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EXPERIMENT ON THE CONTROL OF NASAL
GRANULOMA
BY
R. N. NAIK, G.B.V.C.
Veterinary Investigation Officer, Bombay and Bacteriologist,
Bombay Veterinary College
(Received for publication on 11 July 1941)
(With one text-figure)
INTRODUCTION
N ASAL granuloma is a disease of great economic importance in as
much as it renders working animals quite unfit and useless for work.
In certain districts where bullocks fetch very high prices, (e.g. up to Rs. 800
per pair) it causes heavy losses to cattle owners.
The distribution of the disease which has been investigated in this
province is shown in Fig. 1. It is essentially a disease of endemic nature
and the intensity of infestation is the heaviest in the water-logged tracts
of Dharwar, Belgaum and North Kanara districts and in Raver taluka of
East Khandesh district, where 10 to 20 per cent of cattle population are
found affected with the disease and where lakes, ponds and pools of water are
abundant and are the only sources of water supply to man and his animals.
The ponds which contain water perennially harbour in very large numbers
various species of snails, viz. Indoplanorbis exustus, Viviparus dissimilis,
Viviparus bengalensis and Limnoea acuminata. Furcocercus cercariae, the
immature form of Schistosoma nasalis, the causal parasite of nasal granuloma,
are readily recoverable from the snails, Indoplanorbis exustus, which infest
these ponds. Cattle pick up infection from pond water infested with
these cercariae. The disease is not disseminated from an affected animal to
a healthy one by direct contact. It fails to spread in the localities where
Indoplanorbis exustus snails are absent although affected animals are moved to
such localities. Affected cases discharge ova of Schistosoma nasalis in large
numbers through their nasal discharge and infect ponds while drinking water
and also continue picking up fresh infection. It is a chronic disease and once
an animal gets affected with it recovery is not known to occur spontaneously.
The symptoms of the disease are aggravated during the rains and while
animals are working ; badly affected bullocks show signs of tympanic condition
of the belly and suffocation with a slight exertion when at work.
Tartar emetic has been found to be the best drug for effecting cure for
this disease when administered intravenously but the computation of dose
of the drug and modus operandi of the intravenous therapy were difficult for
application on account of the toxicity of the drug and of the enormous swelling
often produced by the drug coming in contact with the perivascular tissue
while injecting. To prevent this contact about 10 c. c. of sterile normal saline
solution is usually injected into the vein through the same needle before it is
withdrawn. Rao and Mudaliar [1936] recently contributed a valuable paper
150
R. N. NAIK 151
wherein they recommended, as a safe dose, intravenous injections of 6 per cent
antimony tartrate solution either daily for 6 days at 1.5 grains or every al-
ternate day for a week at 2.5 grains per 100 lb. body weight. A proprietory
drug, Antimosan (Bayer) has also been placed on the market claiming cure
Fig. 1.
F
152
Experiment on the Control of Nasal Granuloma
for the disease. It is also known that snails in ponds can be destroyed by
dissolving 1 oz. of copper sulphate per 7,800 gallons of water.
With a view, therefore, to ascertaining whether it is possible to control
nasal granuloma in an infected village by treating affected cases and ponds
with the drugs stated above and if so, to what extent this can be effected within
a period of one year, this experiment was carried out according to a technical
programme approved by the Director of Veterinary Services, Province of
Bombay, Poona.
VENUE OF THE EXPERIMENT
This was Shirbadgi, a village in Haveri taluka, Dharwar district. This
village is situated in a valley and has two ponds one called Dodda Honda and
another Sanna Honda from which animals are watered. Both these ponds
were teeming with Indoplanorbis exustus snails. The cattle population of
this village is bout 500 out of which about 115 head of cattle were affected with
nasal granuloma. This village was a notorious one for the dissemination of the
disease to the cattle of the surrounding villages.
I. TREATMENT OF AFFECTED ANIMALS
One hundred and seven affected cattle were secured in the village and
were divided into five batches, three of which were subjected to the experi-
mental treatment with tartar emetic and two with Antimosan. In the first
batch which was subjected to the experiment with tartar emetic only 8 cattle
were included with a view to testing the safety of the dosage of the drug re-
commended by Rao and Mudaliar (loc. cit.) on the cattle of this tract and when
these results were available, 34 cattle were included in the second batch and
49 in the third batch. The number of cattle included in the experiment with
Antimosan was 6 in the first batch and 10 in the second batch.
The body weights of animals to be treated were calculated by the appli-
cation of the formula (girth in in.) × length in in./300= weight in lb. History re-
garding age, lactation and period of gestation was also recorded prior to the
administration of the first injection. Every animal that received the treat-
ment was kept under vigilant observation throughout the course of treatment.
Owners were also asked to report if animals treated showed any signs of
malaise indicating toxicity which, wherever noticed, was promptly treated by
administering suitable antidote as stated elsewhere in this article.
A. Experiment with tartar emetic
A six per cent solution of tartar emetic was freshly prepared every day
according to the quantity required. Six daily injections were given at 1.5
grains per 100 lb. body weight as recommended by Rao and Mudaliar
[1936]
Animals included in the first batch were given these injections in a standing
posture but it was found that under field conditions where no trevis is avail-
able, animals usually struggled at the time of injection with the results that
R. N. NAIK 153
in a few cases the end of the needle pricked the opposite side of the vein and a
drop or two of the solution escaped into the perivascular tissue which was the
cause of swelling. So, in the remaining batches every animal was cast and
restrained with the help of available cultivators. This change reduced the
production of swelling at the seat of injection to a negligible number as noted
in Table I.
TABLE I
Batch No.
I
II
III
No. of intraven-
ous injections
given
48
203
265
No. of
injections
followed
by
swelling
8
9
7
Percent-
age
16.6
4 4
2.6
Posture under
which injections
given
Standing
Recumbent
All swellings subsided in 3 to 8 days except one which was found to persist,
assuming the size of a chestnut 64 days after the injection. In another case
the jugular vein got constricted at the seat of the injection. In no case
gangrene, necrosis or any other untoward complications occurred as a result
of the swelling.
Toxicity.—Fifteen out of the 91 cases treated with tartar emetic showed
toxic symptoms and three of them died. The death was brought about
suddenly without permitting time for treatment. Post-mortem examination
report of one case is attached (Appendix). Symptoms of toxicity were
as follows:—
In mild cases, dullness, inappetance, suspended rumination and an
anxious face were the only symptoms marked. There was no fever. In
severe cases in addition to these symptoms soft faeces or diarrhoea was fre-
quently observed. In fatal cases no visible symptoms were noticed as death
occurred suddenly.
The cases of toxicity which were available for treatment were given
antidote promptly ; in mild cases two pounds of jaggery were administered in
linseed meal conjee and in severe cases two drachms of tannic acid added to
the jaggery mixture. The mixture was repeated in severe cases and all cases
made an uneventful recovery.
It was observed in earlier experimental batches that toxic symptoms were
ushered in usually after the 4th injection due apparently to the cumulative
action of the drug and, therefore, particular care was exercised in subsequent
batches of animals to examine carefully all animals under treatment after the
4th injection.
Results.—The total number of animals subjected to the experiment with
antimony tartrate was 91 but only 77 of them received the full course of the
F 2
154
Experiment
on the Control of Nasal Granuloma
treatment while the rest could not be treated likewise as some of them were
unmanageable and others could not tolerate the repeated injections of the
drug. The results were checked 64 days and also 13 months after the treat-
ment and are given in Tables II and III.
TABLE II
Results observed 64 days after the treatment
Batch
No.
I
II
III
Details of the treatment
Six intravenous injec-
tions of tartar emetic
repeated
daily
at
1.5 grains per 100 lb.
body weight
Total .
Percentage . . .
Total
cases
treated
8
34
49
91
Animals received
full course of
treatment
Total
No.
3
34
35
77
No.
cured
7
29
32
68
88.3
No.
parti-
ally
cured
1
4
2
7
9.1
Animals received
part treatment
Total
No.
...
...
14
14
No.
cured
...
...
8
8
57.1
No.
parti-
ally
cured
...
...
5
5
35.7
Toxicity
No.
showed
symp-
toms
1
3
8
12
13.2
No.
died
...
1
2
3
3.9
TABLE III
Results observed 13 months after the treatment
Batch
No.
I
II
III
Details of the treatment
Six intravenous injec-
tions of tartar emetic
repeated daily at 1.6
grains per 100 lb. body
weight.
Total .
Percentage . . .
Total
cases
treated
8
34
49
91
Animals received
full course of
treatment
Total
No.
8
34
35
77
No.
cured
7
28
28
63
81.8
No.
parti-
ally
cured
1
5
6
12
15.6
Animals received
part treatment
Total
No.
...
...
14
14
No.
cured
...
...
8
8
57.1
No.
parti-
ally
cured
...
...
5
5
35.7
Toxic
No.
showed
symp-
toms
1
3
8
12
13.23
No
died
...
1
2
3
3.8
There were one milching and two pregnant animals among these cases ;
but neither a reduction in the milk yield occurred in the former nor abortion
in the latter. All treated cases showed an improvement in their body cond¬
tion and the partially cured cases were also found useful for work for the
time being.
It is evident, from the large number of animals of different classes included
in this experiment and from the consideration of the fact that this experiment
R. N. NAIK 155
has been carried out under field conditions, that the results reported here are
more reliable and comprehensive than what is published hitherto on the
subject. Although it is efficient in 81.8 per cent of affected cases, the course
of treatment recommended by Rao and Mudaliar [ 1936 ] possesses the best
practical value so far known but in this course of treatment one should note
that toxic symptoms are induced in 13.2 per cent of animals and that about
4 per cent of the total number of cases treated die due to toxicity of the drug.
But this number is negligible and the writer's practical experience of field
work in this connection shows that cultivators do not get discouraged with
this small percentage of deaths and are prepared to risk the life of a few of
their affected animals as they know quite well that the affected animals are
unfit for work, fetch no price in the market and are, therefore, a burden to
them.
B. Experiment with Antimosan
This drug was supplied in ampoules each containing 2.52 grammes of the
dry substance. The contents of each ampoule were dissolved in 40 c. c. of
sterilized distilled water and administered intravenously. Two batches of
cattle, one consisting of 6 and another 10, were subjected to this experiment.
The first batch was injected each at 1.2 grammes per 100 lb. body weight
daily for 6 days and the second received three doses of 20 c. c. of the solution
each, at a flat rate, at weekly intervals without the consideration of the body
weight.
Although the precautions taken in injecting this drug were exactly similar
to those of tartar emetic, swellings occurred at the seat of injections in a few
cases. In all 66 intravenous injection with this drug were carried out, out of
which eight were followed by a swelling which, however, was of transient
nature and subsided within two to five days. The results of the treatment
with this drug were also noted 64 days and 13 months after, details of
which are given in Tables IV and V.
TABLE IV
Results observed 64 days after the treatment
Batch
No.
I
II
Details of the treatment
Daily intravenous injection for 6 days at 1 .2
grammes of Antimosan per 100 lb. body
weight
Percentage
Three weekly Intravenous injections at a
flat rate of 20 c. c. of the solution
Percentage .
Total
cases
treated
6
10
No.
cured
5
83.3
4
40.0
No. not
cured
1
16.7
6
60.0
Toxicity
No.
showed
toxicity
in a mild
form
1
16.7
...
...
No. died
...
...
...
...
156
Experiment on the Control of Nasal Granuloma
TABLE V
Results observed 13 months after the treatment
Batch
No.
I
II
Details of the treatment
Daily intravenous Injection for 6 days at 1.2
grammes of Antimosan per 100 lb. body
weight
Percentage . .
Three weekly intravenous injections at a
flat rate of 20 c. c. of the solution
Percentage . .
Total
cases
treated
6
10
No. cured
4
66.7
3
30.0
No. not
cured
2
33.3
7
70.0
Toxicity
No. showed
toxicity
in a
mild
form
1
16.7
...
...
No. died
...
...
...
...
These results indicate that Antimosan injected intravenously daily at
1.2 grammes per 100 lb. body weight was efficacious in effecting cure in 66.7
per cent of cases and that the same drug given three times at weekly intervals
at a flat rate of 20 c. c. of the solution was effective only in 30 per cent of cases
which shows that the former course of treatment is more reliable than the
latter but is still not so efficient as that with tartar emetic.
II. TREATMENT OF PONDS
The quantity of water contained in each of the two ponds was estimated
and it was found that the Dodda Honda contained approximately 5,50,000
gallons and the Sanna Honda 3,25,000 gallons of water. So, 4 lb. 3 oz.
of copper sulphate were added to the former and 2 lb. and 10 oz. of the same
drug to the latter. At first, both the ponds were cleared of all vegetation grow-
ing on the banks and of the debris, twigs of trees and jowar stalks etc. lying
in them. Branches of trees overhanging the ponds were cut so as to permit
sun's rays falling direct on the ponds. Expenses connected with this work
were willingly borne by the cultivators themselves. Then, the required
quantity of copper sulphate for each pond was obtained, finely powdered, filled
in a small gunny bag and with the assistance of a swimmer, contents of the bag
were dissolved uniformly in the water of each pond. Inspection of the ponds
was carried out 48 hours after the treatment and no living snails were found.
A second inspection of the ponds was made 64 days after the treatment and
only empty shells of snails were found.
The inspection of the water ponds was again carried out 13 months after
the treatment. During this interval the village had passed through one rainy
season and the ponds were drained off and refilled with storm water which
flowed down from the hillocks and from other ponds in the neighbourhood.
This inspection which was carried out on 1 January 1941, showed that the
ponds were re-infested with the same species of snails which have been
mentioned already. This fact indicates that the treatment of ponds with
copper sulphate should be carried out every year after the rains.
R. N. NAIK 157
SUMMARY
1. An experiment on the control of nasal granuloma was carried out at
Shirbadgi, a village in Dharwar district under field conditions.
2. Affected cases numbering 77 were given a full course of treatment with
tartar emetic by injecting intravenously 1 . 5 grains per 100 lb. body weight
daily for six days with the results that 63 cases were found completely
cured of the disease even at the end of a year after treatment which reveals
that the full course of treatment is capable of effecting cure in 81.8 per cent
of the cases treated.
3. Affected cases numbering 14 received a part course of the treatment
with tartar emetic at the doses mentioned above of which only 8 were cured
of the disease.
4. Antimosan was injected intravenously in 6 animals at 1.2 grammes per
100 lb. body weight daily for six days with the results that four out of them
got cured of the disease, while the same drug injected intravenously at
20 c. c. dose of the solution at a flat rate at weekly intervals produced a
permanent cure in only three out of 10 animals so treated.
5. Toxic symptoms due to the cumulative action of tartar emetic were
developed in 13.2 per cent of cases with fatal results in about 4 per cent
of them.
6. Cases of toxicity produced by tartar emetic were successfully treated
with tannic acid, jaggery and linseed meal.
7. A cow in lactation failed to show a reduction in the milk yield due to
the tartar emetic injections.
8. Pregnant animals numbering two were given the treatment with tartar
emetic but in none abortion occurred.
9. The cure noticed at the end of a year after the treatment has alone been
found to be reliable as a few cases which had shown an apparent recovery two
months after the treatment manifested symptoms of the disease in a mild form
after a period of about six months.
10. Although 15.6 per cent of animals failed to recover completely from
the disease as the result of a full course of treatment with tartar emetic the
cases treated decidedly showed a relief from the disease due to the absence of
granulomatous growth which disappeared as a result of the action of the drug
and the animals were found useful for every kind of work for the time being.
11. All cases which received a full or part course of the treatment showed
an improvement in their general body condition.
12. Ponds infested with snails notably Indoplanorbis exustus were
treated with copper sulphate at 1 oz. per 7,800 gallons of water with the
result that all snails were found dead 48 hours after the treatment. But the
observation made after the rainy season showed that they were re-infested with
the same due to the fresh infection brought by storm water which flowed
through infested ponds lying on a high level.
13. The course of treatment with tartar emetic at 1.5 grains per 100 lb.
body weight recommended by Rao and Mudaliar [1936] constitutes the best
method of practical value in treating nasal granuloma cases.
158
Experiment on the Control of Nasal Granuloma
14. Although there were three deaths among 91 cases treated with
antimony tartrate cultivators showed no dissatisfaction over the treatment.
On the contrary they have been found eulogising the véterinary aid
rendered to their stock suffering from nasal granuloma which according to
their opinion, was an incurable disease and expressing their grateful thanks
to the Veterinary Department.
15. The experiment on the control of nasal granuloma has helped the
cultivators of Shirbadgi to improve their economic condition to a great extent
as cultivators were spared of the expenditure of purchasing new animals for
work and were able to sell the surplus stock in a fit condition for enticing
prices.
16. Nasal granuloma prevalent in an endemic form in any village can be
controlled by treating affected animals with antimony tartrate and by des-
troying snails living in ponds with copper sulphate but for effecting a
complete eradication of the disease it is necessary to repeat the treatment in
obstinate affected animals and also for snails where ponds get infested with
fresh snails every year during monsoon.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This experiment was carried out as a part of the duty of the writer whose
budget is partly subsidized by the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research,
New Delhi. The writer desires to express his deep gratitude to Mr E. S.
Farbrother, M. R. C. V. S., I. V. S., Director of Veterinary Services, Bombay,
Poona, for his valuable guidance in this work. The assistance rendered by
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, Messrs J. M. Badgandi and G. G. Joshi is
hereby acknowledged.
REFERENCE
Rao, M. Anantnarayan & Mudaliar, S.V. (1936). Indian J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 6
332
APPENDIX
Post-mortem examination report
Subject.—Bullock 7 years, condition fair, body weight 620 lb., suffering from nasal
granuloma since 4 years. Received by intravenous route 10 c. c. of 6 per cent
solution of tartar emetic daily for 5 days from 4 to 8 December 1939 and died
suddenly at 9 P.M. on 8 December 1939.
Post-mortem examination held on 9 December 1939 at 7 A.M.
Post-mortem lesions—
Body condition—Fair.
Rigor mortis—Present.
Nostrils—Blood tinged discharge.
Abdomen—Bloated.
Peritoneal cavity—Large areas of congestion. Reddish effusion 2 litres.
Nasal cavity—Mucous membrane inflammed, thickened and bluish with two
patches of granuloma at the anterior end,
Trachea—Deeply congested patches,
Heart—Nothing unusual.
R. N. NAIK 159
Lungs—Small bluish patches on the surface.
Broncheoles show yellowish mucous discharge.
Liver—Congested, Schistosoma spindalis present in large numbers in the portal
veins. Gall bladder shows nothing unusual.
Spleen—Deeply congested.
Kidneys—Boiled appearance, parenchyma soft and easily friable, bluish patches
on the surface, medula congested.
Rumen—Mucous membrane easily peeled out.
Reticulum—A needle 2 in. long present but no marks of injury.
Omasum—Soft ingesta ; mucous membrane easily peeled out.
Abomasum—Fundus deeply congested ; pylorus shows congested patches.
Duodenum—Deeply congested.
Small intestines—Punctiform haemorrhages ; catarrhal condition.
Caecum—Zebra markings ; parasitic nodules.
Rectum—Nothing unusual.
Microscopic examination for the infection of micro-organisms.—Blood and spleen
smears—Negative.
PARATUBERCULOSIS (JOHNE'S DISEASE) IN GOATS
AT THE GOVERNMENT CATTLE BREEDING
FARM, SYLHET, ASSAM
BY
P. G. PANDE, M.Sc, M.R.C.V.S.
Veterinary Investigation Officer, United Provinces, Lucknow
(Received for publication on 16 August 1941)
(With Plates XVI—XVII)
S INCE the detection of Johne's disease in cattle by Johne and
Forthingham in 1895 in Germany, this condition has been investigated
extensively in bovines in several other countries including India [Ayyar, 1929 ;
Cooper and Srinivasan, 1931 and Pande, 1940]. In 1911 Stockman recorded
the same affection in another ruminant, the sheep, in Scotland. Thereafter
this condition in sheep became the subject of study by Lange and Berge [1915],
McFadyean and Sheather [1916], Howarth [1932], Johnstone [1934], Dunkin
and Balfour-Jones [1935], and McEwen [1939] in other countries, and by
Rahimuddin [1940] and Nanda and Singh [1940] in India.
Johne's disease in goats appears to have been investigated for the first
time by McFadyean and Sheather [1916] and later by Noel Pillers [1924] in
England and by Holmboe and Slagsvold [1934] in Scandinavia. In India,
this disease in goats was investigated by the author in May 1936, while working
as Veterinary Investigation Officer in Assam, and later reported in the form
of an appendix to his Annual Report for the year 1936-37, to the Imperial
Council of Agricultural Research. The present paper dealing with the same
subject may be of interest and the observations contained therein may add to
the general information concerning this disease in a caprine host.
History and symptoms
The disease occurred in a herd of goats at the Government Cattle Breeding
Farm, Sylhet where Johne's disease in cattle had been detected in 1935 and its
incidence in these animals, during the year the same infection was observed
in goats, had reached 47 per cent.
In May 1935, a herd of 43 goats was transferred from the Upper
Shillong Farm, to the Government Cattle Breeding Farm, Sylhet, with a
report that they were losing condition as a result of worm infestation.
In September of the same year some of these goats, which were reported
to have died revealed on autopsy performed by the Farm Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon, a heavy infestation with tapeworms identified as Moniezia
expansa. Anthelmintic treatment, however, did not improve their condition,
and in November 1935, when investigations were taken in hand, enquiries
revealed that 23 goats had already succumbed. Post-slaughter examination
made on 3 ailing goats had revealed a very heavy infestation with Haemonchus
160