214
Generalized Vaccinia in Buffaloes
and sensitive and the teats slightly swollen. A
large number of papules about the size of a
lentil were seen on the teats and udder. Milk
from all the four quarters was normal in appear-
ance. Papules were also present on the medial
aspect of the thighs, tail, quarters, croup, abdo-
men, and fore-legs (Plate XXI, figs. 1 and 2).
The following day she was greatly depressed,
temperature was 104.2 o F. and she took no food.
Papules had also developed on the chest, neck,
head, external surface of the ears and around
the nostrils. By the 5th day the papules had
developed into vesicles which ultimately became
depressed in the centre. The
temperature
receded to 100.8°F. and the buffalo began to
feed. The vesicles gradually increased in size
till about the 9th day, attaining the dimensions
of a hazel-nut, assuming an elliptical shape on
the teats and being circular on the udder and
other parts of the body.
On about the 10th
day the vesicles were converted into pustules,
which on some parts of the body such as the
abdomen and the legs became confluent, form-
ing irregular patches. Gradually all the pustules
dried up, forming yellowish scabs which finally
changed into thick dark-brown crusts. It was
noticed that the vesicles on the teats did not
pass through the typical stages of pox, as they
were ruptured by the milker during milking, so
that the scab stage developed quickly. By the
19th day most of the crusts on the body had
become detached, leaving the underlying areas
of the skin pinkish in colour and slightly
depressed in the centre. The animal was now
feeding well and was discharged. The buffalo
was again examined on 22 June, 1943. She was
then in good condition and the milk yield had
returned to normal. Practically all the depress-
ed pinkish areas on the skin had disappeared,
and the integument was now normal in appear-
ance.
2. A black buffalo-cow, age about eight years,
calved on 2 April, 1943. The history of the
case was that on 28 April, 1943, numerous
small pimples had been noticed on the teats and
udder and that within four days they appeared
on the entire body. She took no food and milk
secretion had practically ceased. The buffalo
was examined on 6 May, 1943. The pox lesions
in this case too developed practically all over
the body. The animal recovered after about
four weeks, but the vesicles on the teats, which
were ruptured during milking, ultimately became
indolent ulcers. No permanent pock-marks were
seen on the skin.
3. A black Ravi buffalo-cow, age about five
years, calved about four months previously, was
examined on 6 May, 1943. Pox lesions were
present on the teats, udder, medial aspect of
the thighs, quarters, vulva, tail, abdomen, chest
and around the nostrils. The animal recovered
after about three weeks. The depressed areas
on the skin gradually disappeared.
4. An aged black Ravi buffalo-cow, calved on
23 March, 1944, was brought to the College
Hospital on 19 May, 1944, with the history
that five days previously numerous small
pimples were noticed on the udder and teats
and inside the thighs. They continued to appear
on other parts of the body until finally the whole
surface was covered. The animal was dull and
she neither fed nor ruminated. Milk secretion
had much decreased. Two weeks previously
the buffalo suffered from rinderpest and had
recovered in hospital. The owner mentioned
that another buffalo was similarly affected on
the adjoining premises, which are situated about
three furlongs from the Punjab Vaccine Insti-
tute, where small-pox vaccine is manufactured
on a large scale. On examination, the buffalo
was emaciated, dull and depressed. The tem-
perature was 103.8°F., and conjuctivae congest-
ed and coated
with a mucoid
discharge.
Papules, the size of a split pea, practically cov-
ered the body surface, while on the udder and
teats a number of vesicles were also present.
The papular, vesicular, pustular and scab stages
lasted for about five, four, four and seven days
respectively. All the dried crusts except a few
on the abdomen, became detached, leaving the
udder-lying areas of skin pinkish in colour and
slightly depressed at the centre. The animal
then looked bright and was feeding and ruminat-
ing well, but emaciated. The animal was
again examined on 2 August, 1944. She was
then in good condition and the depressed areas
on the skin, except a few on the chest and
abdomen, had practically disappeared.
5. An aged black buffalo-cow, calved on 20
March, 1944. The history as narrated by the
owner, was that on 10 May, 1944 small pimples
about the size of a split pea were noticed on
the teats, udder and inside the thighs and that
within three days they became generalized over
the body. She was not feeding or ruminating
while milk secretion had practically ceased. The
buffalo was examined on 19 May, 1944. Vesi-
cles with depressed centres were present over
the body surface, while on the teats there were
a few soft yellowish scabs and on the udder a
number of pustules. The vesicles developed
into pustules which dried ultimately to dark
brown crusts. The animal recovered in about