58
Methods for Detecting Adulteration in Ghee
must be remembered that to the cultivators even
the appearance of cutaneous lesions in cases of
rinderpest is the signal of recovery ; the percen-
tage of mortality in animals showing cutaneous
eruption is very low indeed.
SUMMARY
In India and some other eastern countries, the
name 'pox' is given to rinderpest, indicating a
cutaneous eruptive fever, other than a severe
inflammatory disease of the alimentary tract. In
Bengal a benign type of rinderpest showing cuta-
neous lesions has been recognized ; and sometimes
5-10 per cent of affected cattle exhibit from 10 to
1000 nodules, which eventually, with the progress
of the disease, turn into scabs. Scabs from
affected animals are capable, on inoculation and
sub-inoculation, of producing rinderpest both of
simple and cutaneous types. The prolonged
viability of the virus in the dried scab seems to
answer many of the problems relating to the
appearance of so-called 'spontaneous.' rinderpest.
The cutaneous eruptions cause a great deal of
damage to the hide industry and reduce the
value of hides to the extent of 40 per cent.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Even a preliminary note of this kind would
not be complete without acknowledging the work
of collaborators.
Mr M. B. Menon, Superintendent, Veterinary
Vaccine Section, was concerned with reproducing
rinderpest in calves from emulsions of cutaneous,
scabs in two instances. The blood of one of these
cases was confirmed at Mukteswar to be infective,
although scabs from the same lot which produced
the disease failed at Mukteswar to produce a
reaction. This latter fact can only be explained
as due to the loss of viability in transit or the age
factor of the scabs.
Mr R. N. Mohan, Disease Investigation Officer,
Bengal succeeded in his first attempt in reproduc-
ing typical rinderpest in at least one of two calves
injected with scab emulsion. Blood from this
infected calf was again successful in producing
rinderpest in one of two calves sub-inoculated.
In addition, calf first mentioned developed on
the 14th day after injection of scab emulsion
three nodules on the skin of the neck which
resembled to a great extent those usually to be
seen in field cases.
In respect of these latter experiments by
Mr R. N. Mohan I cannot but praise the meti-
culous care and attention with which he conducted
the work; he is, therefore, deserving of any credit
which may emanate from this preliminary record.
REFERENCE
Hutyra, F., Marek, J. and Manninger (1926). Special
Pathology and Therapeutics of the Diseases of Domestic
Animals I, 272
A STUDY OF SOME SIMPLE METHODS FOR DETECTING ADULTERATION
IN GHEE
By NOSHIR N. DASTUR, D. R. KASHYAP and ZAL R. KOTHAVALLA, Imperial Dairy Research Institute
Bangalore
(Received for publication on 31 May 1943)
THE following studies were made to investigate
the possible use of simple methods for differentia-
tion between pure ghee and other edible fats, espe-
cially edible hydrogeneted fats (vanaspati).
TILE TEST FOR GHEE
Sometime ago a method of detecting adultera
tion of ghee, henceforth to be called the ' Tile ' test
received publicity in the press. The following was
the method advocated for carrying out the test. A
small quantity of ghee (a drop or two), previously
warmed, was to be applied on a baked earthen
surface provided by either a country tile or a piece
of earthen pot. It was claimed for this method
that, if the sample of ghee was adulterated with
vanaspati, a white chalky deposit was left on the
spot.
This would not ordinarily happen with
genuine ghee.
From a series of preliminary trials carried out
it was found that porous, evenly smooth unrealized
earthenware surfaces gave the best results. The
fat to be tested was usually spread lightly on the
surface or rubbed hard for 15 seconds.
found that these two methods of applying fat
not make any difference in the results of the test.
The test was always carried out at room tempare-
ture, i.e. no attempt was made to melt the fat