79
PART I.—IMPERIAL REPORT.
B.—REVENUE SECTION.
V.—BACTARIOLOGICAL LABORATORY.
450. During the year under report, the Laboratory fittings have been moved
from Poona to the new building in the Kumaon hills. The building is not yet
completed and consequently no new investigation could be undertaken. The
time of the Imperial Bacteriologist has been chiefly occupied in (i) further in-
vestigating the etiology and treatment of Surra, (ii) in preparing Volume II of
the report for the press, (iii) in arranging material for Volume III, (iv) in pre-
paring a summary of the result of the most important physiological and patho-
logical problems for this report, worked out in Poona concurrently with the
treatment of Surra during the years 1893-95.
451. In December 1895, Dr. Lingard was deputed to the Remount Rearing
Depôt at Kurnal to investigate an outbreak of disease amongst the horses there.
He submitted a report stating that the diseases prevalent were Surra and Fil-
ariasis, and made certain suggestions for the improvement of the Depôt lands
with a view to preventing, as far as is possible, these diseases.
452. A subject of considerable interest was initiated by a correspondence
between the Hon'ble the Secretary for Zululand, South Africa, and the Sec-
retary to the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department, in
which the former reported "that investigations were being made by Surgeon-
Captain Bruce, A.M.S., as to the so-called Nagana disease, a fatal disease
which attacks horses, cattle and dogs in certain parts of Zululand, and the
disease supposed to arise from the bite of the Tsetse fly which appears, so
far, to be identical with Nagana." The investigator was led to believe, so
far as his researches had proceeded, that the disease might also be identical
with Surra which is at present under investigation by Dr. Lingard. Reports
and drawings, which would enable Dr. Bruce to identify the disease were
asked for, and a water color drawing of the parasites found by the above
Officer in the blood of animals suffering from "Nagana," and in the blood
of animals known to have been bitten by the Tsetse fly, sent.
Dr. Lingard replied that "the organism depicted in Surgeon-Captain
Bruce's drawing is an infusorian and appears to correspond closely with the
organism found in the blood of animals in India and Burma suffering from
Surra."
Numerous photographs and drawings of the Trypanosoma in the blood
of different animals, of horse flies and of animals suffering from the disease
were forwarded to Surgeon-Captain Bruce with a copy of the Surra report for
1894 and summary of 1895.
Dr. Lingard has also tabulated the outbreaks of Surra which have been
reported during the year, and these will be found under the heading of " Equine
diseases," at page 90.
The following is a summary of the report on certain physiological and
pathological problems in health and Surra, and is here inserted to show the
work done by the Imperial Bacteriologist during the year. Dr. Lingard
remarks:
In investigating the experimental treatment of Surra during the years 1893-95, the opportunity was taken of
working out certain physiological and pathological problems as far as circumstances would permit In order to
make this enquiry in equines (horses, mules and donkeys) the quantity and composition of the ingesta and egesta
have been ascertained during a period of health—previous to inoculation—the incubatory period of the disease,
the paroxysms and intermissions until death. In one case, viz., No. 89 horse, after successful treatment. The
weight of the animals under experiment was ascertained at frequent intervals.
The following data were recorded.
The weight and composition of the Ingesta including corn, hay, green fodder and water. The weight and
composition of the Egesta including dung and urine. In the case of horse No. 89 (II series) the dung and urine
were weighed three times during the 24 hours, in other cases once daily. In the urine the total nitrogen, the
urea, hippuric acid, ammonia and albumen were separately estimated.