STATUS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500440266-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2005
• Sequence Number: 266
• Publication Date: August 4, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Rele' Its 1. 80-00809A000500440266-6
CONFILENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Status of Veterinary Aed,icine
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION REPORT NO.
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1.
2 5X1 general conditions in the field of veterinary medicine in Latvia
have nc.t changed appreciably since 1944. We have not received information
which would indicate the teaching facilities at the University of Latvia
25X1 Veterinary School havelbeen expanded, so we assume approximately the same
number of veterinarians are now active in Latvia as in 1944. In 1944 there
were 29 veterinarians engaged in'teaching and research; five in biological
production; about 150 were working for the government and in private practice;
25 were food inspectors and 20 were in the Army. Latvian veterinarians are
aF well trained as any in Europe. Regulations and edicts outlining veterinary
qualifications, duties and fields of activities are issued by the Ministry
of Education, Ministerlof Agriculture and Minister of Defense.
2, I Iveterinary supplies and equipment for teaching
and treatment were obtained from local and European sources (Germany, France,
25X1 UK). The quality of this material was excellent and in sufficient quantity.
We understand that current equipment and facilities are reaching pre-World
War Ii levels with theexception,of veterinary pharmaceuticals -- they are
still in short supply.) The largest veterinary clinics are located at the
University of Latvia in Riga. These are housed on property of about two
acres and are divided into large animal. surgical clinics, large animal medical
clinics and small animal clinics. There are fairly large veterinary clinics
in Jelgava and Liepaja;and smaller clinics in various localities where the
animal population warrants clinical facilities.
3. Most all of the standard, textbooks on veterinary medicine in German, French
anu English were available to the, profession and we assume Soviet texts have
been added since World War II. We do not know if the Aeta Universitatis
Latviensis, Veterinary Medical 5e;rviea.and The Journal of the. Latvian
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This report is for the use within the USA of the Intelligence components of the Departments or
Agencies indicated above. It is not to be transmitted overseas without the concurrence of the
originating office through the Assistant Director' of the Office of Collection and Dissemination, CIA.
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Veterinary Medical Association are still, being published. Until 11944
these journals trere quite good. Elso bad the proceedings and repores
of the Veterinary Medical Congress of the Baltic States and the proceedings
and reports of the International Veterinary Medical Congresses.
4. In 1944 the faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University
of Latvia was headed by Dean'A Vitume. Following is a breakdown of the
various departments and their peraonnel:
A Vitums, (head of department
P Ozolina
0 TZovjkij
E Avota
b. Animal Husbandry:
P Le ins (head of department)
B Rudiks
L Plaude
M Grinbergs
A Smitmanis
M Rolle (head of department)
J Dzelde
V Elk niti
V Kimdzins
E Luis
d. Pathological Anatomy!:
R Orapmanis (head of department)
M Skudina
M Klavina
J Lasmanis
A Allsnis (head of clinic)
K Hir,{, e
K Silgali
0 Seisumi
0 Blumfelds
P Apinis (head of clinic)
V Roga
M Lametere
0 Friedenberger
K Kanepe (head of clinic)
J Leimanis
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5. The teaching staff for the subjects taught by other faculty members of the
University of Latvia which were part of the required curriculum for,
veterinarians are as follows:
a. Department of Physiology (Faculty of Medicine)
R Krimbergs (head of department)
J Sku a
b. Department of Chemistry (Faculty of Chemistry)
0 Lugs
A Liepins
A Janiks
c. Department of Pharmacy (Faculty of Chemistry)
J Maizite
E Svirlovokis
d. Department of Zoology (Faculty of Natural Sciences I
N Lebedineky
L Abolins
N Tranzehe
e. Department of Physics (Faculty of Natural Sciences)
F Gulbie
R Siksna
f. Departme'nt of Botany (Faculty of Natural Sciences)
N Malta
A Zamelij
6. Applicants for admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine were required
to present a diploma from an approved high school. Since the number of
applicants always exceed the available teaching space, competitive examinations
were held to aid in the final selection. Approximately 25 students per year
were accepted and some 15 to 20 graduated with a degree of veterinary surgeon
(DVM) at the end of the five-year course. The School of Veterinary Medicine,
being associated with the University of Latvia, reoef.ved its financial support
from the Minister of Education through the University. Some funds, were
forthcoming through various foundations, namely:
a. Kr Morberg Foundation
b Humboldt Foundation
25X1 c. Ltvian Research Foundation. This foundation
25X1 was established by the Latvian Government in 1935 to
suppor roses oh in Latvian institutions of higher learning.
7. Graduate training was also under the supervision of the School of Veterinary
Medicine. In order to be eligible for training for the degree of Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine (PhD) the graduate of veterinary medicine was required to
present his DVM and to take a number of theoretical examinations. ~ To obtain
his PhD the student generally spends from throe to six years completing his
academia work and his dissertation covering original %:nrk in his specialized
field.
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a. Tuberculosis (about tvo per cent of the susceptibe animal
b. Brucellosis
a. Erysipelas of swine
e. Foot and mouth disease (sporadically)
f. Malignant head catarrh (sporadically)
h. Anthrax (very seldom)
i. Piroplasmosis
J. Coccidiosis
k. Taeniaeia
1. Ascaridiasis
m. Trichinosis (very seldom)
n. Distemper of dogs
o. Strangles of horse
9. The infectious or parasitic diseases that have been practically eradicated
A. Foot and mouth disease
b. alandern of horse
a. Anthrax
d. Rabies
e. Trichinosis
There have been no reports of unusual elpizootics or noticeable incidents of
animal diseases. Control is fairly easy to maintain because of the small
herds on farms that are separately located. Dairy farmers are careful in
the handling of their products an( equipment. All milk cans are sterilized
before refilling so that infections can be spotted immediately.
10. The organization of governmental agencies having authority over livestock
disease control is broken down as follows:
Ministry of Agriculture
':ounty Veto.. .mans
City Veterinarians
Public He lth Veterinarians
In 1947 Dr J Vacietis was the director of the Veterinary Department and
ul? - authority on livestock disease control. He wao a graduate
Fac-,;.c,, of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Latvia. All of
iuiactious and parasitic diseases mentioned below had to be reported by
a.
b.
C.
d.
0.
f.
g.
h.
Foot and mouth disease
Vesicular stomatitis
Anthrax
Glanderu
Rabies
Brucellosis
Infectious anemia
Mange
was
of
the
law:
The county veterinarians had to report Ito the district 'veterinarians and the
latter gave directives to the local police and reported to the Veterinary
Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
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11. When an infectious or parasitic disease, as mentioned above, is reported, a
quarantine is imposed on the farm or area involvedt The infected animals
are destroyed and the barns and equipment disinfected. The common diagnosga
and laboratory examinations are made locally and then the materials are
forwarded to the laboratory of the Veterinary Department in Riga. Immunization
is used for swine erysipelas and Brucellosis. Most of the vaccines and sera
used are prepared in the Serum Institute in Riga which is ! owned by the
government but operated by the University of Latvia. The 'simultaneous method
and swine erysipelas serums are used with good results. T'G vaccine is used
for Brucelloisis with satisfactory, results, Animals infected with or exposed
to foot and mouth disease are destroyed. Indemnity payments are provided by
the Ministry of Agriculture. Swine sold for slaughtering are immunized with
swine erysipelas serum before transport to packing plants.i At the packing
plants all diseased animals are isolated and observed until a determination
can be made regarding their ultimate disposition. The prevention of diseases
of animals that are transmissible to man is the concurrent responsibility of
the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of
Public Health of the Ministry of Welfare. Public Health and Veterinary
officials inspect meat and animal products, dairy products,' poultry products
and seafoods.
12. Veterinary pharmaceutical and biological products come from various sources.
Much of this material is produced by the Serum Inatitt-te. ,Before the
Communists took over the country there were many privately owned plants
producing these materials and there were sources inlGermany, France and the UK.
The Serum Institute is located three miles from the city of Riga and consists
of two divisions -- medical and veterinary. The veterinary division is
supervised by the head of the Department of Hygiene of the 'Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine] at the University of Latvia. This division has four laboratories
and four experimental animal wards,', and in 1947 waslunder the direction of
Dr M Rolle. Swine erysipelas serum'is prepared by the method of
hyperimmunization of horses, and tuberculin is prepared by the Koch method.
In addition to these materials, tetanus antitoxin, diphtheria antitoxin,
T G brucella vaccine, rabies vaccine, smallpox vtooint, adrenslin tea thyroxin
were produced in the Serum Institute, The purity, quality and potenoy of
these materials and of those from other sources are tested in the Serum
Institute' and in the Pasteur Institute of the University Of, Latvia.
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