ABSTRACTS
WILLIAM ORR (1945). Observations on Rinderpest in Goats Imported to Malaya Jour. Comp.
Path. & Ther. 55, 185-200
S OME years before 1939, the Malayan governments prohibited the importation of cattle, sheep and
goats from India on account of the danger of introducing rinderpest and other diseases. This
measure, together with the constant vigilance of the veterinary departments, enabled these govern-
ments to eradicate rinderpest from Malaya and only occasional localized outbreaks of the disease due
to the introduction of infection from other countries continued. In 1939, however, military require-
ments made it necessary to relax these restrictions and to import large numbers of goats from India.
When consignments were expected to arrive Singapore was overcrowded with highly susceptible
Bali-oxen, which had been imported to supplement the local stock of food. The indigenous water-
buffalo of Malaya is also highly susceptible to rinderpest. The consequences of introducing the
disease to this susceptible stock would have been disastrous specially at a time when conservation
of existing food was of major importance.
The consignments of goats from India arrived at Singapore and rinderpest was detected in them
on arrival. So, without regard to the immediate losses, it was decided to eradicate this infection
the slaughter and disposal of all the animals in the shipments involved.
Four consignments arrived, comprising 1.500 goats in all. The disease manifested itself in an
unusually virulent form and caused heavy mortality. In one of these four consignments, rinderpest
was not diagnosed immediately on arrival at the port. The disease however, made its appearance
within 24 hours of the landing of the animals and rapidly assumed epizootic form within the next
48 hours.
Of the first consignment of 500 goats shipped at Calcutta, 40 died on the. voyage, 191 died within
eight days of arrival and the rest were destroyed. In the second consignment of 500 goats 72 died
on the way, 272 died in seven days after arrival and the rest were destroyed in a moribund state.
In the third consignment of 200 goats shipped from Calcutta two died of other causes on the voyage
and the remaining 198 goats showed no evidence of disease on arrival. But the disease was noticed
the next day. Six animals died within two days after arrival and on. the third day the. remaining
animals including 19 sick animals were all slaughtered. In the last consignment of 300 goats shipped
from Calcutta 16 animals were lost on the voyage, 19 died within two days after arrival and the rest
including 37 sick animals were all destroyed.
Rinderpest was detected in a consignment of goats shipped from Calcutta to Penang at about
the same time. Biological tests carried out with material obtained from this batch of goats in Bali-
oxen and indigenous goats in Penang showed that this rinderpest virus was highly infectious and
virulent. The peracute and fatal reactions that followed in the experimental animals were essentially
similar to those observed in these animals following infection with rinderpest virus of bovine origin.
The symptoms and post-mortem lesions observed in these goats at Singapore are described in great
detail. The author also refers to Whitworth's account of an undiagnosed disease which occurred
among Indian goats imported to Singapore in 1935 and which was suspected as rinderpest and com-
pares it with the disease that occurred in 1941.
After this outbreak, it was decided to discontinue further importation of Indian goats to Malaya
pending a revision of the conditions under which the traffic might be resumed. But the outbreak of
hostilities in Malaya in December, 1941. prevented the resumption of importation. [P.R.K.I.].
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