90
ABSTRACTS
20 parts per million hastened the onset of the abnormality. In the group of chicks re-
ceiving both the alcoholic and aqueous extracts, development was quite normal, and
perosis was completely absent. However, supplementing a low manganese diet (30 parts
per million) with the alcoholic extract was ineffective in preventing perosis, though the
attack was much milder. Breed differences were noticed here also, the early maturing
breeds being more susceptible to attack. Measurements of the length and diameter of
the humerus, tibia and metatarsus of birds of comparable weights in the two groups
showed that though their manganese intake was adequate, the bones of chicks which did
not receive the alcoholic extract were pronouncedly shorter and thicker than normal.
These bone dimensions were not so abnormal when the alcoholic extract was fed with a
diet of low manganese content, thus indicating that under the conditions of the experi-
ment, the absence of the organic factor was the more important cause of perosis than
a deficiency of manganese. In order to ascertain whether choline is the protective agent
supplied by the alcoholic liver extract, some trials were carried out by supplementing the
various diets with 0.1 per cent choline. These experiments indicated that choline has
some power to prevent perosis, although it is not the only factor concerned. [Y. V. N.]
Treatment of canine Babesiasis by 4 : 4'- diamidino diphenoxy propane.
J. CARMICHAEL and R. N. T.W.FINNES, (1942). Ann. Trop. Med. &
Parasit. 35, 191-3
I N this article the authors have shown that 4 : 4'—diamidino diphenoxy propane is
a valuable drug in the treatment of tick-fever of dogs caused by Babesia canis in Uganda.
The objectionable features attendant on the use of trypan blue, such as the extensive
sloughing of the skin after subcutaneous injection, or sloughing around the vein after
intravenous injection in small dogs, and its occasional toxic effect on the heart, were
absent in this drug. The drug could be used with greater safety than Acaprin in the
treatment of B. canis infection.
This new drug, which the authors obtained from Messrs May and Baker, Ltd
London, was given to dogs at the rate of either one dose of 5 mg. per kg. body weight
or 2.5 mg. per kg. in two doses on successive days. It was made up in 1 per cent solution
and was found to keep indefinitely in this form. The subcutaneous, intravenous and
intramuscular routes were all given trials and found equally effective. Preference,
however, was given to intramuscular route, since the subcutaneous route produced
swelling beneath the skin which sometimes persisted for a month or six weeks. One
hundred and sixteen dogs were treated with this drug, and out of these 10 relapsed and
four died. The relapsed cases, however, responded to a second course of treatment.
[H. N. R.]
The production of immunity against Cl. Welchii Type D (Enterotoxaemia)
M. B. BUDDLE (1941). Aust. Vety. J. 17
T HE aim of these experiments was to determine (1) the immunity response in ewes
and the consequent passive immunity transmitted to their lambs following the pre-
natal vaccination of the dams with a variety of Cl. Welchii type D toxoids, (2) the in-
fluence of the passively transmitted immunity on the subsequent response of the lambs to
active immunization, and incidentally (3) to exp ore the relative merit of vaccination by
the intraperitonial and subcutaneous routes.
Vaccines used for the prenatal immunization of ewes were as follows :—
(a) Newzealand strain anaculture.
(b) Newzealand strain reinforced toxoid.
(c) Newzealand strain alum-precipitated toxoid.
(d) Newzealand strain alum-precipitated reinforced toxoid.
(e) Newzealand strains zinc chloride precipitated toxoid.
(f) Common Wealth serum laboratories alum-precipitated toxoid.
The anaculture was prepared by inoculating infected pigeon muscle into freshly
prepared 50 per cent horse meat V. F. broth, incubating for 4 days and formalizing to a