107
(g)—PROLONGED GASTRIC INGESTION OF RAT'S EXCREMENT.
Positive Result.—In Bombay Horse No. XCI.
Horse No. XCI.—Australian Gelding, aged 5 months; animal was, through the courtesy of Veteri-
nary-Major J. Mills, located at the Veterinary College, Bombay, on May 6th, 1893, with a view to
determine whether an animal can contract Surra, when the dung of rats, in whose blood the Trypanosoma
Evansi is present at the time of collection, is mixed with the daily rations of the corn. This experi-
ment commenced on the above date, and was continued until the 26th September 1893, a period of 144
days, during which time the temperature varied between 37.3°C. and 38.3°C., but only on two occasions
touched the latter figures. As no symptom of Surra had supervened up to September 26th, it was
decided to remove the horse to its original stable in Poona. For this purpose it was necessary that the
animal should walk two and half miles to the Railway Station, and there be entrained for Kirkee Station,
a distance of 116 miles, after which a further distance of two miles to the Laboratory Stable had to be
covered. On September 27th, the animal arrived from Poona in good condition and appearing in perfect
health. On the morning of the 28th, an urticarial eruption was present over the whole body together
with other symptoms of Surra, and on microscopical examination of the blood, very numerous Surra
hæmatozoa were discovered. On September 29th, treatment was commenced, Arsenic being administered
as Liquor Arsenicalis. The first paroxysm of the disease lasted for six days from 28th September to the
3rd October inclusive. The organism was again discovered in the blood from the 30th October to 2nd
November inclusive, after an intermission lasting twenty-six days. Some difficulty was found, however,
in getting the animal to take the Arsenic, consequently some doses were omitted; nevertheless, from 2nd
November to 4th January, a period of sixty-two days, no hæmatozoa were observed in the circulation.
From the 5th until the 16th January, when death took place, the parasite was present in the blood, in
small numbers, on 8 and absent on 4 days.
Autopsy.—Body somewhat emaciated, mucous membranes of mouth and lips pallid, nasal septum
congested. No œdema of extremities, &c. On section, subcutaneous tissues stained a yellow colour,
internally organs and membranes present an orange hue. Thorax.—No fluid in pleural cavities, no
pleuritic adhesion. Lungs distended with air, few small sub-pleural extravasations of blood. Peri-
cardial sac.—Few c.c. reddish-yellow coloured fluid. Heart.—Several sub-endocardial extravasations in
Right ventricle, Left free. Peritoneal cavity.—No fluid. Liver old perihepatitis, few dark purple
coloured petechiæ on convex surface of organ. Spleen.—Sub-capsular petechiæ. Kidneys.—Few
minute petechiæ dotted over surface of the left organ, right free. Stomach.—Few spiroptera nests.
Intestines present healthy appearance. Bladder.—Mucous membrane somewhat congested.
Negative Result.—In Poona Horse No. LXXV.
In Bombay Horse No. LXXXIX.
Horse No. LXX V.—An Australian Gelding, aged, was fed upon corn mixed with a varying quantity
of the excrement of rats, in whose blood an organism resembling the Surra Trypanosoma was present
at the time of collection. This experiment commenced on the 26th November 1892, and was terminated
by the death of the animal on the 8th February 1893, a period of 74 days. During the whole period the
temperature remained within normal limits, except on two occasions when it rose to 39.°3 and 40.1° C.
on the evenings of the 22nd December 1892 and 1st January 1893, owing to the presence of a few
maggots in the frog of one of the feet, this condition was immediately attended to on each occasion, and
the temperature fell to 37.4 and 37.6° C. respectively.
Autopsy.—Body fairly well nourished, complete absence of swelling and œdema from extremities
and under-surface of the abdomen. Thorax.—No adhesion of the pleuræ, but each sac contains a few
ounces of a turbid, orange-coloured fluid. Lungs.—Apices emphysematous, sub-pleural petechiæ dotted
over surfaces of the organs. On section.—Tissues dark in colour, on pressure a frothy blood-stained fluid
exudes from the cut ends of the bronchial tubes. Pericardial sac contains 4 ounces of a turbid, orange-
coloured fluid. Heart.—Enlarged, weighs 6 lbs. 14 ozs., gelatinous material round base and running
down the course of the coronary vessels. Petechiæ lying underneath the epicardium and dotted over
the surface of the above-mentioned material. On section.—Sub-endocardial extravasations, varying in
number, in all the cavities. Abdominal cavity, few ounces of a turbid orange fluid. Liver.—7 lbs. 6½.
ozs., old perihepatitis. Spleen.—Normal in size, studded with sub-capsular petechiæ. Kidneys.—Right
1 lb. 1 oz., Left 1 lb. Tissues dark, malphigian corpuscles very prominent. Stomach, villous portion.—
Patch covered with ragged mucous membranes; few spiroptera megastoma scattered over surface of lining
membrane. Small Intestines.—Arborescent vessels, small extravasations of blood between middle and
lining membranes of the gut. Cæcum.—Ditto. Bladder healthy.
Horse LXXXIX.—This
animal, an Australian gelding, aged, was located at the Veterinary College,
Bombay, together with Horse XCI, on May 6th, 1893, and remained until 26th September, when it
was sent back to the Laboratory Stables at Poona. During the period of 144 days the animal was
subjected to the influence of the rat excrement in its food, no rise in temperature took place, and no
symptoms of Surra were exhibited. This animal at a later date was subjected to inoculation with the
Surra hæmatozoon, and after the appearance of the organism in the blood was put under treatment
with Arsenic.