NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
100
Red-water in an Indian Buffalo
HISTORY OF THE CASE UNDER REPORT
The parasite which is the subject of the present article was encountered
in the blood smears from an indigenous buffalo, Sita, of the Military Dairy
Farm, Belgaum, which were forwarded to this Institute on 7th August, 1936,
for microscopical examination with the following history :—
The animal was found to be ailing on the 4th August with a tempera-
ture of 104.0° F. On the following day its temperature rose to 105.0° F.
in the morning, and to 105.2° F. in the evening. The next day (i.e., on
6th August), the animal is said to have passed ' blood' in the urine
(haemoglobinuria ?) and to have showed a further rise in temperature to
105.6° F. One hundred and twenty cubic centimetres of a one per cent
solution of trypanblue were administered intravenously on that day at 11
A.M. At noon the temperature further rose to 106.2° F., but dropped to
103.4° F. in the evening. Another injection of 100 c.c. of one per cent
trypanblue solution was given on the subsequent day in the same manner,
as the temperature again rose to 105.2° F. It was on this day that blood
films were made and sent to this Institute for diagnosis.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PARASITE AND DIAGNOSIS
The smears, on microscopic examination after staining with Giemsa,
presented marked anaemic changes in the shape of anisocytosis, poikilocy¬
tosis, and punctate basophilia. About twenty-five per cent of the red cells
were found to have been invaded by an unsually small and slender parasite.
The parasite was observed, on merits of its morphological features, to fall
under the generic head Babesia. The criteria which led to its differentia-
tion from B. bigemina were as follows :—
(1) The very small size of the parasite.—Its longest diameter ranged be-
tween 0.5 µ in the smallest individuals and 2 µ in the biggest parasites.
Similar dimensions for B. bigemina as stated above are 2 µ to 4 µ.
(2) The arrangement of the double pears.—The twin parasites, when they
occurred in pairs, were observed to be widely divergent at their blunt extre-
mities, so much so that in some cases they appeared to lie in one straight
line. Such an arrangement is extremely rare with B. bigemina.
(3) The position of the parasite in the red cell.—It was observed that the
parasite had a remarkable tendency to lie towards the periphery of the in-
vaded cells. It has already been stated that B. bigemina, as a rule occupies
the centre of the cell. Further, two injections of trypanblue failed to bring-
about ameliorations of the infection. All these factors, taken into considera-
tion together, left no doubt about the parasite concerned being a species
different from B. bigemina, and resembling the parasite (Babesia bovis) des-
cribed by MacFadyean and Stockman [1911] as Babesia divergens. The writer's
diagnosis was confirmed by Mr. F. Ware, Director, and later by Dr. H. N.
Ray, Systematic Protozoologist at this Institute, both of whom possess per-
sonal acquaintance with Babesia bovis as it occurs in English cattle. It is
PLATE III
[ Ind. Jour. Vety. Sci. & Anim. Husb., Vol. VIII, Pt. II
Babesia bovis. × 1600
J. A.
IDNANI
101
worthy of note that the buffalo in question was housed alongside some Euro-
pean cattle at the Belgaum Dairy Farm.
It may be mentioned that an attempt was made to transmit the disease
in buffaloes and hill bulls with the blood obtained from the infected buffalo
but this failed. This failure may be attributed to the haemolysed and de-
composed state in which the sample of infective blood employed in the trans-
mission experiment was received.
The annexed camera lucida drawing (Plate III) represents the
morphological characters of most of the Babesia parasites as seen in the
blood smears from the Belgaum buffalo.
SUMMARY
(1) Babesia bigemina has been the only parasite so far known to cause
bovine red-water in India.
(2) The paper records the occurrence in an indigenous buffalo, of another
species of Babesia.
(3) The parasite is observed to be different from Babesia bigemina, but
resembling Babesia bovis.
REFERENCES
MacFadyean, J. and Stockman, S. (1911). A new species of piroplasm found in the
blood of British cattle. J. Comp. Path. Ther. 24, 340.
Smith, T. and Kilbourne, F. E. (1893). Investigations into the nature, causation, and
prevention of Texas or Southern Cattle Fever. U. S. Dept. Agric. Bur. Anim. Indus.
Bull. 1, 77.
Starcovici, C. (1893). Bemerkungen uber den durch Babes entdeckten Blutparasiten
unde die durch deuselben hervorgebrachten Krankheiten, die seuchenchafte Hamo¬
globinuric des Rindes (Babes), das Texasfieber (Th. Smith) und der Carceag Schafe
(Babes). Centralbl. Bakt., 1. Abt., xiv, 1.
Wenyon, C. M. (1926). A Manual for Medical Men, Veterinarians and Zoologists, 11,
998.
DURATION OF IMMUNITY FOLLOWING GOAT-VIRUS
VACCINATION IN CATTLE*
BY
R. N. NAIK, G.B.V.C.
Veterinary Investigation Officer, Bombay Presidency, Bombay
(Received for publication on 9th January, 1938)
(With six text-figures)
GOAT-ADAPTED-RINDERPEST-VIRUS was first given a trial on a batch of
twenty animals on 17th September 1932, in this presidency, with a view to
use it as a prophylactic agent against rinderpest which was responsible in
causing, on the average, 11,369 deaths among cattle every year. This experi-
ment proved a success inasmuch as the reaction produced was mild and
there were no deaths among the vaccinated animals. Being encouraged
by these results, further experiments were undertaken on a larger number of
animals with the same results as obtained in the first experiment. It was
then considered that this method of preventive inoculations should be given
a thorough trial in clean and affected villages and in all available breeds of
oxen and buffaloes in different tracts of the presidency. Accordingly, care-
fully devised experiments were carried out for a period of four years, during
the course of which 14,807 animals were subjected to the vaccination opera-
tion. The results obtained proved that this vaccination was the cheapest,
efficient, safe and suitable method of prophylaxis which is available to afford
active immunity in cattle and to cut short rinderpest outbreaks under rural
conditions in this country. Basing on these findings, preventive inoculation
with anti-rinderpest serum, which was affording protection only for nine days,
was totally discarded ; a depot for the production of goat-virus was organised
in the Bombay Veterinary College and goat-virus vaccination has now
been resorted to in the Bombay Presidency, thus making a substantial ad-
vance in the method of controlling the fell disease.
The next step in this connection to pursue was to ascertain the duration
of immunity conferred by this vaccination. Immunity experiments were,
therefore, systematically carried out on vaccinated animals at progressive
intervals during previous years with the result that the vaccinated animals
were found possessing solid immunity up to four years (Annual Administra-
tion Reports of the Veterinary Investigation Officer, Bombay Presidency,
Bombay, for the years 1933-34, 1934-35, 1935-36 and 1936-37). Now, with
a view to study the subject further a fresh immunity experiment was under-
taken and this report deals with the same.
* Paper read at the Indian Science Congress, Calcutta, 1938.
( 103 )
104
Goat-Virus Vaccination in Cattle
SUBJECTS
Four out of eighty-two animals which were vaccinated with goat-virus
on 1st December, 1932, at the Dairy of the Ramabai Mukti Mission
(American), Kedgaon, were selected for the test. They were the following :—
Bullock, Paithan, 9½ years.
Buffalo-cow, Gujar, 8½ years, pregnant 2 months.
Cow, Gawali, 10 years, pregnant 8 months.
Buffalo-cow, Shobha, 10 years, milching.
As regards the reaction induced by goat-virus vaccination five years ago
in these animals, fever, dullness, congested mucous membrane were common
in all; buffalo-cow, Gujar, had passed very soft faeces but had fed well, all
others had impaired appetite and buffalo-cow, Shobha, had shooting diarrhoea.
They were in good condition at the time of subjecting to the immunity test.
VIRULENT RINDERPEST VIRUS
The test was carried out by using virulent rinderpest virus with a view
to give a severe trial to the immunity acquired by the animals and for this
purpose a consignment of bull-virus from the Imperial Veterinary Research
Institute, Mukteswar, was obtained. The virus was collected there on 1st
December, 1937, and was received at Kedgaon by post on 5th December, 1937,
It was received in an excellent condition of preservation.
CONTROLS
Two bulls, one two years of age and another three and half years old,
which were known to have not suffered from rinderpest previously, were bought
at Yevat and transported to Kedgaon, covering a distance of six miles. They
were quite healthy and their body condition was fairly good.
IMMUNITY TEST
The four vaccinated animals and the two controls were injected, each
with 2 c.c. of the bull-virus, on 5th December, 1937, and they were housed in
a segregation camp specially arranged. They were kept under observation up
to 21st December, 1937, i.e., for sixteen days, during which period the reaction
produced in individual animals was carefully noted and recorded in the tem-
perature charts (Figs. 1 to 6). A summary of the same is given in Table I.
R. N.
NAIK
105
Fig. 1.
Control No. 1. Bull, white face, Age—2 Years.
Condition—Fair, Breed—Country.
106
Goat-Virus Vaccination in Cattle
Fig. 2.
Control No. 2. Bull, black and white, Age—3½ Years.
Condition—Fair. Breed—Country.
R. N.
NAIK
107
Fig. 3.
Bullock, Paithan. Age—9½ Years, Condition—Good, Breed—Country.
P
108
Goat-Virus Vaccination in Cattle
Fig. 4.
Buffalo-Cow, Gujar ; Age—8½ Years, Condition—Good, Breed—Delhi.
R. N.
NAIK
109
Fig. 5.
Cow, Gawali; Pregnant 8 months, Age—10 Years, Condition—Good, Breed—Country.
110
Goat-Virus Vaccination in Cattle
Fig- 6.
Buffalo-Cow, Shobha ; Milking, Age—10 Years, Condition—Good, Breed—Delhi.
R. N.
NAIK
111
TABLE I
No.
1
2
3
4
1
2
Species and
name of
animals
Bullock Pai-
than.
Buffalo-cow,
Gujar.
Cow, Gawali
Buffalo-cow,
Shobha.
CONTROLS
Bull
.
Bull
.
Breed
Country .
Cross, Delhi
Country .
Delhi
Country .
Do.
Details recorded during vaccination five years ago
Age
in
yrs.
4½
3½
5
5
Condition
and other
history
Good. Used
for draught
purposes.
Fair, preg-
nant
2
months.
Good, milch-
ing, preg-
nant
2
months.
Good, milch-
ing, preg-
nant
1
month.
Date of
vaccina-
tion
1-12-32
1-12-32
1-12-32
1-12-32
Dose of
goat-
virus
0.5 c.c.
0.5 c.c.
0.5 c.c.
0.5 c.c.
Reaction pro-
duced by goat-
virus vaccination
Fever, mucous
membrane con-
gested, muzzle
dry,
fed
fairly.
Fever, mucous
membrane con-
gested,
very
soft faeces.
Fever, mucous
membrane con-
gested, impair-
ed
appetite,
milk-yield
reduced.
Mucous
mem-
brane congest-
ed, off feed,
shooting diar-
rhoea,
milk-
yield reduced.
Details recorded during immunity test
Age
in
yrs.
9½
8½
10
10
2
3½
Condition
and other
history
Good. Used
for draught
purposes.
Good, preg-
nant
2
months.
Good, preg-
nant
8
months.
Good, milch-
ing.
Fair
Fair
Date of
subject-
ing to
immuni-
ty test
5-12-37
5-12-37
5-12-37
5-12-37
5-12-37
5-12-37
Dose of
virulent
bull-
virus
2 c.c.
2 c.c.
2 c.c.
2 c.c.
2 c.c.
2 c.c.
Reaction pro-
duced following
the injection of
virulent virus
No reaction
Do,
Do.
Do.
Fever, up to
105.8° F., loss
of
appetite,
very soft faeces,
secondary rise
of temperature
and
bloody
urine due to
complication
with B. bigemi-
num infection.
Fever up to
107.2° F., loss
of
appetite,
soft
faeces,
secondary rise
of temperature
due to compli-
cation with T.
mutans
infec-
tion.
Result
Immune.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Susceptible.
Do.
112
Goat-Virus Vaccination in Cattle
It is observed from Table I that both oxen and buffaloes failed to con-
tract rinderpest even after artificially infected with a massive dose of virulent
virus ; pregnant animals showed no signs of ill-health to the foetus in utero,
and the buffalo-cow in milk continued to yield normal quantity of milk.
The two control bulls, on the other hand, developed rinderpest and as a sequel,
there was resuscitation of B. bigeminum in one and of T. mutans in the other.
The bull which had the complication of B. bigeminium was, at one time, con-
sidered likely to succumb on account of bloody urine it passed and the pre-
sence of a teaming number of the protozoa in the peripheral blood-film. But
it made a spontaneous recovery along with its companion without any treat-
ment.
SUMMARY
Four cattle which were vaccinated with goat-blood-virus five years ago
were artificially infected with virulent rinderpest-virus with the result that
every animal was found to possess solid immunity against rinderpest, thus
showing that the duration of immunity conferred by goat-blood-virus vacci-
nation is more than five years.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The work was carried out as a part of the duty of the writer whose budget
is partly subsidised by the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, New
Delhi. The writer desires to express his indebtedness to Mr. E. S. Farbrother,
M.R.C.V.S., I.V.S., Director of Veterinary Services, Bombay Presidency,
for his valuable guidance in this work. Thanks are due to the authorities
of the Ramabai Mukti Mission, Kedgaon, for the facilities they afforded in
conducting this experiment.
HELMINTHOLOGY IN RELATION TO VETERINARY
SCIENCE
BY
HAR DAYAL SRIVASTAVA, M.Sc.
Officiating Helminthologist,
Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar.
(Received for publication on 7th October 1937)
THE study of parasitic worms is technically known as Helminthology.
Veterinary helminthology aims at the conservation of public and animal health.
For a long time stockowners sincerely questioned the importance of worms and
denied that they ever did any appreciable damage. They were inclined to
attribute the losses due to worms to other causes as the common symptoms of
helminthiasis—a prolonged and progressive afebrile unthriftiness gradually
resulting in death—are not always as spectacular as are those of bacterial or
virus infections. This lack of appreciation of the magnitude of the subject
has been probably due to the fact that at times apparently healthy animals
harbour an appreciable number of one or more species of worms. Helmin-
thiasis, in common with other forms of parasitism, is a balanced relationship
between the parasites and the hosts ; and so long as the balance is maintained,
no appreciable damage is apparent. When, however, on account of faulty
nutrition, ingestion of poisonous substances, bacterial or virus infections or
other causes, the vitality of the host is impaired, this balance is disturbed, with
the consequence that the parasite gets the upper hand and it becomes increas-
ingly difficult for the host to resist successfully the parasitic, bacterial or
virus infections.
In recent years, there has been a gradual realization of the fact that, in a
tropical country like India where animal hygiene is little developed, helmin-
thiasis is a most serious menace to the health of livestock. Though the effects
of helminths on their hosts may not always be sufficiently pronounced to
attract immediate attention, they are responsible for enormous losses resulting
from poor health and decreased resistance to diseases. Referring to the loss
due to helminths, Cameron in 1932 remarked, "We are certainly underestimat-
ing the situation if we say that over ten million pounds are lost to this country
(England) yearly through the agency of helminths. This estimate is based on
the present low price of stock ". Le Roux in 1930 pointed out that, in the
Union of South Africa, thousands of animals died annually as a result of worm
infestations. The worms alone contributed much towards swelling the ranks
of the poor and towards driving men off the land. At several places the hel-
minths rendered the profitable running of sheep as a side-line a practical
* Presented to the Section of Veterinary Research of the Indian Science Congress
1938, Calcutta.
( 113 )
114
Helminthology in Relation to Veterinary Science
impossibility. Further, he pointed out that the annual heavy losses from the
actual deaths of the parasitised represented only a very small fraction of the
damage suffered from loss of condition and reduced productivity.
Helminths cause damage to the host in any one or more of the following
ways:—
(a) depriving the host of its food,
(b) feeding on the tissues of the host,
(c) mechanically causing obstruction or pressure,
(d) causing abrasion through which secondary infection may take place,
(e) mechanical irritation,
(f) formation of nodules or tumours, and
(g) elaboration of substances injurious to the host.
Though the pathogenicity of such helminths as give rise to some of the import-
ant conditions like distomiasis, parasitic gastritis, verminous pneumonia,
strongylosis and ancylostomiasis, etc., is readily recognised, there is still a
large number the pathogenicity of which is not known. The association of
large numbers of worms with pronounced and persistent poor condition of
animals can be rightly interpreted only if the pathogenicity of the parasites
concerned is known. The following are some of the important helminthic
diseases of domestic animals :—
EQUINES
Horses are frequently so heavily infested with worms that they have been
regarded as helminthological museums. Of the several kinds of worms infest-
ing horses strongyles are the most important. Some of the strongyles are
blood-sucking, but all of them tend to produce unthriftiness, often resulting in
cachexia. It is a common experience of horse-owners that, when horses infested
with worms are treated, they improve considerably in weight and condition.
Foals when free from parasites have been reported to weigh hundred pounds
more than those of the same age but infested with worms. Habronemiasis,
both gastric and cutaneous, is another helminthic disease which is often res-
ponsible for much loss of condition, specially in the tropics. The eggs of
Schistosoma indicum are frequently found associated with a peculiar form of
nodulated hepatic cirrhosis, resulting in intractable debility in equines. The
important manifestations of equine microfilariasis are the lichen tropicus or
khoojlee and periodic ophthalmia in horses.
RUMINANTS
Amongst the ruminants the most important and serious diseases are
fascioliasis and parasitic gastritis. The annual loss due to liverflukes alone in
ruminants has been estimated at $1,000,000 in America and at a million pounds
in England. The usual parasite responsible for producing gastritis in Indian
116
Helminthology in Relation to Veterinary Science
times may become large enough to cause mechanical interference and obstruc-
tion to the passage of food. The gizzard may be weakened to such an extent
that a rupture may result. Stomach worms are reported to produce toxins
as well.
CANINES
Amongst the important helminth parasites of the dog may be mentioned
hookworms, tapeworms, ascarids, liver and lungflukes and Spirocerca sangui-
nolenta. Ancylostomiasis is probably the most important of all the helminthic
diseases of the dog. Its chief symptom is anaemia due to loss of blood.
Wells [1931] was able to observe living hookworms feeding on the mucous
membrane in a loop of the small intestine of an anaesthetised dog. He observ-
ed that the hookworm fills the intestine with blood and ejects it through the
anus at intervals varying from a few seconds to fifteen minutes. He com-
puted that the quantity of blood removed by a single worm in 24 hours
amounted to 0.85 c. c. In a heavy infestation the dog may harbour several
hundreds of worms and consequently lose a large quantity of its blood daily.
Besides the helminths which infest domestic animals exclusively, there
are a large number of worms which are common to man and animals either in
their adult or larval stages. In such cases animals usually serve as the reser-
voir hosts. All such worms are important from a public health point of view
and may be considered under three main heads :—
A. PARASITES WHICH LIVE AS ADULTS BOTH IN MAN AND ANIMALS
Examples of such parasites are the broad fish-tapeworm, the human whip-
worm, the dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana), the large intestinal fluke
(Fasciolopsis buski), the lungflukes and the various members of the families
Opisthorchiidae and Heterophyidae. Dipylidium caninum is a very common
tapeworm of dog and cat, and is found not infrequently in children. Recently,
in a series of papers, Africa, Leon and Garcia [1935 and 1936] have reported
the occurrence of heterophyid eggs in the myocardium and the central nervous
system of human beings and the fatal consequences due to acute vascular
changes in the affected organs. In addition to the above there are a large
number of helminths of domestic animals which occur as accidental parasites
in man.
B. PARASITES WHICH LIVE AS ADULTS IN MAN AND AS LARVAE IN ANIMALS
Through eating improperly cooked, measly pork or beef, man gets infested
with Taenia solium and T. saginata respectively. Besides the constitutional
disturbances which those tapeworms cause in man, the former is dangerous
because its larval stage can develop both in pig and man. It is found not only
in the musculature but also in the central nervous system. Quite a number of
cases of nervous derangements have been attributed to it. Perhaps the most
important worm from a public health point of view is the trichina worm,
H. D.
SRIVASTAVA
117
Trichinella spiralis. The infestation is acquired by eating raw or improperly
cooked pork containing the encysted larvae. Heavy infestations are often
fatal.
C. PARASITES WHICH LIVE AS ADULTS IN MAN AND AS ADULTS IN ANIMALS
The most important disease under this group is the well-known ' Hydatid '
caused by the bladder worm stage of Echinococcus granulosus of dogs, cats and
wild canidae. The intermediate hosts of this tapeworm are legion, almost any
mammal. There are a large number of trematodes of birds and mammals,
the cercariae of which actively penetrate into the skin and produce a marked
local reaction known as cercarial dermatitis. Analogous to this is the condi-
tion known as ' Creeping eruptions ' which is caused by a variety of parasites
of lower animals penetrating into the skin of man and finding the environment
unsuitable, move about in or under the skin. The commonest of such parasites
is the immature hookworm of dogs and cats.
Apart from the parasites which are injurious to man in one way or other,
there are several which by their presence render meat unfit for human con-
sumption, e.g., liverflukes, tapeworms, hydatid cysts, kidney worm and
Onchocerca sp. in muscles, etc.
Though there are at present no statistics to show the actual economic loss
due to helminths in this country, few will deny the importance of helminths as
factors determining the health of stock. The problems of veterinary hel-
minthology are highly complex. These parasites are highly specialised and
have acquired a high degree of adaptation to their peculiar modes of life.
The relations existing between them and their hosts are in all respects
governed by their life-history. A detailed knowledge of their life-histories is
necessary to determine the nature and extent of the pathological conditions
to which they give rise or to devise means of protection against them. As
development of science makes it possible to keep more and still more animals on
a limited area, so also does it make an increase in the number of their para-
sites possible. Unless helminth parasites are studied systematically and
thoroughly, the list of obscure and undiagnosed diseases, puzzling anaemias
and mysterious enlargement of organs will remain lengthy and will continue
to be a stumbling block in the conservation of animal health in this country.
REFERENCES
Africa, C. M., Leon, W. De and Garcia, E. Y. (1935). Philip. J. Pub. Health 2,
Nos. 1-2, pp. 1-22.
—
(1935). J. Philip. Is. Med. Assn. 15, 11, pp.
585-592.
—(1936).
Ibid.
16, 1, pp. 22-26.
—
(1936). Philip. J. Pub. Health 3, Nos. 1-2, 27.