NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
I.B. CHATTERJEE 209
APPENDIX I
Data used in the equations
Particulars
½
lb. cake Combinations
1 lb. cake
„
2 lb. cake „
3 lb. cake
„
Dacca „
Animal
No.
K 5
K 9
K 1
K 2
K 3
K 8
K 4
*K 5
K 6
K 9
K 3
K 8
K 4
K 6
K 1
K 2
K 5
K 9
K 3
K 8
D 7
D 2
D 8
D 9
D 4
D 5
D 6
Live
weight
lb.
533
414
682
542
579
552
538
542
582
430
550
561
527
571
756
578
543
443
635
572
474
526
449
603
541
479
553
Intake
gm.
25.81
24.20
39.50
32.67
29.38
32.76
24.41
25.41
29.32
25.97
35.48
33.93
32.15
36.85
38.22
30.66
26.24
26.15
34.63
34.42
19.73
27.35
26.53
28.57
30.72
28.85
29.12
Output
gm.
24.30
21.08
36.94
27.95
26.71
28.16
23.27
26.06
27.52
21.61
31.22
29.63
28.82
27.95
37.72
26.98
26.14
21.86
34.01
28.42
19.18
26.14
24.14
27.47
30.57
28.32
27.20
*This animal is just on the border line (slightly negative balance).
STUDIES ON THE RELATION OF MINERALS TO LIVE
WEIGHT*
II. THE RELATION OF LIVE WEIGHT TO THE CALCIUM CONTENT
AND CALCIUM REQUIREMENT OF ADULT ANIMALS
BY
INDU BHUSAN CHATTERJEE, L. AG.
Physiological Chemist, Bengal
AND
SUBODH KUMAR TALAPATRA, B.Sc.
Late Research Assistant
(Received for publication on 12 November 1938)
I N a previous article in this series [Chatterjee, 1940] an attempt has been
made to evolve a method by which it appears to be possible to assess the
relative calcium requirements of adult animals. The results indicate that the
requirement is intimately associated with live weight. This can be normally
anticipated as the requirements of heavier or lighter animals cannot be ex-
pected to be the same. The question needing elucidation is whether the re-
quirement and quantity of lime and other minerals is governed by the same
law as is operative in the case of organic nutrients. It is well known that in
the case of the latter the requirement at any rate is not proportional to body
weight but is influenced by body surface which is proportionately greater in
smaller animals. It remained for Rubner [1883] to make a quantitative in-
vestigation and enunciate what has since been termed as surface law. Accord-
ing to Armsby and Moulton [1925], Bergman [1848] had suggested it many
years before and Miintz [1878] had called attention to it a few years previously.
Other investigators also devoted attention to it. But Meeh [1879] was the
first to make accurate observations on the relation of surface to weight in
man. For beef cattle Trowbridge, Moulton and Haigh [1915] have presented
data on body weight, surface area, blood weight and volume and total body
nitrogen for a number of individuals. Moulton [1916] made a more critical
study of these data. In all these the initial idea originated from the fact that
since body surfaces of solids of same shape (in other words of similar geometri-
cal form) vary as a power function of their volumes, it was assumed that when
solids are of same density their body surfaces would be proportional to their
weights. This procedure found favour because the accurate measurement
of body surface involved greater complication. This is how the energy
requirement was calculated on the presumed basis of 2/3rd power of body
weights. But up till recently the protein requirement was not included in
this mode of calculation as it was assumed to vary in direct proportion to live
weight. The recent investigation of Brody and his associates [1935] shows
that the basal metabolism and endogenous nitrogen appear to work on a 0.73
power of body weight. This has also been the finding of Smuts [1935].
*Under the grant of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, India.
( 210 )
I. B. CHATTERJEE AND S. K. TALAPATRA 211
While a good deal of work has been done on the aspect of organic compo-
nents very little appears to be known with respect to the quota either of
mineral content or its requirement. On the other hand it has been tacitly
assumed that the mineral requirement is in direct proportion to live weight.
Similarly very little is known as to whether the total lime or other mineral
contents vary directly or as a power function of live weight. Mitchell [1928]
however gives some values worked out from Missouri data on the basis of dif-
ferentiating equations ' of the rate of deposition of each of the body consti-
tuents at different times and at different weights'. The estimates thus ob-
tained of the percentage composition of ash at different weights are repro-
duced below :
TABLE I
Estimated percentage composition of ash*
Body weight
lb.
300 . . . .
400 . . . .
500 . . . .
600 . . . .
700 . . . .
800 . . . .
900 . . . .
1,000 . . . .
1,100 . . . .
1,200 . . . .
1,300 . . . .
1,400 . . . .
1,500 . . . .
1,600 . . . .
1,700 . . . .
1,800 . . . .
1,900 . . . .
Group (i)
I
p.c.
2.90
3.28
3.44
3.45
3.43
3.41
3.39
3.65
3.32
3.28
3.24
3.19
3.16
3.11
3.06
3.01
2.95
Group(ii)
II
p.c.
3.97
4.08
4.12
4.17
4.20
4.24
4.27
4.28
4.31
4.34
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
Group (iii)
III
p.c.
4.15
4.35
4.42
4.46
4.45
4.43
4.38
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
*Reproduced from table 15 of Mitchell's Bulletin.
(i) fed grain mixture and alfafa hay as much as they could consume.
(ii) fed as (i) but to secure ' maximum growth without the storage of surplus
fat'.
(iii) fed to induce a distinctly retarded growth at about half the rate of Group II.
I. B. CHATTERJEE AND S. K. TALAPATRA 213
where
y=Ca content
w=live weight
p=power function
α= constant.
By working out the equation with the 21 data from Mitchell we obtain
α = 0.00546
p = 1.12049
so that equation (1) becomes
y=0.0055w 1.12
(2)
Applying the values of constants on the individual body weights (Appen
dix I) the analysis of variance was obtained as follows :
TABLE II
Analysis of variance
Regression . . .
Residual . . .
Total .
Degrees
of
freedom
1
19
20
Sum
of
squares
4.007
1.467
5.474
Mean
sum
of
squares
4.007
0.027
Observed
ratio of
variance
149.51
Expected ratio
of variance at
1 per cent
point of
distribution
8.14
r=0.8555
It will be seen that the value of p is about unity and the correlation is
quite satisfactory. At the same time it is necessary to bear in mind that the
weight of a rat is considerably small as compared to the weight of a large ani
mal like bullock. Some difference must also be inseparable with age and feed.
If these factors could have been obviated and if the data from bigger animals
were available it was likely that the value of p had approximated more closely
to unity. Nevertheless the results give a reasonable indication that the
calcium content in adult rats seems to vary directly with live weight.
The same behaviour might be tentatively conceded in the case of bigger
animals until sufficient data accumulate to enable its verification. This proba
bility is however suggested from the relation of lime requirement of bullocks.
An examination of the equation developed in the previous paper by the senior
author (loc. cit) would show that the relative lime requirement under rice
straw feeding follows a linear order. This is illustrated in a clear way when the
same data are also worked out on a power function basis.
The calcium requirement of adult animals.—It should be noted here that
the data used in this connexion were 27 in all, of which 20 were from Krish
nagar and seven from Dacca. In order to see whether there was any marked
214
Studies on the Relation of Minerals to Live Weight
difference in the behaviour of results from Krishnagar and Dacca, the calcu-
lations were worked out first with Krishnagar data only and then again with
combined Krishnagar and Dacca data. The equations were of similar form
as under (1) and (2), except that y here represents the requirement of CaO in
gram and w represents body weight in pounds.
The final forms of equation with their analysis of variance are shown
below :—
With Krishnagar data only :
y=0.0383w 1.04
(3)
TABLE III
Analysis of variance
Regression . . .
Residual . . .
Total
.
Degrees
of
freedom
1
18
19
Sum
of
squares
436.231
68.122
504.353
Mean
sum
of
squares
436.231
3.784
Observed
ratio of
variance
115.28
Expected ratio
of variance at
1 per cent
point of
distribution
8.184
Correlation r=0.9301
With the combined data of Dacca and Krishnagar :—
y=0.0514w 0.995
(4)
TABLE IV
Analysis of variance
Regression . . .
Residual . . .
Total .
Degrees
of
freedom
1
25
26
Sum
of
squares
357.386
133.208
490.594
Mean
sum
of
squares
357.386
5.328
Observed
ratio of
variance
67.077
Expected ratio
of variance at
1 per cent
point of
distribution
7.770
Correlation r=0.8535
I. B. CHATTERJEE AND S. K. TALAPATRA 215
We started by assuming that y varies as w p and ultimately found that the best
fit is obtained when the value of p is not far from unity. In other words the
relation between y and w is of the form y=w, since the value of p becomes
unity. The CaO requirement thus seems to vary directly with live weight.
The separate calculations of Krishnagar values only, and then again with
combined values of Dacca and Krishnagar do not exhibit any appreciable
difference in the value of p, thereby showing that the behaviour at Dacca and
Krishnagar were more or less similar.
We have thus the statistical analysis of the calcium content of adult rats
and the calcium requirement of adult bullocks ; and in both cases they exhibit
a direct variation with live weight. They can therefore be more conveniently
worked out with the simple form of linear equation, viz. y =mx+ c. The other
form of the equation with power function has been used to verify the point.
It need hardly be stated that as more data accumulate the validity of the
equation can be tested more satisfactorily. But so far the results suggest that
the requirement of lime (and possibly other minerals) is governed by different
law from that of energy requirement.
SUMMARY
Statistical analysis of calcium content of adult rats and calcium require-
ment of adult bullocks seems to suggest that they vary directly with live
weight and are probably governed by conditions different from that of energy
requirement.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The first acknowledgement is due to the Imperial Council of Agricultural
Research for providing the grant.
Grateful acknowledgement is made of help received on the statistical side
from Prof. P. C. Mohalonobis and late Mr. S. Bose of the Indian Statistical
Institute, Calcutta.
The authors also record their sincere thanks to Mr. M. Carbery, Director
of Agriculture, Bengal for advice, encouragement and guidance, to Mr. G. B.
Pal, for helpful criticism, to Dr. S. N. Sarkar for a great part of analytical
figures, to Mr Sayed Ali for computation, and to Mr Abdul Aziz Talukder for
conducting the digestion and metabolic tests.
REFERENCES
Armsby, H. P. and Moulton, C. R. (1925). The animal as a convertor of matter and energy,
179-80
Bergman. (1848).' Wärme konomia der Thiere ' Gottingen 9 ;*
Bergman. (1852). ' Anatomisch-physiol. Uebersicht des Thier—reichs' Stuttgart,
272*
Brody, S. et al (1935). Missouri Bull. 220
Chatterjee, I. (1940). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. . .10
McCrudden, F. H. (1909-10) J. Biol. Chem. 7, 83
McCrudden, F. H. (1911-12). J. Biol. Chem. 7, 187
Meeh, K. 1879. Ztschr. F. Biol., 15, 425*
Mitchell, H. H. (1928). Nat. Res. Coun. Bull. 67
216
Studies on the Relation of Minerals to Live Weight
Moulton, C. R. (1916). J. Biol. Chem. 24, 299
Müntz. (1878). Ann. Inst. Agron, 3, 59*
Rubner, M. (1883). Ztschr. F. Biol., 19, 545*
Sherman, H. C. and MacLeod, F. L. (1925). J. Biol. Chem. 64, 429-59
Smuts, D. B. (1935).. J. Nut. 9, 403-33
Trowbridge P. F. Moulton C. R. and Haigh L. D. (1915). Mo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 18
*Cited by Armsby and Moulton.
I.B. CHATTERJEE AND S. K. TALAPATRA 217
APPENDIX I
Calcium content of adult male rats
(From the Journal of Biological Chemistry, 64, 438, By H. C. Sherman
and F. L. MacLeod)
Rat No.
*1239
*1054
*1055
1063
1064
259
627
628
6118
6116
667
816
*817
*818
*1573
164
666
40
570
740
7
Age
Days
179
185
185
185
185
206
245
245
245
245
241
241
241
241
245
309
416
485
522
603
849
Last live weight
gm.
282
322
323
271
260
367
365
344
244
303
342
346
347
371
313
330
358
365
313
292
339
*These were animals from a slightly different diet as explained in the text.
A NOTE ON SOME ECTOPARASITES OF POULTRY AND
THEIR CONTROL
BY
PURNENDU SEN, M.Sc.(CAL.), PH.D. (LOND.), D.I.C. (LOND.)
Lately Offg. Entomologist, Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar
(Received for publication on 31 July 1939)
(With six text-figures)
INTRODUCTION
A LTHOUGH a good deal of work has been done in other countries on the
ectoparasites of poultry, such as lice and mites, very little seems to be on
record as to the nature of these arthropod infestations in poultry in India. A
very good opportunity of studying two species of these parasites arose owing
to a severe outbreak of lice during early March 1938, on the poultry farm at
Latoli at the Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar. The in-
tensity of infestation was so severe that one bird died within two hours of its
arrival at the laboratory before any treatment could be given. The bird
was greatly emaciated and dull.
Soon afterwards the farm was inspected, and it was found that almost
every bird in the poultry house was infested with lice and that these were
prevalent in all stages of development. Moreover, some of the birds had
scaly legs, the scales coming off in lumps on rubbing with the fingers.
LICE
The lice collected from these birds were identified as Menopon stramineum
Nitzsch. These are swift runners.
The eggs are laid in compact batches on the base of feathers, several
hundred being matted together in one place. The nits are somewhat elongate
and transparent, measuring about 0.8 mm. The nymphs (first stage)
emerging from these are very minute, being hardly larger than the nits.
The author has observed at least three nymphal stages, as judged mainly
from the size and respiratory system. The adult differs from the nymph
not only in having the external genitalia well-developed but also in the intense
chitinization of the body with a dense coat of setae. The different stages
are described below:
First stage (Fig. 1).—Newly emerged nymphs are about 1.0 mm. in length
with a well-marked head showing a four-segmented antenna on either side,
the distal segment of which is club-shaped. The mouth-parts show externally
a four-segmented maxillary palp, one on each side with sensory setae, about
seven or eight in number, and pits at the tip.
(218)
P. SEN 219
Fig. 1. Menopon stramineum—
First nymphal stage. × 83.
Fig. 2. Menopon stramineum—
Second nymphal stage. × 64.
Fig. 3. Menopon stramineum—Adult. × 29.
A
220
Ectoparasites of Poultry and Their Control.
Fig. 4. Cnemidocoptes mutans—Adult. × 150.
The abdomen is obtuse, being broadly rounded towards the end, and shows
n ne visible segments. The body is sparsely clothed with hairs, about six in
each of the segments anteriorly which become four in each segment posteriorly.
There is also a pair of lateral undulating long hairs on each segment. The
last segment has two such long hairs projecting downwards like the cerci.
In the head, however, there are four such long hairs on each side.
At this stage cutaneous respiration probably takes place as no spiracular
opening can be seen. The tarsi of the legs bear two claws terminally on each
leg.
Second stage.—This measures about 1.5 mm. in length. The insect
now is much more strongly chitinized and the abdominal segments are more
marked, the emarginations of the segments being sharp. Two types of hairs
are distinguishable in the body, one small and the other long and stout. There
are about fourteen hairs in a row in each abdominal segment. The last pair of
legs is much longer than the rest. No spiracles are noticeable.
Third stage (Fig. 2).—The head and the body in general are still more
strongly chitinized. The abdominal markings are very prominent, and there
are about 20 hairs in each of the abdominal segments towards the middle.
The insect measures from 2.0 to 2.3 mm. in length. The respiratory
system is well-developed, there being one pair of spiracles in the metathorax
and seven pairs in the first seven abdominal segments.
P. SEN 221
Adult (Fig. 3).—The adult louse measures about 3.5 to 4.0 mm. in length.
The body is intensely chitinized and is composed of a head, prothorax, fused
meso and metathorax, and nine visible abdominal segments.
Eyes are well-differentiated, and the antennae, as in the earlier stages,
are composed of four segments, the last segment being clavate. The prothorax
is narrower than the head.
There is a pair of spiracles in each of the first seven abdomina Jsegments.
The sexes are well-differentiated. The females have a stouter body, the abdo-
men is much wider than in the male and, unlike the male, is widest towards
the posterior end.
These lice feed on the barbules of feathers causing intensive damage to the
birds by the complete removal of feathers at places. The birds become rest-
less owing to the frequent movements of the parasites among the feathers.
The intestinal contents of the parasites are sometimes tinged red and show
evidence of ingesting pieces of tiny feathers.
MITES
The scrapings from the legs of the birds with scales showed under the
microscope the presence of scaly-leg mites, Cnemidocoptes mutans (Ewing).
These mites form distinct scales on the legs of the poultry by abrading the
skin with their sharp mouth-parts. The exudations from the damaged sur-
face become clotted about the sloughed skin forming matted scales of consi-
derable size. The larvae and adults of these mites were observed to be pre-
sent simultaneously on the same bird.
The adult mite of the species Cnemidocoptes mutans is almost round in
shape with short legs having suckers at the tips. The female (Fig. 4) has a
Fig. 5. Cnemidocoptes mutans—
Larva. × 50.
Fig. 6. Cytoleichus nudus. × 93.
222
Ectoparasites of Poultry and Their Control
pair of characteristic chitinous bars at the anterior end. The anus is situated
at the posterior end in the form of an elliptical slit.
The larva (Fig. 5) has a similar appearance to the adult but the chitinous
structures are absent. It has a pair of slender hairs at the posterior end, the
length of which equals or exceeds that of the body of the mite.
On post-mortem examination of bird dead of lousiness, some examples
of air-sac mites, Cytoleichus nudus (Vizioli), were encountered. These are
minute mites, somewhat oblong in shape with the anterior end narrowed
(Fig. 6). The body is devoid of any hairs or spines and the legs are fairly
long with knob-like pedicels at tips. These mites have been reported to
infest air-passages and several other internal structures. [Kaura and Gana
pathy Iyer, 1937.]
CONTROL MEASURES
As an immediate remedy towards delousing the poultry at Latoli farm
was needed, the dipping method with commercial sodium fluoride was adopted.
Sodium fluoride was made into a solution of 0.5 per cent in a tub large enough
to immerse a fowl. One and a half ounce of the chemical dissolved in two
gallons of tepid water were found to be sufficient for the treatment of a flock
of seven birds. The birds were dipped in the solution one after the other,
care being taken to hold their heads out of the solution, and they were rinsed
thoroughly in the bath for about two minutes each.
The birds were then wiped on a towel and kept in the sun for
proper drying *. After this single treatment they have been freed not only
of the lice but also the scaly-leg mites and at least two hens in the flock have
laid eggs regularly since.
The yard of the poultry house was cleaned by burning hay over it, and
the poultry house was properly cleaned and washed with phenyl. These simple
sanitary methods, if followed scrupulously, would go a long way to keeping
poultry houses and their inmates free from lice and, possibly, also mites.
SUMMARY
The paper records a severe outbreak of lice (Menopon stramineum)
associated with scaly-leg mites (Cnemidocoptes mutans) and air-sac mite,
(Cytoleichus nudus), on a poultry farm attached to the Imperial Veterinary
Research Institute, Mukteswar. The outbreak was successfully brought
under control by dipping all the birds of the flock in a 0.5 per cent solution
of commercial sodium fluoride. The different stages of M. stramineum are des-
cribed in detail.
REFERENCES
Kaura, R. L. and Ganapathy Iyer, S. (1937). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 7, 299-301
* One bird out of the lot however died the same night after the sodium fluoride
bath, probably owing to cold, as the day turned up cloudy unexpectedly after we gave
them the requisite bath, and this bird being particularly weak succumbed. It should
be borne in mind that the birds should not be given a bath unless there is sun to dry
them.
SERUM PROTEIN FRACTIONS OF NORAMAL AND
VITAMIN A, CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS
DEFICIENT CATTLE*
BY
N. D. KEHAR, M. Sc., Sc.D.
Acting Officer-in-charge, Animal Nutrition Section, Imperial Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 25 August 1939)
MCCOLLUM [1917] pointed out that animals fed on a diet deficient in
vitamin A show increased susceptibility to infections. McCollum (loc. cit.)
and Cramer [1930] found that feeding of vitamin A rich substances consideraby
increased their body resistance. Since McCollum's first observation, evidence
has accumulated to show that vitamin A exercises an effective control in
maintaining the physiological defences of the mucous membranes which are
the portals of entry of most infections in animals.
Cramer and Kingsbury [1924] observed that deficiency of vitamin A
brings about a breakdown of local defences, and Turner [1928] and Turner
et al [1929, 1930] remarked that organisms gain a pathogenic hold during the
depressed state of their host from vitamin A deficiency.
So far as the author is aware, no observations on vitamin A deficient
cattle have so far been reported to indicate any relationship of the various
factors connected with maintaining the integrity of the host resistance to
different infections. Since proteins play an important role in all immunologi-
cal reactions, it is attempted in this investigation to examine critically the
various fractions of serum proteins of the normal and vitamin A deficient
cattle and to find out which fraction is most affected under these conditions.
Furthermore, because utilization of proteins by the body is related to mineral
metabolism [McCollum and Simmonds, 1929 ; Peters and Van Slyke, 1931 ;
and McCance, 1936], it was considered advisable to incorporate similar
observations on animals kept on an imbalanced ration so far as calcium and
phosphorus are concerned.
METHODS AND MATERIAL
Serum protein fractions were estimated by the method devised by Camp-
bell and Hanna [1937]. This method claims an advantage in accuracy and
* This investigation was carried out at the Physiological Laboratory (Serology
Section), Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar.
( 223 )