ORIGINAL ARTICLES
FLUORINE INTOXICATION OF CATTLE IN INDIA
By B. N. MAUMDAR, S. N. RAY AND K. C. SEN, Animal Nutrition Section, Imperial Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 28 August 1942)
(With Plates VIII & IX and one map)
ALTHOUGH fluorine poisoning of human beings
and of cattle and other farm animals has formed
the subject of study in other countries and good
reviews on it are now available [Roholm. 1937 :
Pierce, 1.939], the existence of this trouble was not
suspected in this country until recently. So far
as farm animals are concerned, wait of a proper
disease survey and lack of suitable diagnostic
methods have contributed to the difficulties of
studying this problem in the field, and clinical
observations have not always proved very helpful
because of the well-known fact that osteomalacia
and chronic fluorosis in cattle cannot be differen-
tiated by purely clinical methods, as the syndrome
in both the diseases is very similar.
In 1933, Mahajan, Veterinary
Investigation
Officer, Hyderabad (Deccan), reported a peculiar
disease of cattle in the Yedreddipally region of
Hyderabad State which he described as starting
with a stiffness in the legs leading to lameness.
This sympton, together with progressive emacia-
tion, which became evident about a month later,
persisted throughout the course of the disease
(i.e. 8 months to a year). The animals showed an
inclination to lick such objects as their earthen
manger and stones. A characteristic symptom
observable on post-mortem examination was that
of bony calluses of a somewhat spongy nature
on the ribs, usually the seventh to the eleventh at
about the centres and in one instance, two frac-
tures had occurred. Hoof deformity, particularly
overlapping, was apparent. All other organs
appeared normal. Mahajan diagnosed the cases
as osteomalacia.
The phosphorus contents of all the fodder sam-
ples sent from that locality were extremely low ;
one sample of bone supplied (a piece of rib with
callus) had a low phosphorus content, but speci-
mens obtained later from a second case gave normal
calcium and phosphorus figures. Based mainly
on dietetic considerations, phosphorus deficiency
was taken to be the primary cause of this patholo-
gical condition, and an addition of bone flour
to the ration of these animals was reported to
have made some improvement in their condition
[Mahajan, 1934-35]. On the basis of these field
observations, Sen [1935] assumed the existence
of osteomalacia in cattle in certain regions of
India.
Examination. of the blood sera carried out
during 1935. however, gave rise to the first doubts
about the correctness of this diagnosis. In osteo-
malacia in ruminants resulting from aphosphorosis.
a fall in blood phosphorus precedes any outward
clinical sign [Theiler. Green and Du Toit, 1927].
About nine samples of serum from affected
animals were examined and the calcium and
phosphorus values were found to be as high
as those obtained from healthy animals of the
same breed from a neighbouring village. Com-
parative results are given in Table I.
TABLE I
Mineral composition of blood serum of affected and
normal animals
No. of
animals
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
Species
Affected group
Buffalo
„
„
„
„
Average
Bullock .
„
„
„
Average
10.7
10.0
8.7
8.85
8.5
9.35
9.3
8.2
10.65
9.6
9.44
Normal Group
Buffalo .
„
„
„
Average
Bullock .
„
„
„
„
Average
7.4
9.9
8.8
9.5
8.9
9.7
8.0
9.4
8.6
9.5
9.04.
Phosphorus
mg. 100 c.c.
serum
6.0
5.1
9.4
..
..
6.8
5.6
5.7
4.1
3.6
4.75
6.3
4.93
..
5.0
5.41
4.3
4.8
4.8
5.0
5.2
4.82
In 1936, Viswanathan, Veterinary Investigation
Officer, Madras, described a disease which he called
' Rheumatic arthritis '—locally known as vayup-
otlu ', observed by him during the previous year
[Viswanathan, 1934-35]. This disease was pre-
valent in certain parts of Madras and the symptoms
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