the several districts so as
to permit veterinary inspectors and assistants of at least two neighbouring
districts to attend. At these gatherings, which lasted two days, a superintend-
ent presided, a paper was read and discussed, and specimens exhibited. The
superintendent also instructed the staff in the latest methods of treatment, etc.
These meetings have proved very successful and instructive, and the staff
greatly appreciates them.
6. The chief superintendent is of opinion that not only does this
system keep the men up to date, but helps the superintendents to select the
most capable men for promotion.
7. The department has also been giving lectures and demonstrations
on veterinary matters in villages. This is a far better method than the distri-
bution of circulars, as it impresses the people more.
Part II.—Treatment of diseases,
I.—CONTAGIOUS
DISEASE.
Table II.
8. During the year under report 26,792 deaths from contagious
diseases were reported in the province against 28,125 in
the previous year. It is very satisfactory to note the
decrease. As previously stated, the department has been doing a great deal of
11
Sheep
46. A separate report on sheep breeding has already been submitted, and
special endeavours are being made to improve this industry. As recommended
in the chief superintendent's separate report more merinos are required.
Fairs and shows.
47. The statistical information regarding fairs and shows is incor-
porated in Tables XIII and XIV. Horse shows were held in 5 districts during
the year, and cattle fairs in 17 districts. The important fairs were attended
by the officers of the department.
Part IV.—Subordinate establishment.
48. The strength of the subordinate establishment at the close of the
year stood at 191 as detailed below:—
Veterinary inspectors
...
Veterinary assistants, 1st grade
Ditto,
2nd
„
Ditto,
3rd
„
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
15
35
70
71
191
49. Government has sanctioned three posts of deputy superintendents
from April 1st, 1914, but has negatived the proposal of posting two veterinary
assistants per tahsil, and while doing so has suggested that any increase
beyond one veterinary assistant per tahsil must be justified on the merits of
each case separately, and then His Honour will have no hesitation in sanction-
ing the necessary addition to the cadre of veterinary assistants.
As some generous Indians have given free land and buildings, govern-
ment has been asked to sanction three more veterinary assistants for these
places, viz., Ram Das, Sangowal, and Attari.
Part V.—Expenditure on the department.
50. The total expenditure incurred from all sources is contained in.
Table XIV-A received from the Accountant-General, Punjab.
Part VI.—General remarks.
51. The subordinates with few exceptions worked well, and the chief
superintendent appreciates their endeavours in carrying out orders.
52. Veterinary inspectors Barkat Ali and Talib Ali have been
specially energetic in dealing with cattle-breeding.
53. The work of the department has greatly increased, as superinten-
dents and subordinates are now dealing with the people individually, which
increases confidence. Circulars, as stated before, are of little use. Ocular
demonstrations are the best.
Grazing grounds in the province require more attention, and efforts
should be made to improve and preserve them They require ploughing up
and good grass sown. The present state of these areas does not allow grass to
grow to any extent because they are too hard and uneven, with the result that very
little grass grows in the high portions and rank grass grows in the low lying.
Kiaries are necessary to improve matters. The best grass to be sown is Anjan
or Dhaman, Pennisetum cenchroides. The kiari system has been demon-
strated to zamindars. Camping-grounds should be improved in this manner. The
chief superintendent has also supplied small quantities of seed for experiment.
Mr. Geo. Taylor, superintendent in the south Punjab, has worked hard
throughout the year and the chief superintendent's thanks are due to him for
his assistance.
The work of the clerical staff is satisfactory.
14
At the close of the outbreak a small number of doses of anti-strangles
serum from Muktesar were used both as a preventative and
curative. The serum did not seem to be of much use as a
preventative, but the cases occurring after inoculation as well
as those inoculated after onset of symptoms all ran a mild
course This may have been due to the serum or possibly
to diminution in the virulence of the virus.
(c) Foot and Mouth Disease—Occurred as usual in the cold weather,
but in mild form only; but even in a mild form the disease,
combined with conditions of scarcity, acts as a serious check
on the development of young stock.
(d) Navel Ill.—Cases continued to occur, but never in serious number.
The comparative immunity from this disease, which the farm
has enjoyed in recent years, speaks well for the work of the
veterinary staff.
For the first time for some years there were no cases and no deaths
during the year from hæmorrhagic septicæmia. Last year there were 5
and the year before 32 deaths from this disease.
7. Table XVI shows the changes in the farm stock during the year.
The following are notes on the different kinds of stock maintained:—
Herd bulls.—These animal are now all of very exceptional quality;
the steady improvement effected in the make and shape of the farm cattle by
the methods of selection in practice on this farm are now very apparent in
these animals. The bulls born in 1908, 1909 and 1910 are markedly superior
in conformation to the older animals. Three were sold, one each to Bhopal,
the United provinces and Brazil.
Supernumerary bulls.—144 bulls were supplied during the year to the
following:—
Punjab district boards
Delhi province
Sehore
Perak
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
189
3
1
1
The number supplied to the district boards is a record. Representatives
selecting for district boards seem to become every year more keen on the
farm bulls. This year the demand was so great that the farm was not able
to supply all the animals indented for.
Male produce.—The animals for issue in 1914 are exceptionally good as
regards quality, but owing to grass famine may not be so forward in develop-
ment as usual.
Cows.—The sanctioned strength of 1,500 has been reached, but to
comply with present demands for farm stock this number will have to be in-
creased. Probably it will not be possible to increase the herd much this year, as
the present scarcity is being very seriously felt by the more aged cows, and a
large number will probably have to be cast, and it is doubtful if more heifers
will be found fit to transfer to cows than will suffice to maintain the herd at
its present strength.
Heifers.—Owing to the scarcity I fear a number of the older heifers will
never grow up to the standard required in farm cows.
Calves.—There were 783 births during the year. Unfortunately over
400 of these were females, which are not nearly so valuable to the farm as
the males. The majority of the calves born last year have had very adverse
circumstances to contend with almost since the day of their birth. I hope if
the next rains are good that it will be found that they suffered no permanent
damage.
15
Buttocks.—One hundred siege train bullocks were issued to the fol-
lowing:—
1st division
2nd division
3rd division
7th division
... 20
... 23
... 11
... 46
Mules.—Issued to military department as follows:—
25 ordnance mules.
1 transport mule.
6 baggage battery mules.
Pony mares.—Bad luck was experienced with these animals in that
mares gave birth to still born foals. The percentage of foalings was only 40 per
cent. This was due to the difficulty experienced in getting the newly pur-
chased mares to hold.
Pony fillies.—The four present are the produce of mares in foal when
purchased.
Donkey stallions.—There were 7 present at the end of the year. Of
these one is 21 years old and one only 3 years old. One is too old and one too
young to be used. With the present number of mares the farm ought to
really have 8 stallions. At present we should be in a bad way except
for the kindness of the director-general of the army remount department who
has kindly lent the farm an American donkey stallion.
In order to introduce fresh blood a temporary exchange of stallions was
made during the year with the Hissar district board, the Catalonian stallion
Farooq being obtained in exchange for the country-bred Hansix. Only a small
percentage of mares covered by Farooq held, but so far the stock by him are
promising.
One donkey stallion was supplied to the Punjab civil veterinary de-
partment.
Donkey colts.—Fourteen jacks were issued to the following:—
Punjab civil veterinary department
United provinces civil veterinary department
...
North-West frontier province civil veterinary department
3rd cavalry
Native states
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
5
4,
1
1
3
Donkey fillies.—One sold to Rampur state.
Donkey mares.—The percentage of foalings was 52.63.
Sheep.—The sheep suffered severely from the fodder famine and had to
be stall-fed in January and February.
The ewes had insufficient milk during these months, from which cause
the lambs were weakly and stunted and a large number died from pneumonia.
Owing to the scarcity the wool also was uneven in quality, and not so well
grown as usual, but in spite of that realised excellent prices. The Cawnpore
woollen mills reported that they could make excellent use of the ½ and 3/4 bred
wool, and stated that it was a great advance on ordinary country wool. They
paid prices varying between 10 annas and 11¾ annas per pound for the cross
bred wool, prices which compare well with the price of the best colonial cross-
bred wool.
A largely increased number of ½ and 3/4 bred male lambs were sold for
breeding purposes.
Goats.—The goats are kept to provide milk for motherless lambs, and
for lambs whose mothers have insufficient milk.