NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
HIPPURIC ACID EXCRETION ON THE NITROGEN BALANCE
295
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS.
1. Influence of fodders on nitrogen digestion.—This paper deals with nitrogen
retention, that is to say, with the balance between the amount digested and the
amount lost in the urine. The average digestion results from five series of
determinations, each carried out with four animals, are given in the accompanying
table.
TABLE I.
Average daily nitrogen ingested and digested.
(a) Ragi straw ration.
Percent.
N in
straw
0.580
0.572
0.646
0.618
0.531
N in
straw
26.24
25.73
29.85
28.75
23.69
N in
cake
22.29
22.59
16.05
21.03
20.42
Total N
consumed
48.53
48.33
45.90
49.78
44.11
Total N
digested
21.12
21.53
18.94
23.59
19.11
N digested
from cake
19.98
20.25
14.39
18.85
18.31
N digested
from straw
1.14
1.28
4.55
4.74
0.80
(b) Bolarum hay ration.
Percent.
N in
hay
0.435
0.289
0.389
0.339
0.359
N in
hay
20.75
13.63
17.88
15.96
16.91
N in
cake
22.29
22.59
23.71
29.10
28.92
Total N
consumed
43.04
36.23
41.59
45.06
45.84
Total N
digested
22.07
16.05
21.34
23.74
24.94
N digested
from cake
19.98
20.25
21.25
26.08
25.92
N digested
from hay
2.09
—4.20
0.09
—2.34
—0.98
296 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [II, III
In these experiments the digestion of nitrogen from the mixed ration of
concentrate and roughage has been determined. The digestibility of the nitrogen
in the concentrate is accurately known. Hence by calculation the amount digested
from the fodder can be found. The values thus obtained are shown in column 7 for
each fodder. It will be seen that, under the most favourable circumstances the net
amount digested from the fodders is very little. In less favourable cases the
digestion becomes negative. That is to say, that the amount digested is less than
the inevitable metabolic loss of body nitrogen passing into the faeces.
It is important to notice that there is a close relationship between the amount
digested (column 7) and the percentage amount present in the fodder (column 1).
In the case of ragi straw when the percentage falls to 0.5 very little is digested,
while when the percentage rises to 0.6 appreciable amounts are digested. In the
case of the hay ration, a very small amount of nitrogen may be digested when the
percentage is 0.4, as the percentage falls below this value negative digestion values
are obtained. Similar results have been obtained by the Animal Nutrition Section,
Bangalore, [Warth, 1930] for many typical fodders. The averages of the results
indicate that the digestibility becomes zero when the nitrogen content of the fodder
falls to about 0.4 per cent. The results obtained in the present series of determina-
tions therefore corroborate our earlier observations. Table I makes it clear that,
in the present experiments, most of the digested nitrogen was derived from the
concentrate.
2. The nitrogen balance.—The nitrogen balance data are shown in the two
accompanying tables, which give the individual results for each animal in each
test. For further information the amount of concentrate fed in each test is also
shown.
TABLE II.
The nitrogen balance with Ragi straw ration.
—
16-11-30
10-12-30
2-2-31
9-3-31
13-4-31
1
N
diges¬
ted
23.66
22.94
19.69
24.73
20.42
N
bala-
nce
+3.42
+3.09
—2.81
+0.14
+2.17
Ground-nut
cake fed
291.7
293.4
222.8
272.5
279.9
2
N
diges-
ted
22.04
22.91
19.77
24.87
..
N
bala-
nce
+3.90
+5.32
+0.08
+0.87
..
Ground-nut
cake fed
273.5
275.0
222.8
2725
..
3
N
diges-
ted
20.10
20.72
19.54
24.07
20.12
N
bala-
nce
+0.92
+1.27
—0.03
+2.32
+l.20
Ground-nut
cake fed
227.9
229.3
200.6
245.3
251.9
4
N
diges-
ted
18.67
19.54
16.78
20.69
16.78
N
bala-
nce
+0.55
+0.26
—4.34
—0.04
—0.69
Ground-nut
cake fed
227.9
229.3
185.7
225.3
231.4
HIPPURIC ACID EXCRETION ON THE NITROGEN BALANCE.
297
TABLE III.
The nitrogen balance with Bolarum hay ration.
—
16-11-30
10-12-30
2-2-31
9-3-31
13-4-31
1
N
digested
25.07
17.47
22.51
25.76
27.00
N
balance
+1.81
—0.56
—0.48
—0.60
+2.21
Ground-nut
cake led
291.7
293.4
334.3
382.6
391.9
2
N
digested
23.97
18.08
22.01
25.40
25.73
N
balance
—2.07
—3.44
—2.54
—0.42
+ 1.54
Ground-nut
cake fed
273.5
275.0
315.7
363.4
373.2
3
N
digested
19.92
13.77
21.05
22.07
24.24
N
balance
—0.16
—1.42
—1.27
—1.40
+0.25
Ground-nut
cake fed
227.9
229.3
300.8
343.4
351.9
4
N
digested
19.32
14.90
19.81
21.73
22.80
N
balance
—2.68
—1.29
—2.94
—0.80
—0.32
Ground-nut
cake fed
227.9
229.3
278.6
316.2
324.7
In the ragi straw group it will be noted that positive balances were obtained
in the first and second tests. Accordingly, the concentrate was reduced. On the
reduced rate negative balances were obtained in the third test. The concentrate
was therefore, slightly increased for the fourth and fifth tests. In the two last tests
the balances were on the whole positive.
The figures for the hay ration gave negative balances during the first and
second tests. Accordingly the concentrate was increased. In spite of this increase
the third test still gave negative balances. Further increases were made for the
fourth and fifth tests. It was only in the last test, with the maximum concentrate,
the balance became decidedly positive. It is interesting, from a practical point of
view, to notice the amounts of cake required to obtain positive balances with these
two fodders. Taking two comparable animals, for example the first in each group,
we find that the final positive balances were obtained with 280 grms. for the ragi
straw ration and 390 grms. for the hay ration. This is a striking difference.
3. Relation between nitrogen digested and nitrogen balance.—The figure s in
Table IV represent the average of all tests with each animal. The three colum ns
show respectively the average amount of nitrogen digested, the average amount
excreted in the urine, and the balance.
298 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [II, III
TABLE IV.
The relation between nitrogen digested and nitrogen balance.
Ragi straw ration.
Animals
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Average nitrogen digested
22.48
22.40
20.91
18.09
Average nitrogen excreted
21.28
19.86
19.78
18.80
Bolarum hay ration.
22.56
23.04
20.21
19.71
22.08
24.43
21.01
21.32
Nitrogen balance
+1.20
+2.54
+1.13
—0.71
+0.48
—1.39
—0.80
—1.61
The important fact revealed by this Table is that while the amounts digested
from the two rations are nearly alike, the amounts excreted are different. Con-
siderably more nitrogen was excreted by the animals on the hay ration. This
extra excretion of course accounts for the less favourable balances with this ra-
tion.
4. Relation between nitrogen excretion and hippuric acid.—The figures for the
nitrogen excretion shown in the last Table (Table IV) are reproduced in the next
(Table V). Here the total nitrogen excretion is placed side by side with the amount
of nitrogen excreted as hippuric acid.
TABLE V.
Relation between nitrogen excretion and hippuric acid nitrogen.
Ragi straw ration.
Animals
1
2
3
4
Nitrogen excret-
ed in urine
21.28
19.86
19.78
18.80
Nitrogen excret-
ed as hippuric
acid
5.50
5.09
4.77
4.21
Bolarum hay ration.
Animals
5
6
7
8
Nitrogen excret-
ed in urine
22.08
24.43
21.01
21.82
Nitrogen excret-
ed as hippuric
acid
6.93
6.46
6.24
5.57
HIPPURIC ACID EXCRETION ON THE NITROGEN BALANCE.
299
It will be noticed that the hay ration produced somewhat more hippuric acid.
There can be no doubt that the higher excretion of total nitrogen by this ration
(referred to above) is due to the higher excretion of hippuric acid. In fact, the
difference in excretion of total nitrogen is practically equal to the difference in the
hippuric acid nitrogen. We feel that this Table offers conclusive evidence regarding
the direct effect of hippuric acid excretion on the nitrogen balance.
As a subsidiary point it is worth noting that when the concentrate allowance
is low the hippuric nitrogen may approach or in exceptional cases even exceed the
urea nitrogen. This is illustrated by the following results :
TABLE VI.
Nitrogen excreted as hippuric acid and urea.
—
Jowar hay .....{
Ragi Straw
.....{
Nitrogen per 100 c. c. urine
Total
0.597
0.696
0.650
0.355
0.377
0.351
As hippuric acid
0.157
0.167
0.164
0.120
0.126
0.118
As urea
0.260
0.331
0.293
0.057
0.052
0.056
Table VII shows the hippuric acid found in the individual tests. It may be
noted that the hay ration always yielded more hippuric acid than the ragi straw
ration.
TABLE VII.
Hippuric acid excreted per day.
Ragi straw ration
1
73.27
74.09
66.49
68.21
67.08
2
69.00
68.81
65.06
64.16
..
3
62.47
61.77
58.51
61.48
60.89
4
51.63
58.39
54.99
48.98
55.21
Bolarum hay ration
5
98.07
84.95
90.00
84.73
85.16
6
90.38
79.08
86.33
76.49
80.71
7
83.04
71.45
80.61
80.71
82.85
8
79.20
67.20
67.54
69.38
72.99
300 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [II, III
SUMMARY.
A comparative study of the nitrogen balance with two fodders has been
carried out. The conclusions from the experiments are as follows :—
1. The amount of nitrogen digested from the fodder varies with the percent-
age of nitrogen in the fodder. Under favourable circumstances there is a small
positive effect; under less favourable circumstances negative values are obtained
for the digestion.
2. To obtain positive nitrogen balances concentrate must be fed and it has
been found that the hay ration requires considerably more concentrate for this
purpose than the ragi straw ration.
3. Most of this additional requirement is due to the fact that the hay contains
less nitrogen, but a part of the extra demand has been shown to be due to the high
excretion of hippuric acid which this fodder produces.
The data show clearly that in these experiments the nitrogen balance was
distinctly influenced by hippuric acid excretion. The effect is small and may be
neglected when a reasonable amount of concentrate is fed, but in India, where
very often concentrate is entirely omitted from the ration, this drain of body
nitrogen for the production of hippuric acid may become a significant factor.
REFERENCES.
1. McCollum, E.V., and Hoagland, D.R., J. Biol. Chem., XVI, 229.
2. Magnus Levy, A. (1907). Biochem. Ztschr., VI, 523.
3. Ringer, A.I. (1911-12). J. Biol. Chem., X, 327.
4. Delprat, C.D., and Whipple, G.H. (1921). J. Biol. Chem., XLIX, 299.
5. Warth, F.J. (1930). Mem. Dept. Agri. India, XI, 4.
THE INFLUENCE OF URINARY REACTION ON EXCRETION
OF LIME AND MAGNESIA
BY
N. KRISHNA AYYAR, B. A.
(From the Animal Nutrition Section, Bangalore).
[ Received for publication on the 4th June 1932. ]
Previous work in this Section has shown that the reaction of the urine is
dependent upon the nature of the food. For each fodder there is a characteristic
reaction, some fodders yielding alkaline urines, other acid urines. [ Warth and
Krishna Ayyar, 1930 ]. A long period feeding test with mature bullocks on main-
tenance rations carried out for another purpose during the past year gave an oppor-
tunity for studying the urinary and faecal excretion of lime and magnesia with two
typical fodders, the one yielding an alkaline urine, the other a slightly acid urine.
The two fodders tested were ragi straw and mature Bolarum hay. The urine
of the first is always alkaline, the urine of the second ranges between neutrality and
slight acidity according to variations in the quality of the fodder. During the ex-
periments recorded, the reaction remained acid.
The characteristics of the two urine types.
The characteristics of the two urine types are shown in the accompanying acid-
base balance statement, in which two other urine types are included for later
reference.
TABLE I.
Acid-base balance.
Average excretion in terms of c.c. normal per day.
—
Total fixed bases.
.
.
.
.
Chlorides
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sulphates
.
.
.
.
.
.
Total organic acids
.
.
.
.
.
Total acids
.
.
.
.
.
.
Excess of base
.
.
.
.
.
Co 2 (in fresh urine)
.
.
.
.
.
NH 3 (in fresh urine)
.
.
.
.
.
Hippuric Acid
.
.
.
.
.
.
Urine pH
.
.
.
.
.
.
Faeces pH
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ratio
Hippuric acid/
Total organic acids . . .
Volume of urine in litres per day
.
.
Ragi straw
2102.0
880.4
79.5
603.6
1563.5
538.5
1144.0
22.3
381.2
8.1
7.8
0.632
3.977
Bolarum
Hay
842.8
228.2
13.3
627.2
868.7
—25.9
20.2
49.3
446.2
6.5
7.3
0.711
1.580
Hay Sample
A. 1930
1063.0
327.8
18.4
808.5
1154.7
—91.7
15.0
72.7
594.5
5.85
7.7
0.735
2.085
Hay Sample
A. 1931
1022.0
258.2
29.5
593.5
881.2
140.8
144.9
18.1
427.0
7.5
7.75
0.719
2.454
( 301 )
302 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [II, III
The pH values in this table are averages of numerous closely agreeing results
and show that the ragi straw urine was decidedly alkaline, while the Bolarum hay
urine was acid. The acid-base balance data are instructive. Considering first
each urine separately it is seen that the ragi straw urine contains a decided excess
of bases over acids, while in the hay urine acids slightly exceed bases. Comparing
the two urines with each other, we find base excretion is very much greater in ragi
straw urine, total organic acid excretion is about the same and hippuric acid excre-
tion is somewhat greater in the hay urine. The excessive base excretion from rago
straw urine is accounted for by the high percentage of basic substances in this fod-
der. The following figures for the ash analysis of the two fodders make this point
clear.
TABLE II.
Percentage on dry basis.
—
Ragi straw
....
Bolarum hay ...
P 2 O 5
0.203
0.060
CaO
1.175
0.823
MgO
0.443
0.503
SO 3
0.265
0.138
Na 2 O
0.291
0.199
K 2 O
1.706
0.442
Evidently potash is an important factor in determining the reaction of the
urine. The base provided by ragi straw in this form is four times that provided by
Bolarum hay. Ragi straw also contains more lime and this fact will be referred to
again but the difference between the two fodders is not so marked in this respect.
Lime and magnesia in faeces.
The following figures show the average lime and magnesia content of the faeces
on dry basis.
TABLE III.
—
Ragi straw faeces
Bolarum hay faeces
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Per cent.
CaO
2.728
1.386
Per cent.
MgO
0.799
0.528
These values are much higher than the corresponding figures for the fodders in
Table II for the reason that the faeces retain most of the ingested lime and mag
INFLUENCE OF URINARY REACTION ON EXCRETION OF LIME AND MAGNESIA 303
nesia, while the accompanying organic matter is digested to the extent of 60 per
cent. The point to note is that the ragi straw faeces are much richer in lime than
the Bolarum hay faeces, as might be expected from the initial difference in the
two fodders. These figures for faecal lime and magnesia are given here to avoid
possible misunderstanding later.
The partition of bases between urine and faeces.—The bases in the urine and
faeces were determined during seven periods of the test. For the total excretion
thus obtained the percentages passing out in the urine and the faeces were calcu-
lated. The results are shown in the accompanying table.
TABLE IV.
Partition of bases between urine and faeces.
Per cent. on total excretion per day.
Ragi straw
Experiment No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Average
Bolarum Hay
1
2
3
4
5
6
Average
CaO in
Urine
1.62
1.20
3.07
2.77
2.49
0.70
1.46
1.90
7.89
10.47
9.95
10.85
9.64
12.41
10.20
Faeces
98.38
98.80
96.93
97.23
97.51
99.30
98.54
98.10
92.11
89.53
90.05
89.15
90.36
87.59
89.80
MgO in
Urine
31.77
30.06
29.51
30.89
28.91
27.12
26.24
29.21
38.08
40.43
35.29
31.76
34.22
35.72
35.91
Faeces
68.23
69.94
70.49
69.11
71.09
72.88
73.76
70.79
61.92
59.57
64.71
68.24
65.78
64.28
64.09
K 2 O in
Urine
89.86
92.38
90.49
92.16
93.80
91.81
90.54
91.58
83.22
88.50
82.30
81.79
86.88
76.46
83.19
Faeces
10.14
7.62
9.51
7.84
6.20
8.19
9.46
8.42
16.78
11.50
17.70
18.21
13.12
23.54
16.81
—
—
Average in-take in
grms. per day
CaO = 58.75.
MgO. = 23.82.
K 2 O = 83.05.
Average in-take in
grms. per day
CaO. = 41.11.
MgO. = 25.67.
K 2 O. = 25.24.
304 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [II, III
The striking fact revealed by these figures is that the per cent. excretion of
lime in ragi straw urine is very low, while in Bolarum hay urine it amounts to 10
per cent. of the entire excretion. Not only is the percentage higher in the hay
urine but the absolute amount is nearly four times as much as in the ragi straw
urine. The effect becomes more striking when it is recollected that hay contains
less lime than ragi straw. It is evident that the deflection of lime into the hay
urine is related to the acid character of the urine. A similar but much less marked
deflection occurs with magnesia, as the figures show. The result with potash is
most peculiar. It appears that potash has a tendency to be deflected more com-
pletely into the alkaline urine. No remarks are offered on this observation.
Hay sample " A " obtained from a definite locality in two consecutive years.—The
acid-base balance statement (Table I) shows that the urine from this fodder resem-
bles Bolarum hay urine, the 1930 sample being more acid, and the 1931 sample less
acid than the standard Bolarum hay. The total bases are only half as much as
that in ragi straw urine. It is evident that these two fodders will tend to deflect
lime into the urine, the 1930 sample to a greater degree than the 1931 sample. As
the fodder is poor in lime to begin with a deflection of this constituent is likely to
deplete the faeces. That this actually occurs is seen from the following collected
ash analysis data.
TABLE V.
Lime content of fodder and faeces on dry basis.
—
Ragi Straw . .
Bolarum Hay .
Hay Sample A., 1930
Hay sample A., 1931
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Fodder
per cent.
1.175
0.823
0.789
0.672
Faeces
per cent.
CaO
2.728
1.386
1.136
0.811
Partly owing to low initial lime content, partly owing to the deflection of
lime into the urine there is evidently a tendency with this hay to produce faeces
deficient in lime. It is an interesting fact that both samples of this fodder caused
some purging when fed to our bullocks and eventually two animals had to be taken
out of the experiment.
The results of these preliminary experiments are suggestive and a fuller enquiry
is contemplated.
INFLUENCE OF URINARY REACTION ON THE EXCRETION OF LIME AND MAGNESIA 305
SUMMARY.
1. The characteristics of alkaline urine produced by ragi straw and acid urine
produced by Bolarum hay are recorded.
2. The important observation was made that lime and magnesia are deflected
into the urine, when the urine is acid.
3. A sample of hay similar to Bolarum hay obtained from a definite locality
for two consecutive years showed the same tendency for lime and magnesia to be
deflected into the urine. In this case the faeces become very deficient in lime and
it is possible that this low lime content was the cause of the purging which occurred
with this fodder.
Finally, my thanks are due to Mr. F. J. Warth, for his helpful suggestions in
the preparation of this paper.
REFERENCE.
Warth, F. J., and Krishna Ayyar, N. (1930). Biochem. Journ., 24, 6, 1595-1600.
NOTE ON THE STIMULATION OF THE REPRODUCTIVE
ORGANS OF CATTLE
BY
P. J. KERR, I. V. S.,
Veterinary Adviser to the Government of Bengal, Calcutta.
(Received for publication on 1st June 1932.)
This note is submitted for publication now as I have had several enquiries on
this subject since I began working on it some months ago, and I, therefore, presume
it will be of interest to others working with livestock, who have been troubled
with this slowness to breed of many of the best Indian cattle.
Urine hormone.
The possibility of using this physiological stimulation of the gonads by the
injection of the urine of pregnant animals, to stimulate instead of diagnose
pregnancy, occurred to me on seeing the Zondek-Aschheim test repeated in the
Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. Colonel Acton kindly started me off by
preparing the urine for me and estimating a dose for cattle. Subsequently I wrote
to the Institute of Animal Genetics, Edinburgh, and obtained much useful advice,
including a safer method of preparing the urine and the dosage advised in this
note.
In Bengal we have only begun to apply this injection this year (1932), so it
is too early to analyse results and draw conclusions, but so far our results have
been very encouraging. I hope by this note to stimulate others to apply this
injection and publish their result, so that we may obtain experience of a number of
cases more quickly and be in a position to come to conclusions.
Whether this injection will be of any value in cases of sterility remains to be
proved. We have tried it on 8 cases in which, so far as we knew, there was no
( 306 )
STIMULATION OF REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF CATTLE
307
specific cause for sterility. All took the bull for the first time for many months.
Three have since proved in calf, three remain under treatment, and two have been
discarded.
The injection certainly gives encouraging results in cases slow to breed again
after calving. Of 7 cows injected 5 came into oestrum within 3 weeks, to ok the
bull and have proved in calf. Two took the bull but did not hold, and are still
under treatment. Two buffalo cows injected have also come to the bull and held.
Technique.
In the cases quoted in this note we have used raw urine filtered through a
Chamberland L 3 filter, using an exhaust pump. In some cases the dose was very
small, and latterly we have adopted the dosage recommended by the Institute of
Animal Genetics, and are now using a modification of their technique for the
preparation of urine.
The urine is collected from a known pregnant cow. The later in pregnancy the
better. It may be collected in a clean mug as it is passed, or drawn off by
catheter. This is not essential and most cows strongly object to catheterisation.
About 400 c.c. are required for each case. The dose being 10 c.c. per 100 lb.
body weight, injected on four consecutive days.
The urine is placed in a flask and to each 100 c.c. is added 5 c.c. of a 20 per
cent. solution of sulpho-salicylic acid and well shaken for ten minutes to precipitate
proteins. It is allowed to stand and settle or may be passed through a coarse
filter paper. The clear liquid is then acid and must be neutralised by the addition of
bicarbonate of soda. We continue adding bicarbonate and stirring until it is faintly
alkaline to litmus. It should then be poured into sterile bottles, capped and sealed
with parafin wax. One dose in each bottle.
If it is to be kept for some time it would be better to pass it through a
Chamberland filter L 3, and to run a thin layer of toluol over the surface to prevent
oxidation. If it is then kept in cold storage it is believed it will remain potent for
several months.
Hormone, which is probably a mixture with a predominance of the secretion
of the anterior pituitary gland, is not specific and may be used for other animals.
It is also active in bulls. We have not tried it in other males.
Hormone in bulls.
We have used this injection in one old bull, off service from old age, 3 full-
grown bulls, off service, and four young ones to bring them on to service. One