cclx
INOCULATION OF FIELD RATS (NESOKIA PROVIDENS) WITH HORSE.
SURRA BLOOD.
Experiment I.—December 24th, 1890.—A field rat was placed in a separate cage and its
blood carefully examined, in order to discover whether it was free from the hæmatozoon.
Blood healthy.
25th.—Blood healthy.
26th.—Inoculated subcutaneously with 0.2 c.c. of blood containing numerous hæmatozoa,
taken from the Jugular Vein of Horse No. VII.
27th.—No hæmatozoa in the blood.
28th.—A few hæmatozoa observed in the blood.
29th.—Hæmatozoa numerous in the blood.
30th.—Hæmatozoa very numerous in the blood.
31st.—Hæmatozoa swarming in the blood.
1st January 1891.—Hæmatozoa swarming in the blood.
2nd.—Hæmatozoa are numerous in the blood.
3rd.—Hæmatozoa are few in the blood.
4th.—Hæmatozoa are numerous in the blood.
5th.—Hæmatozoa are numerous in the blood.
6th.—Hæmatozoa are very numerous in the blood.
Death took place at 9-30 A.M.
AUTOPSY immediately after death.
The body is well nourished. Thorax. The pleural cavities are free from fluid. The
Lungs are pale pink in colour, and perfectly healthy in appearance. The pericardial sac is
free from fluid. Heart contains fluid blood. The right side is dilated and the left side
contracted. On section, the cavities contain dark fluid blood, but no sub-endocardial extra-
vasations are present. Liver normal in size and healthy.
Stomach externally appears healthy. On section, there is a dark-red clot of blood
observed lying on the mucous membrane near the pyloric extremity about 1/12 th inch in
thickness, and extending over about one-sixth of the surface of the mucous membrane.
On removal of the clot, round petechiated spots become visible on the rugæ, but lying under
the epithelial layer, these spots average about the size of a pin's head. There are several
enlarged glands, dark-red in colour, lying, one in the hilum of the spleen and a second
attached to the great omentum which is exactly opposite to the seat of the internal hæmorrhage.
Spleen is considerably enlarged, but the tissues are firm and appear healthy on section.
Kidneys are pale, but appear to be healthy.
Intestines appear healthy, and present no pathological lesion.
Remarks.—The blood of this animal was submitted to careful microscopical examination
for a period of three days, and as during that time the blood appeared healthy, and no
hæmatozoa were observed, the animal was inoculated with 0.2 c. c. of blood, containing numer-
ous organisms, taken from the horse. On the day but one following the inoculation, the
hæmatozoon made its first appearance in the blood, and it gradually increased in numbers
until on the eleventh day after inoculation, the animal succumbed to the disease, the blood
presenting very numerous organisms.
The chief point of interest in this case is, that an animal in whose blood, the
hæmatozoon has never been found, except when the subject of inoculation, should succumb
to the disease in the short space of eleven days, and that some of the organs, at the Post-
mortem should present certain definite pathological changes.
Experiment No. II.—January 7th 1891, 2-30P.M. Inoculated subcutaneously two field
rats (Nesokia providens) Nos. I and II, each one receiving .2 c.c. of blood containing
numerous hæmatozoa, taken from the Jugular Vein of Horse No. VI.
Date.
1891.
January 8th ...
9th ...
10th ...
11th ...
12th ...
13th ...
14th ...
15th ...
16th ...
17th ...
12th ...
19th ...
No. I Rat.
Hæmatozoa absent from the blood
„ „
„
.
...
„ „ ...
Hæmatozoa very numerous in the blood
...
„
very numeroua in the blood.
...
„
very numerous
„
„
very numerous
„
„
very numerous
„
„
very numerous
„
Found dead at 5. A.M. ...
...
No. II Rat.
Hæmatozoa absent from the blood.
„
„
„
„
„
„
Hæmatozoa numerous in the blood.
„
„
„
„
„
„
numerous in the blood.
very numerous
„
very numerous
„
swarming
„
swarming
„
swarming
„
Found dead at 6.
A.M.
„