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"It is evident then that under most favourable circumstances it is scarcely possible for the infection of
rinderpest to be carried by means of skins of animals that have died of the disease for more than a very short
period, and that it is quite impossible that Indian hides, treated in any of the usual ways which are adopted in
any of the various parts of the country, to convey the infection of the disease to any country outside India,
through the exportation of raw, untanned hides, and much more would it be impossible for those which had been
passed through the lengthy and arduous process of tanning to carry such infection."
588. As there is a considerable traffic in bones from this country, Dr.
Rogers conducted some experiments to test whether they might serve to carry
the contagium. Six animals were employed in these tests, and the following
are the conclusions which he has drawn:—
"These experiments are of considerable interest, for they prove in the first place that the virus remains active
in the marrow inside the shaft of a long bone for at least two weeks, even when the bone is exposed to the sun
daily during that time.
"Secondly, they prove that the outside of the bone is rendered innocuous in a few days when placed in the
sun, and that the marrow quickly loses its power of infection when taken out of the bone and exposed to the
sun's rays.
"The only way in which the marrow of bones would be likely to come into contact with a healthy animal
would be after they had been ground up and spread over fields as manure, in which circumstances the infection
would very quickly be destroyed, even if this was done within a month, later than which the infection, even in-
side the bone, is lost. It is evident that there is no danger of animals becoming infected through the trade in
bones."
589. Bombay.—Veterinary-Major Brodie-Mills, Principal of the Bombay
Veterinary College, carried out a series of experiments which go to prove that
raw hides, at the time of their exportation, are quite innocuous. He first
obtained an undoubted case of rinderpest, and by injections of the blood of this
animal into six other animals he reproduced the disease—all of which died of
rinderpest as proved by post-mortem examination. The hide of the first animal
was divided into halves, one portion being sun-dried and the remainder treated
with salt and turmeric and dried in the shade. Strips of both samples were
placed in sterilized bottles of sterilized water and kept for twelve hours. Con-
siderable quantities, varying from 50 c.c. to 150 c.c. of this solution were
injected into seven fresh animals, and although these large injections produced
some local disturbance, the fact was elicited that no animal was attacked with
rinderpest. Veterinary-Major Brodie-Mills states:—
"In all these cattle the injections produced severe local irritation followed by inflammation and the forma-
tion of pus. Although the temperature of all were somewhat erratic in character, while the abscesses at the seat
of the injections lasted, a decline took place soon after they burst or were opened. None, however, I am of
opinion, contracted rinderpest."
590. Madras.—The experiments carried out in Madras were of a negative
quality.
591. Bengal.—Veterinary-Major Raymond, Superintendent, Civil Veteri-
nary Department, Bengal, conducted some experiments, and the following is
a precis.
592. From the skin of a buffalo which had died of rinderpest, strips of hide
1 foot long and 1½ inches wide were cut and inserted under the skin of the
neck of five buffaloes. These animals showed no outward signs of rinderpest,
but a temperature re-action occurred.
593. In order to counter-test these data, virulent blood was injected into
all these experimental animals with the result that only one became affected
with the disease. It was surmised that either four of the buffaloes were
immune, or that they were rendered immune by the effects of the hide experi-
ment.
594. The above experiments were carried out during the latter part of
1898, and with a view to confirm these observations, a further series of experi-
ments were conducted during January and February 1899, in continuation of
those formerly carried out. There were six experiments made in the second
series and consisted of subcutaneous injections, draughts, and feeding animals
on hides of animals which had died of rinderpest, and from the results of these
experiments, Veterinary-Major Raymond has arrived at the following conclu-
sions;—
(i) That hides may be made to convey rinderpest five days after re-
moval from fresh carcases.
(ii) That hides will not convey typical rinderpest ten days after
removal and treatment by a native skinner. But a large injection