NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
SURRA IN THE PUNJAB.
BY
W. TAYLOR, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.H., I.V.S.,
Principal, Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore.
(Received for publication on the 8th January 1934.)
The object of the present note is briefly to review the operations carried out by
the Civil Veterinary Department in the Punjab, in connection with the treatment of
Surra of equines and camels during the seven years ending with March 1933.
Surra in the Punjab recently assumed terrifying proportions, causing enormous
economic losses in horses, camels, sometimes cattle and packs of hounds. In some
villages lying in waterlogged areas, there was not a single equine remaining alive in
1926-27, and in 1925-27 a great number of cattle died.
It is not proposed to consider here the results of trials carried out with some of
the earlier remedies, such as tartar emetic used alone or one or more of the several
arsenical preparations recommended from time to time for the treatment of this con-
dition. With the introduction of Naganol in the field of veterinary medicine, the
records of treatment with these drugs have come to be regarded as so many " dead "
chapters in the history of chemotherapeutic endeavours and it may almost be
declared that the accumulated records of work carried out during the past decade
in the treatment of Surra in various countries are essentially the records of the appli-
cation of this new remedy.
The treatment of cattle and camels now presents no considerable difficulties, but
there appears to be a certain diversity of opinion, even amongst laboratory workers,
as to the method of treatment best calculated for obtaining cures in the case of
equines. A very genuine difficulty therefore confronts the field veterinary worker
who has largely to base his decision in this respect upon the results of work carried
out in the laboratory. This does not affect Army horses only, but also those owned
by zamindars and horse breeders, and to these classes they still represent a very
important economic factor.
The two considerations which very largely weigh with the field worker in the
choice of a remedy are its cheapness and practicability, but the importance of these
is apt to be underrated by the laboratory worker with whom the sterilization of the
circulating blood of the affected animal constitutes almost the sole object of his
investigation.
( 29 )
30 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ IV, I.
Thus, while the combined intravenous and intrathecal treatment, as elaborated
by Edwards [1928], must be regarded as having registered a definite advance in the
chemotherapy of equine surra, its application under field conditions presents consider-
able difficulties, for it must be borne in mind that the staff at the District Veteri-
nary hospitals consists normally of a Veterinary Assistant, a compounder, bhisti and
sweeper, and sometimes the latter are part-time men. The intrathecal treatment
necessitates the throwing of and carefully securing the animals, and when it is realised
that at one centre (Muridke) there were four hundred animals undergoing treat-
ment at one time, it will be understood that the intrathecal method is not practi-
cable, and opens up the possibility of risks, which are not encountered in the intra-
venous method.
Again, in view of the high price of Naganol (about Re. 1 per gramme), it
becomes a matter of immediate necessity to devise a method whereby it could be
suitably combined with a less expensive drug, so as to bring about a substantial
reduction in the ultimate cost of the treatment, and, as will be seen from what has
to be stated presently, Surra in the Punjab is, at the present time, almost exclu-
sively treated with a combination of Naganol and tartar emetic.
I. TREATMENT OF EQUINE SURRA.
Before dealing with the actual results obtained under this category, it is perhaps
desirable that a few words should be said as to the factors, other than the question
of cost, that have weighed with the Department in choosing the combined form of
therapy, to which a reference has just been made.
In the Dutch Indies, which perhaps represent the only territory, outside the
Indian Region, where field-scale experiments have been undertaken with a view to
developing a practical and economical method of combating equine surra, the earlier
trials in this connection were directed to obtaining cures by means of Naganol used
alone [Baermann, 1922 ; Rodenwaldt and Douwes, 1922], but it was evidently not
long before it was realized that a much superior form of remedy consisted in a com-
bination of Naganol and tartar emetic, and from the reports that have been published
during recent years by Bubberman and his collaborators [1925, 1931], one gathers
that the treatment of equine surra in that country is, at the present time, exclusively
carried out by means of the Naganol-emetic combination.
The same combination would appear to have been used successfully by Bakker
[1925] in the treatment of equine surra in Padang Sidempoean.
A discussion of the merits of this form of treatment on theoretical grounds
would involve an encroachment upon the preserves of " pure research " and would
be outside the scope of a note of this kind which is designed primarily to deal with
SURRA IN THE PUNJAB
31
the practical aspect of surra treatment. A reference may, however, be made to the
marked efficacy of the Naganol emetic combination for Trypanosoma congolense in-
fection which is not usually amenable to treatment with Naganol alone [Berg, 1925].
It is possible that the superiority of the combined drugs over either of these used
alone is due to the fact that, as suggested by Collier [1926], a " globulin-Bayer "
compound is formed when Naganol is introduced into the circulating blood and that
the interaction between this and the tartar emetic results in the formation of a new
trypanocidal agent.
At the present time, the routine method of treating equine surra in the Punjab
consists of intravenous injections at intervals of four or five days, in the following
approximate dosage:—
1 per cent. solution of Naganol
.
.
.
. .
1 per cent. solution of tartar emetic . . . .
1.5 per cent. solution of tartar emetic . . . .
1.5 per cent. solution of Naganol . . . . .
2 per cent. solution of tartar emetic . . . .
2.5 per cent. solution of tartar emetic . . . .
2 per cent. solution of Naganol
.
.
.
.
.
100 c. c.
„
„
„
„
„
„
The increase in the dosage is not a fixed one, but depends upon the condition of
the animal, and symptoms, if any, caused by the previous dose. A full course of
treatment occupies approximately one month.
Up to the termination of March 1933, over a period of seven years, 5,692 equines
had been admitted for treatment, 53 relapsed, and 485 died or were destroyed, while
78 were taken away before the completion of the treatment and 91 are untraceable
or reported to have died, showing a percentage of cures of approximately 87.6.
The number which died under treatment includes those which were brought in
a semi-paralytic condition, and emaciated animals, about which no hope of success
was held out at the commencement. If these cases, and the ones which were re-
moved before completion of the treatment, be excluded, the percentage of cures is
approximately 97 per cent.
For the field worker, the development of the suitable method of treatment is not
enough, inasmuch as the mere method would be valueless if means were not found
to ensure its ready adoption by the populace. On account of former attempts at
successful treatment having been somewhat abortive, it was difficult to induce the
peasantry to feed their animals adequately while under treatment as experience had
D
32 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [IV, I.
shown them that the probability of receiving the animal back in a healthy condition
was remote. On this account, the Punjab Government, at the instance of the
Veterinary Department of the province undertook to feed all equines free of cost
while undergoing treatment; this has cost the Government an increasing amount
each year, the total from 1926 being about Rs. 37,000. The object of this suggestion
was to demonstrate to owners that if the animals were well fed while undergoing
treatment, the chances of recovery were very high, and it was decided that the feed-
ing should continue for 4 or 5 years, after which the concession should be gradually
withdrawn.
Until 1926, Surra treatment was to a great extent confined to the Sohawa labo-
ratory, but on account of the present treatment, and the inability of zamindars to
send their animals so great a distance, Surra centres attached to the hospitals were
opened in suitable areas throughout the province. The Veterinary Assistants at
these centres were specially trained for this work and the equines brought to these
hospitals for treatment for surra were fed free of charge.
The success of this procedure has been phenomenal, and has resulted in the
zamindars and breeders having great confidence in the hospitals and treatment.
This is demonstrated by the fact that at one centre, Sheikhupura, the zamindars,
instead of looking upon their animals as lost as in former times, are now buying
better class horses and mares and have applied for a District Board stallion for
breeding purposes. This instance is typical of others. The extent to which the
confidence of the zamindar has been gained by the success of the treatment is
illustrated by the numbers admitted for treatment yearly since the opening of
the Surra centres :—
1926-27
1927-28
1928-29
1929-30
1930-31
1931-32
1932-33
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
89 equines admitted.
114 „ „
109 „ „
387 „ „
1,448 „ „
1,965 „ „
1,520 „ „
Whilst the results of the treatment itself have been very gratifying, more has
been accomplished in that the owners have seen that under favourable conditions
and given good food, their animals are almost certain of recovery provided they
are placed under treatment reasonably early. This has resulted in a continually
diminishing number being maintained by Government, and it is hoped that during
the course of another year or two the burden of feeding them will be lifted, the
only ones remaining being those of very poor owners and those brought from a
long distance, which would preclude the possibility of repeated visits.
SURRA IN THE PUNJAB
33
The success achieved by feeding the animals free of cost in order to persuade
the populace to place their animals under treatment may be seen, in that during
the year ending March, 1933, out of the total of 1,520 animals treated, more than
a thousand have been fed at the owners' expenses, thus affording ample proof of
the justification of Government's policy in incurring the expense of feeding the
animals during the first few years.
During the early years of the treatment, when the number of animals to be
treated was not so large, the infectivity of the blood of the treated animal used
to be tested by subinoculation into a small animal, but now a postcard is given
to the owner with a request that he should fill in the answers to the questions
contained therein which refer to its condition, whether it is working or not, or
whether it has succumbed, and return it after a period of three months. In
addition, many thousands of pamphlets have been issued to zamindars in the
region of the Surra centres requesting them to halt for a few minutes at the hos-
pital, whenever in the vicinity, so that the blood of their animals may be examined.
This procedure occupies only about five minutes of his time and has resulted in
a great many animals being treated before the onset of the initial symptoms.
II.TREATMENT OF SURRA OF CAMELS.
Except for the results reported from time to time by the Army Veterinary
Department in India and by the Punjab Civil Veterinary Department, there is
little information on record concerning the value of Naganol in the treatment of
surra as it affects the camel. The drug would, however, appear to have been
used with some success in at least two analogous conditions, namely, Su-auria
and the form of camel trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma soudanense, in the
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. In regard to the former, Howaisky and Zeiss [ 1923 ]
claimed to have obtained cure in one case by a single injection of 3 grammes of
the drug, although relapse occurred in another case treated in the same manner.
In a later paper, Zeiss [ 1928 ], working in collaboration with Emelin, has declared
that a single dose of 4 to 6 grammes of Naganol is usually sufficient for obtaining
cures.
In regard to T. soudanense infection (which is believed by some to be identical
with surra), the results obtained by Knowles [ 1927 ] in the treatment of this
condition appeared to him to warrant the conclusion that " simple doses of less
than 10 grammes may be sufficient to bring about a cure ", although such doses
"cannot be relied on to bring about complete destruction of the trypanosomes ".
Quite recently, however, Bennett [1933], in discussing the efficacy of Naganol
for T. soudanense infection, has expressed the opinion that " a single intravenous
D 2
34 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ IV, I.
injection of 4 grammes is sufficient ". As to the previous occasional failures
encountered in the treatment of this condition even when much larger doses of
the drug were used, Bennett observes: " There is no doubt that in the earlier
years of this drug's history it was, if not always, different from modern samples,
at least more variable ". Obviously, the author here refers to variability in the
physical appearance of the samples, but it would seem open to question how far
such variability might be held to account for any marked alteration in the curative
properties of the compound.
In any case, judging by the results of work carried out in the Punjab, we
cannot consider ourselves as having had sufficient evidence that treatment by a
single injection of Naganol constitutes a cure for surra in camels, although the
animals are maintained in work. This doubt is emphasised by the fact that the
greatest number of relapses (20) occurred in the year 1931-32 when 140 camels
were injected with a single dose of Naganol (4 grammes intravenously) as an
experimental measure. The method of treatment adopted for camels has therefore
been identical in form with that of horses, but the Government has not provided
the feed for them. It is of interest in this connection that in the course of his
early trials, Knowles (l. c.) had found that a single intravenous injection of 4
grammes of Naganol combined with 2 grammes of tartar emetic could effect a
cure in T. soudanense infection in camels. The chances of recovery therefore
seemed much greater with a course of treatment consisting of 4.5 grammes of
Naganol combined with 7 grammes of tartar emetic (ante), and, as will be seen
from the figures given below, the results obtained with this method of treatment
have been very gratifying.
The numbers admitted for treatment from 1926 are as follows :—
1926-27 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1927-28 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1928-29 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1929-30 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1930-31 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1931-32 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1932-33 . . . . . . . . . . . .
89
142
31
100
477
676
620
Out of the total of 2,135 camels admitted for treatment during these seven
years, 67 died or were destroyed, 33 relapsed, 179 were taken away before the
completion of the treatment, and 3 are untraceable, or reported to have died,
showing a percentage of cures of approximately 86.8. This percentage would be
appreciably higher if one excluded the numbers of hopeless cases and those taken
away before the completion of the treatment.
SURRA IN
THE
PUNJAB
35
It may be argued that in the case of camels a month's treatment is unnecessary
and cumbersome and that it is therefore desirable that further work should be
undertaken with a view to exploring the possibilities of the single injection method
of treatment with Naganol. This is possibly true, but experience has shown that
in a large proportion of cases, a protracted treatment is definitely to the advantage
of the animal concerned. This may seem paradoxical, but the truth of this remark
will be apparent from the fact that most of the camels are brought for treatment
in an emaciated condition, and even if unaffected by surra are certainly unfit for
work. The month's treatment ensures that the animal enjoys a month's rest and
has an opportunity of putting on a little condition.
In conclusion, it may be asserted that provided the animals are treated rea-
sonably early in the course of the disease, and are properly fed during treatment,
the intravenous method of treatment affords a certain cure for equines and camels,
with the exception of a negligible number which may relapse two or even three
times after treatment.
REFERENCES.
Baermann (1922). Die Behandlung der Surra mit " Bayer 205 ". Beihefte z. Arch. f. Schiffs¬
u. Trop.-Hyg., 26, 73-123. [Abstr. in Trop. Vet Bull., 11, 2-3; 1923.]
Bakker (1925). Notes on Surra in Padang Sidempoean. Ned.-Ind. Bladen v. Diergeneesk.
en Dierenteelt, 37, 153—177. [Abstr. in Trop. Vet. Bull., 13, 76—78 ; 1925.]
Bennett (1933). The Control of Camel Trypanosomiasis. J. Comp. Path. & Therap., 46,
67-77.
Berg (1925). Die Eigung von " Bayer 205 " zur Bekämpfung der afrikanischen Haustier try-
panosomen. Deut. Tierärzt. Wochen., 33, 561—571.
Bubberman (1931). Békämpfung von Trypanosomiasen in Nederlandisch-Indien. 11th
Internat. Vet. Cong., London, 3, 600—613.
Bubberman, Douwes & van Bergen (1925). The use of "Bayer 205 " in Equine Surra in the
Dutch East Indies. Veartsenijkundige. Mededeeling No. 50. Dept. v. Landbouw. Nijver-
heid en Handel, Buitenzorg, 64 pp. [Abstr. in Trop. Vet. Bull., 13, 73—76 ; 1925.]
Collier (1925-26). On the Combined Action of " Bayer 205 " and Antimony. Revist. de Med.
Vet., 8, 119—127. [Abstr. in Trop. Vet. Bull., 14, 85-86 ; 1926.]
Edwards (1928). The Chemotherapy of Surra (Trypanosoma evansi Infections) of Horses and
Cattle in India. Mem. Dept. Agri. India, Vet. Ser., 4, 1—100.
Emelia & Zeiss (1928). Die Therapeutische and prophylactische Behandlung der Kameltrypa¬
nosomiase Su-auru mit Naganol. Rev. Microbiol. Epidinol. et Parasitol., 7, 462—643.
[Abstr. in Trop. Vet. Bull., 17, 111; 1929.]
Howaisky and Zeiss (1923). "Bayer 205" bei experimentalem Su-auru von Kamalen. Rev.
Microbiol. et Epidemiology, 2, 95. [Abstr. in Trop. Vet. Bull., 13, 44-45 ; 1925.]
Knowles (1927). Trypanosomiasis of Camels in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan : Diagnosis,
Chemotherapy, Immunity. J. Comp. Path. & Therap., 40,118 - 143,
Rodenwaldt & Dowes (1922). Employment of " Bayer 205" for the Treatment of Surra in the
Dutch Bust Indies. Ned.-Ind. Bladen v. Diergeneesk. en Dierenteelt. 33, 1—79. [Abstr.
in Trop. Vet. Bull., 11, 45-50 ; 1923.]
A STUDY OF THE DATA OF MILK YIELDS OF VARIOUS TYPES
OF CATTLE OBTAINED FROM THE RECORDS OF
GOVERNMENT MILITARY DAIRY FARMS.
I. RATE OF DECLINE IN MILK YIELD WITH ADVANCE IN LACTATION.
BY
K. P. R. KARTHA, B.A.,
Statistical Assistant, Animal Husbandry Bureau, Imperial Council of Agricultural
Research.
(Received for publication on the 14th December 1933)
(With seven charts)
INTRODUCTION.
It is well known that the rate of milk secretion in dairy animals rises rapidly
during the first few weeks following parturition, reaches a maximum and then de-
clines more or less rapidly until the animal dries off. The length of the milking
period depends largely on the service period, which is the length of the interval that
elapses between calving and the recurrence of conception. If conception takes place
within two to three months, the animal will remain in milk for about ten months
and longer if conception is delayed.* Of this milking period only during the first
month is the yield found to be rising. The maximum is generally reached at the
end of the first month, or in the second month, and the rest of the lactation period
is associated with decline. The period of rise is thus very small compared to the
period of decline ; the yield for the lactation should, therefore, depend to a large ex-
tent on the rate at which the yield falls off. In the following pages it is proposed
to examine this rate of decline in the case of herds of Indian and cross-bred cattle
and buffaloes living under fairly good conditions of feeding and management obtain-
able in the Government Military Dairy Farms in India.
METHOD.
The rate of decline, or its complement, persistency, has been studied by various
investigators in England and America, and various methods have been employed in
* How far the lactation length depends upon service period will be seen from the correlation between
the two. The coefficient of correlation is about 7. For every month's delay in service the lactation is
prolonged on an average by a little over half a month.
( 36 )
RATE OF DECLINE IN MILK YIELD OF VARIOUS TYPES OF CATTLE
37
measuring it. A review of the methods and the literature on the subject is beyond
the scope of this paper. The term lactation curve is used for the curve that de-
scribes the rate of milk secretion with advance in lactation, and it has been shown
that this curve is capable of simple mathematical expression. The form of the
expression used here is the exponential equation* of Brody and co-workers which
has been successfully employed by Gaines and Davidson [1926] in their study of the
rate of decline. Briefly stated, this consists in supposing that the decline takes
place continuously at a constant rate proportional to the rate of yield at the time.
The expression analyses the curve into the two well-known characters : the initial
maximum rate of secretion and the rate at which it declines. The equation was first
applied to the weekly yields.
DATA.
The data are obtained from the Milk Record Books of the Government Military
Dairy Farms in India. These books contain the name of the animal, the dates of
calving and of service, and the yields at each milking on all days from the date of
calving to the date of drying. The daily yields were copied down on forms espe-
cially designed for the purpose. These forms contain the number and name of
animal, the dates of calving and of service, service period and age. Seven-line
columns are provided on the form with headings, first week, second week, etc.,
to represent all the weeks of the lactation. Often the date of service marked in the
Record Books cannot be relied upon as it is not known whether that service has
actually resulted in conception or not. Service periods were, therefore, obtained
from the History Sheets of the animals by subtracting the gestation period
(300 days in the case of buffaloes and 280 in cows) from the calving
interval. Ages also were copied from the History Sheets. By totalling up
each column of this form, weekly yields are obtained for all weeks from calving to
drying.
*As this is intended to be a popular article it is not proposed to weary the reader with the mathe-
matics of the method. The equation made use of by Gaines and Davidson is dy/dt=ae -kt , where
y is yield in lb., t is time in months from calving, dy/dt is rate of yield in lb. per month, a is a constant
representing theoretical initial rate of yield per month, and k is a constant representing the rate of
change per month (as proportional to dy/dt) in the rate of yield per month. The k in this equation
measures the rate of decline.
By persistency is meant the degree to which level of yield is maintained. Thus in terms of the above
equation, 100 × e -k is persistency, and 100 (1—e -k ) is the percentage monthly decline. As 1—e -k = k
for small values of k, 100 × k is percentage monthly decline to a first approximation and 100 (1—k) is
persistency expressed as a percentage.