September, 1951]
AMRITAMOY
MUKHRJI
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meter readings were recorded daily at ½ hour intervals alternately in the shed and
then in the exposed place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continued for the whole period
of the experiment lasting for about 8 to 10 days.
(2) Body temperature and respiration count per minute of the 'Shade' and
'Sun' group animals were recorded daily at one hour intervals from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
and continued throughout the period of the experiment. As a convention, each
time readings of the shade group animals were taken first. Rate of increase of body
temperature and respiration count in the 'Sun group' animals during the period of
exposure could thus be compared with the normal readings in the 'Shade group'
animals kept inside the shed.
(3) Clinical symptoms of rinderpest, viz.—temperature, inappetence, intestinal
disturbances and specific lesions in the mouth in both the groups were recorded during
the period of immunization and the effect of solar radiation on the severity of reaction
in the Sun group animals was specially studied.
Evaluation of potency of the rinderpest immune sera
There is no satisfactory method of estimating the antibodies in vitro, but a
method has been evolved and adopted at the Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Mukteswar, by which the protective power of the immune serum
is judged in the animal body against an infective dose of the virulent virus.
This method, which is described below, was adopted in the present work.
A full test consits of eight hill-bulls inoculated as follows: Two bulls
with 0.1 c.c. virus and serum at the rate of 10 c.c. per 100 lb. two
bulls with 0.1 c.c. virus and serum at the rate of 5 c.c. per 100 lb. Two bulls with
0.1 c.c. virus and serum at the rate of 5 c.c. per 100 lb. or a dose of 20 c.c., whichever is
greater. Two bulls with 0.1 c.c. virus alone. The bulls should be fairly good in
condition and about 300 lb. in weight. If in the above test, one bull at any particular
serum dosage dies from rinderpest or from causes arising directly from the rinderpest
reaction, e.g., Coccidiosis, and the remaining bull shows a decided reaction, the
percentage potency of the serum at that particular dose rate is taken as 0 per cent
without further calculation. If a bull dies from causes other than the direct result of
the rinderpest reaction or its immediate consequences, it is eliminated. If one of the
two bulls at any particular dosage fails to react at all and the other shows a marked
reaction, such bull is eliminated from the subsequent evaluation. In any test where
the reaction of the controls is less than 80 per cent, the results should be viewed with
suspicion and if necessary a retest should be carried out. Where no bull dies from
rinderpest, the reaction of each individual is estimated in accordance with the
following method for the allotment of marks, the sum of which is taken as the per-
centage reaction:
I. Temperature (only morning temperatures are taken into account):
(a) Decided or severe temperature reaction commencing on or before the 4th day
in which the peak of the curve is over 103°F
20 marks. (b) As (a)
commencing on the 5th day or later
15 marks. (c) Mild temperature
reaction commencing on or before the 4th day in which the peak of the curve does
not rise above 103°F
10 marks. (d) As (c) commencing on the 5th
day or later
5 marks.
N.B.—The above marks are allotted on alternative and not on cumulative basis.