NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
S. M. DAS GUPTA 261
experiment about 6 lb. per day. The experiment was divided into five
periods as follows :—
Period I.—Basal diet consisting of straw and 1 lb. of linseed cake.
Period II.—Same as I together with 4 oz. of red palm oil.
Period III.—Same as period II.
Period IV.—Same as period I, together with 8 oz. of red palm oil.
Period V.—Same as period I.
The results are given in Table IX. The methods of analyses were exactly
similar to that described in experiment I.
With regard to the experiment with red palm oil, it is to be noted that it
has been recently tried with some success in the treatment of human Kerato¬
malacia [Aykroyd and Wright, 1937].
The oil (10 lb.) was obtained from Malay through a local agent in Calcutta.
The oil was an orange-coloured semi-solid fat having an agreeable odour. On
analysis, the oil gave the following results :—Acid value—15.4 c.c. (in oelic
acid per cent) ; Reichert-value—0.8 c.c.; saponification value—203 ; Iodine
value (Wijs')—55.6. The determination of carotene of the oil was made as
described in Section I. The basal diet was similar to that described in the
previous experiment. It must be admitted that during the ingestion of the
oil a portion of the carotene was lost. A further quantity of carotene was
also lost during the absorption of the oil through the alimentary tract. The
results obtained, however, are significant.
TABLE IX
Results of analysis of melted butter-fats of a cow receiving different amounts of
red palm oil containing 56.8 mg. of carotene per 100 grm. of the oil along
with the basal diet, consisting of 20 lb. of straw-chops and 1 lb. of
concentrate.
Period
I
II
III
IV
V
No. of
days
7
7
7
7
7
Amount of
oil ingested
0 oz.
4 „
4 „
8 „
0 „
Amount of
carotene
ingested
daily
0 mg.
64.5 „
64.5 „
129.0 „
0 „
R. W.
(Mean
of 2
values)
26.8
27.8
28.2
29.4
28.4
I. N.
(Mean
of 2
values)
33.6
34.6
36.6
37.4
37.6
Carotene
(Y. U.)
per grm.
3.8
5.4
6.8
10.4
5.6
Vitamin-A
(B. U.)
per grm.
7.6
8.8
10.4
14.8
9.8
DISCUSSION
It will be seen from Table I that as cow D 1 was given less amount of
grass and higher proportion of straw, carotene content of butter did not
proportionately diminish as was expected. It remained rather steady till
the 4th week. The Reichert value on the other hand gradually diminished
from a value of 26.4 in the first week to a value of 24.1 in the 6th week. As
262 Carotene and Vitamin-A Contents of butter-fat in cows
the cow was, however, given larger proportions of grass from the 6th week,
the carotene content increased from a value of 3.4 Y. U. in the 5th week to
a value of 5.4 Y. U. in the 7th week. The Reichert value also increased
along with the carotene content from a value of 24.1 in the 6th week to a
value of 26.8 in the 8th week ; but while the carotene content slightly diminish-
ed from a value of 5.4 Y. U. in the 7th week to a value of 5.2 Y. U. in the
8th week, the Reichert values on the other hand increased from a value of
25.6 in the 7th week to a value of 26.8 in the 8th week. The relationship
between carotene content and the Reichert value does not appear, therefore,
to be strictly direct. The behaviour of vitamin-A content seems to be a bit
irregular. For the first 4 weeks, it remained quite steady like the carotene
content. But in the 5th week, it suddenly jumped up to a value of 7.8 B. U.
from a value of 6.1 B. U. in the 4th week in spite of the fact that no grass
was ingested at all. Then it progressively increased along with the carotene
content as the cow was given larger proportions of grass.
The behaviour of cow D 2 is more or less consistent, so far as the effect
of dietary carotene on above characteristics are concerned. Thus with the
gradual increase in the grass from the 2nd week, the carotene and vitamin-A
contents of butter both increased till the 6th week. The Reichert value
also increased along with the above values from 26.6 in the first week to
29.4 in the 5th week. With diminishing amount of grass from the 6th week,
the carotene content gradually lowered down from 7.5 Y. U. to 5.6 Y. U.,
vitamin-A from 12.2 B. U. to 9.8 B. U. and the Reichert value from 29.4
to 26.6 in the 8th week. Any correlationship of these values with Iodine
value seems to be complex and has been deferred for a future study but it
may be said that in the majority cases it has varied inversely as the Reichert
value.
Studies in the seasonal variations of the above characteristics of butter
seem to corroborate the results of the feeding experiments. The results are
very clearly shown in the following table.
TABLE X
Month
July . .
August .
September .
October .
November .
December .
January .
February .
No. of
samples
tested
13
11
16
14
13
10
15
15
Reichert Wollny
values
Range
22.0—25.4
21.4—25.2
21.8—28.8
21.2—28.2
23.6—28.8
26.2—30.2
25.8—30.2
25.8—30.8
Average
24.1
23.4
23.9
22.2
27.0
28.2
27.7
27.7
Iodine values
Range
35.4—38.8
34.8—39.8
33.6—40.4
27.8—39.8
32.4—37.2
31.3—35.2
31.1—35.8
31.2—36.8
Average
37.2
37.7
37.6
37.0
34.4
33.5
33.8
34.9
Carotene values
(Y. U.)
Range
1.0—2.9
0.6—3.8
0.0—3.2
0.0—2.8
1.4—7.9
4.8—8.8
4.1—7.8
4.6—8.6
Average
2.4
2.2
1.5
1.6
5.5
6.7
6.2
5.8
Vitamin-A value
(B. U.)
Range
1.8—4.8
1.8—4.6
1.2—5.6
1.3—3.8
4.4—9.8
5.6—12.2
6.8—10.4
6.2—9.4
Average
3.5
3.1
3.1
2.3
7.7
8.7
8.4
7.8
S. M. DAS GUPTA 263
It will be clearly seen from the table that the values for the autumn
(July to October—when the cows were mainly on straw and therefore with
little or no carotene in the feed) are decidedly low. The carotene content
varied from 3.8 Y. U. (average for autumn 1.9 Y. U. per grm.), Vitamin-A
from 1.2 B. U. to 5.6 B. U. (average—3 B. U. per grm.) and the Reichert
value from 21.2 to 28.8 (average—23.4 c.c). The values for the winter
samples (November to February—when the cows were fed with a large pro-
portion of grass from fields) are markedly higher. Thus the carotene content
varied from 1.4 Y. U. to 8.8 Y. U. (average for winter—6.05 Y. U. per grm.),
vitamin-A from 4.4 B. U. to 12.2 B. U. (average—8.15 B. U. per grm.) and
the Reichert value from 25.6 to 30.8 (average—27.65 c.c). The Iodine
values corresponding to these high Reichert values seem to be a bit higher
than the usual.
It is to be noted, however, in this connection that the figures either for
the autumn or for the winter do not closely agree as might be expected in
view of the more or less uniform diet during each season. From Table II
it will be noticed that the values for each month exhibit some width of range
tending to minimise the results in Table I. In the majority of samples for
each month, however, the values tend to oscillate within a narrow limit, the
variations may be due to accidental change in the diet e.g., ingestion of water
hyacinth during autumn, method of preparation of the butter, etc. The
average figures for the autumn and the winter seasons as given above are
however, markedly wide, forming almost two new series.
The experiments with an individual cow (Table III) seem to corroborate
the above facts and can be seen at a glance from the following table :—
TABLE XI
Month
September .
October .
November .
December .
January .
No. of
samples
tested
4
3
3
2
2
Reichert Wollny
values
Range
23.8—25.7
21.4—22.6
27.2—29.8
26.6—26.8
24.2—25.2
Average
24.6
21.9
28.5
26.7
24.7
Iodine value
Range
26.3—36.1
38.8—39.6
32.1—35.4
36.2—36.0
36.6—36.8
Average
33.1
39.1
33.5
36.1
36.7
Carotene values
(Y. U.)
Range
0.8—1.8
1.0—2.6
4.8—5.8
4.4—5.4
2.6—4.8
Average
1.35
2.0
5.4
4.9
3.7
Vitamin-A value
(B. U.)
Range
3.2—3.8
2.8—5.2
8.2—8.8
6.4—6.8
4.6—5.8
Average
3.55
4.26
8.53
6.6
5.2
It will be evident from the above table that during the autumnal month,
of September and October, the averages for carotene, vitamin-A and the
Reichert value are 1.68 Y. U. 3.9 B. U. and 23.3 c.c. respectively. During
the winter months of November, December and January when the cow was
on grass the above values jumped up to 4.66 Y. U., 6.8 B. U. and 26.6 c.c.
C
264 Carotene and Vitamin-A Contents of butter-fat in cows
respectively, which clearly show the effect of dietary carotene on the charac-
teristics of butter.
The experimental results with red palm oil (Table IX) are very interest-
ing. Thus in the depletion period, when the cow was only on straw and
concentrate, the butter-fats gave the following values :—R. W. value—26.8 ;
Iodine value—33.6 ; Carotene content—3.8 Y. U. per grm. and vitamin-A
content—7.6 B. U. per grm. when the cow was given 4 oz. of red palm oil
daily (Malayan variety containing 56.8 mg. of carotene per 100 grm. of the
oil), the Reichert value increased from 26.8 to 28.2 ; the Iodine number also
increased from 33.6 to 36. 6, the carotene from 3.8 Y. U. to 6.8 Y. U. and
the vitamin.A increased from 7.6 B. U. to 10.4 B. U. At the end of the
2nd week as the cow was given 8 oz. of red palm oil daily, the Reichert value
exhibited a further increase, viz., from 28.2 to 29.4 and the Iodine value
from 36.6 to 37.4, carotene from 6.8 to 10.4 and the vitmain-A content
from 10.4 to 14.8. On return to the normal basal diet at the end of the 3rd
week, all the values gradually returned to the normal, most markedly the
carotene and vitamin-A contents. The Iodine value rather slightly increased
whilst the Reichert value diminished from 29.4 c.c. in the 4th week to 28.4 c.c.
in the 5th week.
The progressive increase in the carotene content of butter by ingesting
increasing dosages of red palm oil is, however, somewhat striking in view
that other workers [ Dann, 1932 ; Crawford, Perry and Zilva, 1932 ; Fraps
and Treichler, 1932 ] had shown that provided the cows' diet is not really
deficient in the vitamin-A, further additions to the diet had relatively little
effect on milk.
Further works are in contemplation on this line which are no doubt of
considerable importance from nutritional view-point.
All the above results considered together are highly suggestive and
demonstrate that the Lipochrome pigment carotene might play some part
in the production of lower fatty glycerides in butter-fats. This is probable
for carotene being a readily oxidisable substance may induce the oxidation
of fatty acids with which the pigment is closely associated. In Vikrampur,
wherefrom all the butter-fats have been procured, there is no fixed time for
calving. The cows are generally calved in such a way that the milk output
of a dairy does not vary much from the normal output. The effects of the
period of lactation on the Reichert-values of butter-fats will, therefore, be
minimum. Oil cakes are also used only in small quantities in that locality
(maximum 1 lb. per day) so that the effects of the administration of the oil
cakes can only be negligible. In fact most of the cows go without any oil
cakes. The Reichert-values given in the tables will, therefore, indicate the
effects of the climate and the carotene contents of the feeding stuff mainly.
The high Reichert values during the winter are coincident with the high
carotene content of the feeding-stuff in spite of the cold temperature of the
S. M. DAS GUPTA 265
winter which has an antagonistic effect on the Reichert-values of the butter-
fats. The results, therefore, clearly demonstrate the effects of carotene
present in the feeding-stuff as against both the stage of lactation of the cow
and cold temperature of the winter which tend to lower the Reichert-values.
It must be admitted, however, that the carotene ingested in the above
experiments was either in the form of grass or red palm oil which also contain
considerable proportions of fatty acids. So the increase in the Reichert
values with the carotene content might as well be due to fatty components
present in grass or red palm-oil. So the idea developed in this paper regarding
the role of carotene in the oxidation of fats is subject to experimental evidences
in its favour from feeding experiments with pure carotene which are in
progress.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Effects of feeding paddy straw, grass (Cynodon dactylon) and their mixtures
on the carotene and vitamin-A contents of butter were studied on two cows.
The Reichert and Iodine values were also determined at the same time. The
carotene and vitamin-A contents and the Reichert values were found to increase
on the ingestion of grass which again lowered down on the ingestion of
paddy straw (containing little or no carotene).
A fairly large number of butter-fats (107) prepared during the autumn
and the winter seasons in Vikrampur (a well-known butter producing centre
of Bengal) were assayed for their carotene, vitamin-A, Reichert and Iodine
values. During the autumn (average temperature 86°F), the cows mainly
lived upon paddy straw and during the winter (average temperature 72°F)
the cows were fed on fresh grass, e.g., Kâlaisak, containing on the average
6.6 mg. of carotene per 100 grm. of fresh sâk. It has been found that all the
above values are markedly higher in winter than during autumn inspite of
the cold temperature of the season. The butter from an individual cow which
was on straw during autumn and grass during winter gave similar results
in spite of the adverse effects of the cold temperature and stage of lactation.
Striking results have been found on feeding a cow with red palm oil
when the carotene, vitamin-A and the Reichert value progressively increased
as the dosages of the oil were increased.
All the above experimental results suggest that the lipochrome pigment
carotene may play some part in the production of more volatile fatty acids
in cow's milk fat.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My best thanks are due to Lt.-Col. T. C. Boyd, F.R.C.S., M.R.C.P.I.,
F.I.C., I.M.S., Rai Bahadur Dr. K. N. Bagchi, M.B., D.T.M. (Cal. & L'Pool.),
F.I.C. and Dr. B. Ahmad, Ph.D., for their keen interest taken in my work.
266 Carotene and Vitamin-A Contents of butter-fat in cows
REFERENCES
Aykroyd, W. R. and Wright, R. E. (1937). Ind. J. Med. Res. 25, 7
Crawford, M. E. F., Perry, E. O. V. and Zilva, S. S. (1932). Med. Res. Coun. Sp. Rep.
No. 175
Dann, W. J. (1932). Biochem. J. 26, 1072
Davies, W. L. (1936). " The Chemistry of Milk ", Chapman & Hall, Ltd., London, p. 477
Ferguson, W. S. & Bishop, C. (1936). Analyst, 61, 511
Fraps, G. S. and Treichler, R. (1932). Ind. Eng. Chem. 24, 1079
Moore, T. (1929). Biochem. J. 23, 1268
Wilson, H. E. C., Das Gupta S. M. & Ahmad B. (1937). Ind. J. Med. Res. 24, 807
Wright, N. C. (1937). Report on the Development of the Cattle and Dairy Industries
in India, p. 33.
THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN DRUGS AND MINERAL
DEFICIENCIES ON HELMINTHIASIS OF
RUMINANTS
BY
KARAM CHAND, L.V.P.
Assistant Demonstrator, Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore
(Received for publication on 13th May 1939)
(With Plate XXII)
WITH the extension of the canal system in the Punjab, the incidence of
parasitic diseases has increased considerably and mention has been made
frequently in the annual reports of the Civil Veterinary Department about
the steady increase in helminthic infestation of domestic animals, chiefly
ruminants, in low-lying, damp and water-logged areas which remain under
water for a portion of a year.
It is generally recognised that the economic loss occasioned by parasites is
enormous, almost incalculable. The direct losses from worm infestations are
probably much smaller when compared with the indirect losses, such as failure
to put on weight in spite of good grazing or feeding, reduction in the birth rate
of calves and lambs, reduced milk yield, and a reduced resistance to disease.
There is no gainsaying the fact that only healthy stock can reproduce and rear
strong, healthy and virile offspring. An animal infested with worms cannot
withstand hard work and other adverse conditions so well as a non-infested
healthy one.
The present experiment was designed with the express object of attempting
to analyse the basal causes of the increased infestation, and to find suitable
treatment for some of the important parasites, with due regard to the cost of
the remedy.
Though there are certain drugs which cope successfully with some types
of parasitic infestations, their use on a large number of animals in the field is
definitely prohibited by reason of expense.
It is possible that on account of repeated water-logging, the soil is denuded
of mineral matter, and consequently the fodder grown on such areas lacks
some of the mineral constituents essential for proper animal growth and
development. Further, the decreased resistance of animals may be due to
rankness and excess of fibrous constituents in the fodder of these regions, which
greatly lessens assimilability, with the resultant loss of nutritive value and
production of a suitable environment for infestation with parasites.
*This article is based on the author's Final Report of the Punjab Parasitological
Research Scheme.
( 267 )
268 Effect of Certain Drugs etc. on Helminthiasis of Ruminants
MATERIAL AND METHOD
Experiments covered a period of three years from September 1934 to
September 1937 at the Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore. For this purpose
twenty-four calves and twenty-four sheep (all males) were selected and divided
into four groups each (six animals in each group), in such a way that the total
weight of each group of the same species was identical, and were put on a
balanced ration (concentrates, green fodder and salt) from the middle of
September. Their faeces were examined daily for helminthic egg-count up to
the middle of November each year, when the degree of infestation in each
animal was determined. From the latter period, treatment with anthelmintics
was started which continued up to the first week of January. By comparing
the egg-counts before and after the administration of anthelmintics, the
efficacy of the various drugs, tried alone or in combination, was calculated.
The four different groups were fed on special fodders from the middle of
January. Fodder for one lot (a group of calves and a group of sheep) was
procured from the water-logged region of the Deg Nullah, for a second lot from
adjacent areas but not in the water-logged region, for the third from other
areas neither water-logged, nor adjacent. Those of the fourth batch were used
as controls and kept on a balanced ration throughout the course of the
experiment.
In the beginning of June the animals were artificially infested with infec-
tive larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum sp. and it was
observed that about twenty days after this infestation, the egg-count, parti-
cularly in sheep, rose to a very high level. They developed a bottle jaw
condition (Plate XXII) and razor back etc. Three calves belonging to the
different grass batches, and three sheep, two of which were kept on grasses
and the third on the balanced ration revealed degenerative changes in the eyes
leading to blindness in August. Most of the sheep and some calves succumbed
to this infestation. On autopsy a larger number of worms was found in those
receiving deficient fodders than in those fed on a balanced ration. Each
animal was weighed regularly on the same day and at the same time every
week, before its morning feed and drink. Photographs of the animals
were also taken at various stages of the experiment.
ANTHELMINTICS
In India no organised effort has so far been made to combat the helminthic
infestation in the domestic animals. In other countries, however, various
drugs have been tried and good results are claimed, but some of these drugs
being costly their use on a large scale is definitely prohibitive by reason of
expense. Thus Dungal and Gislason [1936] report that carbon tetrachloride
is very efficacious against nematode worms in sheep. Stewart and Piercy
[1934] give favourable reports regarding the efficacy of copper sulphate
(1 per cent solution) in parasitic gastroenteritis of lambs. Gordon [1935]
found that sodium arsenite gave a variable and low average when used against
Haemonchus contortus in sheep, but gave excellent results when mixed with
Ind. Jour. Vety. Sci. & Anim. Husb., Vol. IX, Part III ]
PLATE XXII
Sheep No. 37.
KARAM CHAND 269
copper sulphate. This combination was tried under the name of Govern-
ment Wire Worm Remedy (G. W. W. R.) in South Africa where good results
are claimed by Veglia [1928]. It is thought that the good results are mainly due
to the closure of the oesophageal groove enabling the drug to pass directly into
the abomasum. McEwen [1935] treated some lambs with copper sulphate
and nicotine sulphate and kept some as controls. He states that, of the treated
lot 8.3 per cent died, while of the entire control group 47 per cent died. He
feels that nicotine sulphate is better than copper sulphate when used alone ;
and it is suggested that the mixture owes its efficacy to the action of copper
sulphate in carrying the dose direct to the abomasum.
In this experiment it was noticed on faecal examination that the animals
were passing the eggs of Haemonchus, Oesophagostomum and Trichuris spp.
Some of them were occasionally passing tapeworm eggs which stopped
spontaneously without any treatment. Sometimes coccidia oocysts were
noticed, particularly in sheep. Accordingly, the treatment had to be confined
to the nematode worms, and the following drugs were tried :—
1. Single drugs:
(a) Butea, powdered.
(b) Copper sulphate.
(c) Kamala.
(d) Melon pumpkin seeds.
(e) Spineless cactus.
(f) Turpentine oil.
(g) Vernonia anthelmintica.
2. Combinations :
(a) Butea with kamala.
(b) Butea with embelia infusion.
(c) Copper sulphate with kamala.
(d) Copper sulphate with sodium arsenite.
(e) Ferrous sulphate with aloes.
(f) Ferrous sulphate with pot. ant. tartrate.
GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANTHELMINTICS
The animals were fasted for twenty-four hours prior to the administration
of anthelmintics, and food and water were withheld for twelve hours fol-
lowing the administration.