82
WHITE CORPUSCLES.
(i) When Surra was-acquired naturally or by inoculation.—A decrease in the number of white cor-
puscles took place during the period of incubation, varying from 8 to 25 per cent. During the
paroxysms an increase occurred, which in the mule was enormously added to during the inter-
missions. In No. 89 horse (2nd series), the length of the intermissions compared with the
paroxysms were as 1: 9.4, whereas in the mule they were as 1: 1.9 and 1: 2.8 respectively.
TABLE II.
Showing the percentages of white corpuscles, taken on the mean daily number found in the blood of the
horse and mule during different periods of health and disease (Surra).
Periods.
Health...
... ...
Latent period
...
... ...
Paroxysms ...
......
Intermissions....
...
Whole period
... ...
Length,
days.
15
7
47
5
74
Horse
No. 89.
Per cent.
100.00
91.20
142.89
141.02
134.23
Length,
days.
28
11
49
26
14
Mule I.
Per cent.
100.00
89.93
100.69
135.31
108.66
Length,
days.
28
8
39
14
89
Mule II.
Per cent.
100.00
74.56
111.73
130.38
107.61
(ii) After unsuccessful inoculation with the rat hœmatozoon.—Taking the mean of five inoculations,
the effect produced in the donkey 24 hours after was to increase the white corpuscles by 76 per
cent., whilst after 72 hours a reduction to 69 per cent. increase had occurred.
(iii) Treatment of Surra with arsenic.—In the case successfully treated with arsenic (horse No. 115),
the number of white corpuscles rapidly decreased, and never attained during recovery within 75
per cent. of the number present at the commencement of treatment. A similiar reduction was
observed to take place in the course of the fatal cases, when the system of the animal became
influenced by the drug. Fluctuations in the number of the white corpuscles, however occurred,
which did not appear to correspond with any rise or fall in the number of red, or coarsely
granular oxyphile cells. In the majority of cases recorded, shortly before death, a considerable
increase in the number of white corpuscles took place concurrently with the rise in the red.
Coarsely granular oxyphile cells (eosinophile cells).
(i) When Surra was acquired naturally or by inoculation. A great diminution in the number of coarsely
granular cells was observed during the latent period, but the greatest decrease in their numbers
was observed during the paroxysms of Surra, in the majority of cases. When the intermissions.
are sufficiently prolonged, there was a rapid increase in the number of these cells, during the absence
of the hæmatozoon from the circulation and the consequent fall in temperature.
Table III showing the percentages of coarsely granular oxyphile cells, taken on the mean daily number
found in the blood of the horse and the mule during different periods of health and disease (Surra).
Periods.
Health
...
...
Latent period
...
...
Paroxysms
...
...
Intermissions
...
...
Whole period
...
...
Length,
days.
15
7
47
5
74
No. 89
horse.
Per cent.
100.00
72.67
41.12
82.58
63.89
Length,
days.
28
11
49
26
114
Mule I.
Per cent.
100.00
86.30
14.78
12.16
33.27
Length,
days.
28
8
39
14
89
Mule II.
Per cent.
100.00
65.81
39.52
56.65
63.60
(ii).—After unsuccessful inoculation with the Rat hœmatozoon.
When the animal inoculated is in good health, there is always a great increase in the number of these cells,
varying between 24 and 36 per cent.
(iii).—Treatment of Surra with arsenic.
There is nearly always, a steady increase in the number of the coarsely granular oxyphile cells commencing
shortly after the administration of the drug, but attaining a maximum after varying amounts have been given.
In these cases where arsenic is pushed and death supervenes, there is a gradual decrease, until at the time of death
these cells are very few in number or more frequently absent.
In the event of the animal under treatment recovering, the cells decrease in number, until they reach a
minimum, when they gradually increase until they attain the ratio found in health.
One can make a fair prognosis as to an animal's chance of recovery from Surra, by daily observing the
number of coarsely granular oxyphile cells present in its blood,