NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
24
soil buckets and forage, which may be used by healthy animals and
serve to transmit the disease to them.
Although the possibility of these methods of mediate contagion
cannot be denied, it appears to be evident that they are not of common
occurrence.
Are the excreta of animals suffering from surra capable of transmit-
ting the disease? This is a most important question, and one which we
are so far inclined to answer in the negative. Gunn was of opinion that
the infusorian was passed out of the system by the urine, and stated
that he had seen it undergoing changes in that fluid. That this is
possible in some cases we are not in a position to deny, when we take
into consideration the fact that in those cases where nephritis occurs, we
have a considerable quantity of blood passed in the form of "casts" from
the kidney. In order to ascertain whether urine constituted a danger
in the transmission of the disease, we undertook a series of experiments.
The urine of animals, in whose blood the infusorian was numerous,
and in cases where the disease had reached an advanced stage, was given
by subcutaneous inoculation to guinea-pigs, but in every case the results
were negative. It seems, therefore, that we cannot seriously consider
the urine as a cause of danger.
With regard to the fæces, we have had animals suffering from surra
tied on either side of a healthy one for months, under such conditions
that every opportunity was given for the soiling of hay with their
excreta, but there has been no communication of the disease by this
means; although the animal has been eventually inoculated, and has
died from surra.
Is the prevalence of surra in direct proportion to the degree of inter-
course between the sick and healthy animals? We have abundant
evidence to prove the contrary. Evans states that "seventy-seven
horses of the 3rd Punjab Cavalry becoming affected with surra at Jutta,
from which they all died at Edwardesabad, did not communicate the
disease to other animals." Gunn found at Kohat that "the grass-cutters'
ponies stood in the same lines as the other animals, but no mule belong-
ing to the Mountain Battery nor horse belonging to the Punjab Cavalry
became ill of the disease."
Again, in the Bombay tramway outbreaks, with one exception, the
animals attacked with surra were not found to be in close proximity to
each other, but were dotted about over the large area which the stables
cover, and surrounded by healthy animals which remained free from
the disease.
Again, we have the fact that on several occasions it has happened
that Australian horses belonging to the Tramway Company, which had
been under one year in this country, have been the first animals attacked
25
during the year with surra, so that contagion from horse to horse is
out of the question in these cases.
Beyond this, we have the fact that there is no record to be found of
surra having been imported or become enzoötic in a locality, as the result
of the introduction of animals suffering from the disease.
With this evidence before us, can we consider the disease to be
contagious, or are we to look upon animals suffering from the disease as
a source of danger to healthy animals? The answer appears to be in the
negative, and we are led to the opinion that surra is what, might be
called an "accidental" disease of the horse, introduced from without,
owing to the animal ingesting the infusorian; and not contagious in the
ordinary acceptation of the term, but only under certain conditions.
The disease can be transmitted from a sick to a healthy animal, (i) by
subcutaneous inoculation with blood, whether it be taken during a
paroxysm or intermission serum, fluid taken from the tunica vaginalis,
the pericardial sac, and lateral ventricles. (ii) By the gastric inges-
tion of such blood. (iii) By direct injection into the general circulation.
Blood taken some hours post-mortem, and from which the infusorian
has apparently disappeared, will also induce surra on inoculation.
Experiments are necessary to show for what length of time the blood
remains virulent after death.
Period of Incubation.—It is impossible to say presisely what the
period of incubation in naturally-contracted cases of surra may be, but
it is probably between 39 and 67 days.
In cases induced by the subcutaneous inoculation of blood taken
during a paroxysm, we find it to be usually from four to seven days, and
it is about the same when the infusorian is injected directly into the
general circulation.
If the blood be taken from the heart or great vessels some hours
after death (5 to 16 hours), we find the period of incubation lasting from
8 to 13 days. We find that there is some increase in the length of the
period here; and it appears that some change occurs after death which
delays the process; for, with blood taken only an hour and a half after
death, the incubative period was only 6 days. Cases due to gastric in-
gestion of large quantities of blood containing the infusorian have an
incubative period of 5 or 6 days, but if the quantity of blood be small
it is very long and variable.
Animals susceptible to Surra.—Horse Surra may be transmitted by
inoculation to the donkey mule, ox, sheep, goat, monkey, dog, cat, rabbit,
guinea-pig, and rat.
In the donkey and mule, it runs a course similar to that in horses,
but it is usually slower, taking much longer to kill them. In the dog,
26
cat, rabbit, and guinea-pig, it resembles surra affecting the horse. Dogs
and cats have œdematous swellings on various parts of the body, especially
on the legs and head, and they gradually waste away and die.
Sheep and goats appear to be less susceptible, but when attacked
invariably die.
The ox takes the disease, which runs a very prolonged course, but
does not cause death.
Months of the year during which Surra is prevalent.—The months
during which the outbreak of surra is most to be feared are September,
October, November, and December,—i.e., towards the end of and in the
two months following the rainy season.
Treatment.—The treatment of this discase has not, so far, been
attended with success. Experiments have been made with various medi-
cinal agents, chiefly those which it was considered would destroy the
infusorian in the blood.
It has been considered that the best mode of proceeding in the use of
these medicines is to introduce them in small but gradually increasing
doses, pushing them to such a degree as to produce their full physio-
logical effects, but stopping short of actual poisoning. This appears to
be the most rational method of adopting experimental treatment, if our
object is to be the destruction of the infusorian. A mixture of carbolic
acid and iodine was given in one case, in such a manner that seventy-six
drachms of the former and thirty-four diachms of the latter were given
in a period of six days. The patient received on one day, during the
treatment, fifteen drachms of carbolic acid and tight drachms of iodine;
but no appareut effect was produced on the infusorian. Cinchona alkaloids
with arsenic was next tried, and in one case 1,620 grains of cinchona
alkaloids and 41 grains of arsenic were given in five days; in another
case, 7,920 grains of cinchona alkaloids and 355 grains of arsenic were
given in a period of 32 days. In a third case, 7,680 grains of cinchona
alkaloids and 427 grains of arsenic were given in a period of 29 days.
We found in these cases that some effect was produced on the infusorian,
inasmuch as the mature or recognisable form was absent for a very
considerable time from the blood; but we found also that it is impossible
to continue with large doses of the mixed cinchona alkaloids, owing to
the irritation which they set up in the digestive organs. The number
of days during which the infusorian was absent from the blood of
horses treated with this mixture was 27, 26, 12, and 10, respective-
ly. Seeing that in the ordinary course of the disease the infusorian
reappears after an absence of from three to six days, we are justified in
considering that one or other or both of these agents has some good
effect in checking the development of the disease, especially as the
27
animals treated with them lived longer than ordinary. To one horse we
gave 10,380 grains of the alkaloids and 373 grains of arsenic in 34 days;
and in this case the toxic effects of the alkaloids were very pronounced,
but we failed to destroy the infusorian. We now deemed it advisable to
drop the cinchona alkaloids, and to pursue the treatment with arsenic
alone. The amount of arsenic which was given in one case was 795
grains in 87 days. The infusorian was absent from the blood for 84
days, and the animal lived for 110 days: here the effect of the drug was
well marked; the infusorian appears to have been destroyed, but before this
happy result was arrived at, the disease had so far advanced that recovery
was not possible. Other cases treated with arsenic were not so successful;
indeed, the above was the most encouraging case we had. Other agents
have been tried: Hydrarg perchlor, both by subcutaneous injection
(2.60 grammes in six days) and by direct injection into the jugular (9 25
grains in one day), but the results were negative: iodine and iodide of
potassium were also given. Iodoform in ether injected subcutancously
(7 grains in two days); injected into the jugular vein, 44 grains, three
days. Potassium bichromate injected into the jugular vein, 23.5 grains
in four days, and by gastric ingestion 2,378 in 16 days. Quinine and
arsenic by gastric ingestion, l,9s0 grains of the former and 72 of the
latter in six days. With regard to quinine, Ranking bad stated that
large doses would bring about recovery. In order to test the veracity of
this statement, we gave in one case six drachms of quinine on one day,
six on the next, and six on the following day; this produced no effect
whatever. Oleum terebinthinæ was also tried. None of the medicinal
agents above mentioned have given us any encouraging results with the
exception of arsenic.
Iodic Hydrarg has also been administered, but with negative results.
Protective Inoculation.—A series of experiments were conducted
to test the efficacy or otherwise of the blood serum as a protective agent
against the inoculated diecase, or, in other words, to ascertain whether
any substance capable of conferring immunity against the disease was
present in it, when obtained from animals in whose circulation the
infusorian of surra had been swarming for some days previously. In
the first series, fresh blood containing numerous infusoria was drawn
from a horse, immediately after death, into sterilised glass vessels, and
set aside for several hours in order to allow of the serum separating.
The serum was then transferred to one of M. Pasteur's filters and forced
through a porcelaiu cylinder. Three rabbits and two gainea-pigs were
then subcutaneously injected with varying quantities during three
days. On the evening of the third day, each animal received sub-
cutaneously 0.2C.C. of blood containing numerous infusoria. Rabbit A,
which had received 3.0C.C. of serum, died in 24 days from surra.
28
B received 6.0C.C., died in 22 days. C received 9.0C.C., survived
40 days. Guinea-pigs: X received 6.00C.C., lived 34 days
Y
received 6.00C.C., lived 66 days.
In the second series of experiments, blood was withdrawn from a
horse immediately after death, in which the infusorian had been
swarming for some days, and immediately subjected to the method
described by Ogata.
Three guinea-pigs were subjected to daily
injection with the fluid so obtained, in varying quantities.
No. 1 received 5.5C.C., and afterwards was inoculated with virulent
blood. The animal succumbed in 66 days. No. 2 received 8 5C.C.,
and died in 19 days. No. 3 received 11.0C.C., and died in 25 days.
It is evident that there is little to be hoped for in this direction.
Measures to be adopted to prevent introduction and spread.—
In recommending measures to be adopted with a view to avoiding the
introduction of the disease, we are met with the difficulty of deciding
what the source is from which the infusorian is introduced. We have
some evidence to show that stagnant water, and sedgy vegetation
from ground liable to inundation, are to he suspected, and we should
prevent animals from gaining access to these for some time previous
to the dangerous season of the year. Looking to our observations as to
the period of incubation, in cases where the disease has been induced by
the ingestion of water containing small quantities of soiled blood
it would appear to be necessary to allow for an incubative period of at
least two months, which would bring us to the commencement of the
rains. In this regard may be quoted the fact stated by Major Money,
4th Punjab Cavalry. This officer has stated that "the disease was com-
mon amongst the horses of the 3rd Punjab Cavalry, when they obtained
the grass from inundated ground near the River Indus, but it ceased
when they got grass from higher ground."
Veterinary Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Russell informs me that he
was successful in preventing the disease by avoiding grass from sus-
pected localities in Meerut, and that since this has been done, no cases
have occurred there.
Salt.—It would be advisable, in addition to interdicting the use of
grass and water from suspected localities, to allow each horse an ounce of
salt well mixed with the food and water daily as a prophylactic.
Arsenic.—It has been suggested that by giving arsenic as a pro-
phylactic, we might have some chance of preventing the disease. Expe-
riments are necessary to prove what efficacy this drug would have in
this direction.
29
Attention to the purity of the water-supply and giving hay only
from localities known to be free from surra should be scrupulously
carried out.
Measures to be adopted with regard to animals suffering.—
Although we are led to believe that this disease is not contagious in the
ordinary acceptation of the term, yet, as has been shown, there may under
certain circumstances be some danger, and under these circumstances it
appears to be not only advisable but necessary to take such precautions
as would render contagion an impossibility. We consider, then, that
the ordinary precautions adopted in regard to isolation of the sick, the
cleansing of buckets and standings, burial or cremation of carcases, should
in all cases be carried out.
Slaughter.—There seems little necessity to legislate for the
slaughter of animals suffering from the malady, but it is in all cases
desirable, and moreover it is a saving to the owner, as the disease always
has a fatal termination. It would appear advisable to legislate for the
disposal of carcases, and burial would probably suffice. We do not yet
know for how long a time the débris remains virulent, but probably it
does so for some time, and it is consequently of importance to remove it
from the reach of healthy animals.
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE BY DR. LINGARD.
As the Civil Veterinary Department are now issuing a résumé of
my Report on Horse Surra in the Ledger Series, with the intention of
circulating the same, before the whole question of the disease as it
relates to other animals has been published, a few important facts are
now added to throw additional light upon the probable way in which the
disease is acquired by equines.
It has been known for some years that infusorian, resembling some-
what those found in the blood of horses suffering from surra, infest
a large percentage of rats (Mus decumanus) in other countries as well
as India; but proof was wanting that these organisms were capable of
producing surra when blood containing them was subcutaneously
injected into horses.
As early as January 1891, however, I made several experiments for
the purpose of deciding the above question, and obtained positive results,
but found that the periods of incubation were very long—in one case
being as much as 63 days. Notwithstanding this, the virulence of the
disease, when once developed, was intense, as shown by the short period
during which the animal survived after the appearance of the hæmatozoon
in the blood; this being in several cases only 2 to 5 days. This raised
30
the question as to how rats could cause the disease in horses for the
food would rarely, if ever, be soiled with the blood of these animals.
It therefore only remained to be tried whether the excreta of rats—in
whose blood the infusorian was present at the time of its collection—
could cause the disease when mixed with grain. In 1892, experiments
were undertaken at Poona on the Deccan plateau, where the disease is
not enzootic, and where the difficulty of producing it was fully recog-
nised on account of the dryness of the situation; these, as expected,
proved negative. At a later date—during the latter half of the hot season
and the rains of 1893—further experiments with the same end in view
were carried out in Bombay, where the climate is favourable from its
humidity, and the disease is enzootic. From these, positive results were
obtained, which points to the probability of a number of the surra cases
in Bombay being contracted through the ingestion of rats' excreta
mixed with the corn.
G. I. C. P. O.-No. 59 I. G. C. V. D.-30-4-94.-250.
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT
LEDGER SERIES No. VI.
MAIN HEAD
SUB-HEAD
. STOCK DISEASE.
. LEGISLATION, ETC., FOR—
SUBJECT:
REPRESSION AND PREVENTION OF CATTLE-DISEASES IN INDIA.
1894.
CALCUTTA:
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA.
1894.
PREFACE.
THIS
small bulletin is issued for general in-
formation.
HENRY T. PEASE, A.V.D., Vety. Lieut.,
Assistant to Inspector-General, Civil Vety. Dept.
Meerut, 1894.
LEGISLATION FOR THE REPRESSION OF CATTLE-
DISEASES IN INDIA.
The following note, which has been drawn up by the Revenue and
Agricultural Department of the Government of India, is designed to
show briefly the history and present position of proposals for legislation
with the object of controlling cattle-disease.
The measures which have been under consideration are of two descrip-
tions, viz.,—
(1) measures of repression by segregation or slaughter of diseased
animals or both;
(2) measures of prevention by means of vaccination.
REPRESSION OF CATTLE-DISEASE.
Madras Act II
of 1866 for pre
vention of cattle
disease.
1. In 1866 the Madras Government passed an Act (M. C. II of
1866), under which owners of cattle were compelled to give notice of
disease, and certain officials were authorized to impound and detain
diseased cattle, and even, on necessity arising, to destroy such cattle
without compensation. The Act was not, however, brought into force
in any tract till 1876, and it has since then been at various times ex-
tended to a few districts only.
Cattle-Plaguo
Commission.
2. In 1869 a Commission was appointed by Government, at the
instance of Lord Mayo, to enquire into the nature of Indian cattle-
diseases and the means which should be taken to counteract them. In
their report, submitted in 1871, the Commission stated their conclu-
sion that protective measures, such as inoculation and vaccination, pro-
mised to be of very little use, and recommended legislation of a re-
pressive character. They were convinced that the most efficient expedient,
that of killing infected animals, was out of the question in this country,
but suggested the issue of provisions for due notice, proper segrega-
tion, and adequate disinfection and treatment. It must be remembered
that, at the time when the report was written, Bacteriology was hardly
even in its infancy.
Cattle-Plague
Commission's
Report, and V
terinary Licuti
nant-Colonel
Hallen's Manu
al.
3. One of the results of the Commission was the publication of
Mr. (now Veterinary Lieutenant-Colonel) Hallen's valuable manual of
the more deadly forms of cattle-diseases in India. Copies of the report
itself were distributed to Local Governments, and its proposals were, in
1874, made the basis of further suggestions by the Army Sanitary
Commission in England. The recommendations made were not, how-
ever, followed by any immediate action.
4
vention of cruel-
ty to animals.
This Act, which can be extended to any local area by Local Govern-
ments, contains the following section (No. 7):—
"If any person wilfully permits any animal of which he is the owner to go at
large in any street, while the animal is affected with contagious or infectious disease,
or without reasonable excuse permits any diseased or disabled animal of which he is
the owner to die in any street, he shall be punished with fine which may extend to one
hundred rupees."
Proposals for
legislating for
the prevention
of cattle-disease
in Burma.
8. In December 1892, the Chief Commissioner of Burma sent up
demi-officially the draft of a Bill to prevent the spread of contagious
and infectious diseases amongst cattle in Burma, remarking that it was
much desired by the people, and that all the officers who had been con-
sulted were unanimous in favour of it. Mr. Pease, Assistant to the
Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, was deputed to Burma
to advise the Local Administration, and the Chief Commissioner was
informed that cautious but sound legislation to which people would
assent would probably be permitted. The Bill as framed after Mr.
Pease's visit has not yet been submitted to the Government of India.
Prevention of cattle-disease.
Investigation
of animal dis-
eases in India
and introduction
of vaccines.
9. The advisability of attempting the prophylactic treatment of
cattle by inoculation was urged by the Punjab Government in 1883,
and enquiries were instituted as to European methods of protective vac-
cination, which were then beginning to attract notice. In view of the
justifiable hesitation felt throughout India in establishing any coercive
measures for the repression of cattle-disease, the Government of India
itself determined in 1885 to institute a thorough investigation as to
the animal-diseases of India, and as to the preventive action which
might be taken to secure animals against contagion. A Department of
Bacteriological Survey was created as a branch of the Civil Veterinary
Department, which included—
(1) a veterinary officer to control the survey; to collect informa-
tion and statistics regarding all animal-diseases; and
to co-operate with Provincial Veterinary Departments in
the application of any remedies discovered;
(2) a first class Bacteriologist;
(3) a laboratory assistant.
stablishment
of the Poona
acteriological
aboratory.
10. A laboratory was founded by Lord Reay at Poona, but the
climate has not proved sufficiently cool for the preparation of vaccines,
and the labours of the Bacteriologist (Dr. Lingard) have so far been
confined to the study of a blood parasite which causes the destructive
disease known as Surra. A probable palliative or preventive treatment
has been discovered, and the first volume of the report of the Bacterio-
logist on the subject has just been published.
5
Transfer of the
Bacteriological
Laboratory
to
Almora.
11. The Bacteriological Laboratory will, with the concurrence of
the North-Western Provinces Government, now be located at an eleva-
tion of 7,000 feet in the Himálayas near Almora, and experiments will
be shortly begun there in connection with vaccines for rinderpest and
other diseases demanding bacteriological investigation. It is hoped that
the researches of a worker so well qualified as Dr. Lingard in the field
of bacteriology may lead not only to an extension in scientific know-
ledge of animal-diseases, but also to the discovery of practical remedies.
If vaccines can be discovered, the Laboratory will be maintained as a
manufactory of vaccines, for distribution to local Veterinary Depart-
ments.
Collection of
information re-
garding cattle-
disease.
In the meantime full details are being collected and compiled by
Veterinary Departments in each province regarding the occurrence and
character of cattle-disease in India in accordance with Revenue and
Agricultural Department Resolution No. 26/133, dated the 4th July
1893, and Circular No. 27/133 of the same date.
No. 61 I. G. C. V. D.-17-4-94. -250,
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT
LEDGER SERIES No. IV.
MAIN HEAD .
SUB-READ .
. STOCK DISEASE.
. SPECIFIC DISEASE.
SUBJECT:
HORSE SURRA.
1894.
CALCUTTA:
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA.
1894.