NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Rinderpest.
77
THE NATURE OF THE IMMUNITY FOLLOWING A
SIMULTANEOUS INOCULATION OF SERUM AND
VIRULENT BLOOD WHERE NO CLINICAL SYMP-
TOMS OF RINDERPEST ARE PRODUCED
ZEITSCHRIFT
FUR HY-
-----, VOL.
XXIX, 1898.
Kolle and Turner carried out a number of experiments
on this question.
They published a table of 31 cases of simultaneous inocula-
tion which produced no clinical symptoms of the disease and
were accompanied by very slight or no temperature reactions.
These animals were tested up to a period of five months
after the treatment and proved to be absolutely immune.
ANNALES DE
L'INSTITUTE
PASTEUR,
1899.
Nicolle and Adil Bey found, as Kolle and Turner did, that
animals which received simultaneous injections and failed to
show any symptoms except in some cases a slight rise of tem-
perature, were for long periods immune to large injections of
virulent blood.
THE AGRI¬
CULTURAL
LEDGER OF
INDIA, VOL.
V.
Pease, in his report on the experiments conducted by Koch
at Muktesar, states: " Koch succeeded in immunising in a fort-
night several animals by means of a mixture of serum and
virulent blood to such a degree that they were enabled to with-
stand an injection of 20 c.c. virulent blood. From this
fact he judges that the immunity of these animals is of a
much higher degree than that produced by serum alone. He
believes it is an active immunity equal to that of a beast which
has contracted Rinderpest and has recovered. "
Koch also entertained the opinion that when cattle were
inoculated with good bile or serum and were able ten or more
days afterwards to resist an injection of 10 c.c. to 20 c.c. viru-
lent blood, an active immunity had been conferred upon them
although they had not given any fever reaction to the blood.
REPORT ON
AN EXPERI-
------
IN-
-----------
OF THE
METHODS OF
INOCULATION
AGAINST
RINDERPEST,
1900, BY
ROGERS.
Rogers gives a table of twenty-two experimental inocu-
lations by the simultaneous method. The majority of these
cases showed a slight temperature reaction; none contracted
the disease. They were tested after periods varying from 2½
to 7 months, and all resisted the inoculation of virulent blood.
" It appears that slight temperature reactions do produce
long and active immunity and are really mild attacks of Rin-
derpest. It is not necessary to aim at producing as severe an
attack of the disease as possible, as was recommended in South
78
Rinderpest.
Africa, but mild reactions will afford the necessary degree of
immunity. "
The cattle used for these tests were of Plains breed. In
a second series of experiments with Hill cattle Rogers got
bad results as most of his animals contracted Rinderpest in a
severe form and died. From this he concluded that good
results could not be obtained by the simultaneous method in
Hill cattle. " It was evident that if no reaction was obtained,
the resulting immunity did not last for as long as three weeks.
If enough serum was given to be safe for nearly all the animals,
the majority would not react and would get no immunity of any
practical value.
Rogers' experiments hardly warrant the conclusions he
arrived at. In the first series of experiments Plains cattle of
unknown susceptibility were used. In the second series, out
of 42 cattle of Hill breed inoculated by the simultaneous method
20 died from Rinderpest, 10 had a severe attack and recovered,
9 had good temperature reactions and 2 had slight rise of tem-
perature. Six only of those which showed good and slight
temperature reactions were tested several months after and
proved immune.
It is evident that the dose of serum used was not sufficient
to protect against a simultaneous inoculation of virulent blood
and that as a test of this method the experiments are of no
value.
JOURNAL
OF
COMPARA¬
TIVE
PATHOLOGY
AND THERA¬
PEUTICS,
1902.
Danys and Bordet state : " If animals are brought in
contact with Rinderpest after the injection of defibrinated
blood and serum, they contract the disease and become salt¬
fed. " They do not consider the serum treatment so suitable
for dealing with clean herds, as with herds already infected or
herds which can be exposed to infection immediately and con-
tinuously after inoculation.
" The injection of small quantities of Rinderpest blood
into animals that have been previously inoculated with the
blood of salted animals is not sufficient to infect a beast in such
a degree as to secure for it a continuous salting. To obtain a
good result, a carefully regulated quantity of blood must be
injected, large enough to occasion a small degree of sickness
and small enough to guard against serious sickness or death,
Rinderpest.
79
On the other hand, if healthy animals which have been inocu-
lated with preventive blood or serum are exposed to infected
cattle immediately and continuously afterwards, it is of little
importance whether the dose of serum injected is unnecessarily
strong or not, so long as it is sufficiently strong to give complete
immunity at the time, because the subsequent infection being
continuous, each animal contracts a mild form of the disease
as the diminishing strength of the immunity conferred by the
serum gradually admits. This cannot be accomplished satis-
factorily by an injection of Rinderpest blood, because if the
dose of serum is very strong, the majority of animals may resist
the after-blood inoculation and manifest no signs of fever and
consequently fail to become salted. While again should the
dose of serum be comparatively weak and the after-blood in-
oculation too long delayed, the animals inoculated would be
liable to contract a virulent form of the disease from which
many would die."
REPORT OF
THE
SUPERINTEN-
----
GOVERNMENT
LABORA¬
TORIES IN
THE PHILIP¬
PINE ISLANDS,
1903.
From the results of the simultaneous method in the
Philippine Islands, the conclusion arrived at was that in
animals showing a reaction the immunity conferred is very
effective and lasts for years, while a temporary immunity
probably lasting several months is conferred upon the ones
having no reaction.
Result of a single dose of serum and virulent blood.
(Simultaneous method.)
No.
1
2
3
Body
weight.
lbs.
162
257
215
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
19.72
46.26
38.70
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
Reaction.
Good
Nil
„
Retested
after
Days.
97
97
97
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
Result.
No reaction.
„
„
Out of three bulls which received a single dose of serum
and virus simultaneously, one only showed a reaction; all three
were immune on being tested 97 days after the first inocula-
tion.
80
Rinderpest.
Result of a double dose of serum and virulent blood.
(Simultaneous method.)
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Body
weight.
lbs.
252
254
242
236
209
248
226
222
215
320
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
60.48
60.96
58.08
56.64
50.16
59.52
54.24
53.04
51.60
76.80
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
Reaction.
Nil
Temp. reaction
Nil
„
Temp. reaction
Nil
„
Good reaction
„
Retested
after
Days.
42
42
52
52
52
52
90
90
90
90
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
Result.
No reaction.
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
Out of ten bulls five had no reaction after the simultaneous
injection; three had a rise of temperature from one to four days;
two showed marked symptoms of the disease. When retested
with virulent blood after periods of from forty-two to ninety
days, none of these animals showed any reaction. The immun-
ity following the simultaneous injection appears at this period
to be complete, and of the same nature both in the animals
which showed no reaction, and in those which passed through
a mild attack of the disease.
The result of treble doses of serum and virulent blood.
(Simultaneous method.)
No.
3
4
Body
weight.
lbs.
234
206
202
288
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
84.24
74.16
72.72
103.68
Virus.
c.c.
1
1
20
20
Reaction.
Nil
„
„
Temp. reaction
Retested
after
Days.
90
90
90
90
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
Resu
Reaction nil.
„
„
„
Out of four bulls, three had no reaction after the simul-
taneous injection, one had a good temperature reaction last-
ing six days.
When retested with virulent blood after 90 days, none
reacted,
Rinderpest.
81
Experiments to determine the nature of the immunity
which results from an injection of a single dose of serum fol-
lowed by immediate exposure to natural infection.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Body weight.
lbs.
211
198
194
211
211
210
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
25.32
23.76
23.28
25.32
25.32
25.20
Virus.
Natural
infection.
„
„
„
„
„
Result.
Temperature reaction.
„
„
Slight attack
„
„
Lived.
„
„
„
„
„
Out of six bulls which received a single dose of serum and
were placed in contact with infected animals the same day,
three showed temperature reaction only; three showed slight
symptoms of the disease. All survived.
These animals were tested after an nterval of 90 days.
All proved immune. None showed any reaction to the inocu-
lation of virus.
To determine the effect of double doses of serum followed by
immediate exposure to natural infection.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Body weight.
lbs.
245
253
206
202
224
202
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
58.80
60.72
49.44
48.48
53.76
48.48
Virus.
Natural
infection.
„
„
„
„
„
Result.
Slight attack. Vesicles appeared on
the 14th day.
Lived.
Slight temperature reaction, 12th day.
Lived.
Slight temperature reaction 9th to 13th
day. Lived.
No reaction. Lived.
No reaction. Lived.
Slight temperature reaction 10th to
12th day. Lived.
One bull only showed slight symptoms of the disease; a
few vesicles appeared on the tongue on the 14th day with a
slight elevation of temperature from 9th to 18th day; three had
a temperature reaction (under 40°C.) from 9th to 13th day
and two had no reaction. These bulls fed well throughout
the whole period of observation. They were tested after an
interval of 90 days. All proved immune. None showed any
reaction to the inoculation of the virus.
6
82
Rinderpest.
The result of treble doses of serum followed by immediate
exposure to natural infection.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Body weight.
lbs.
203
204
204
221
202
183
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
72.72
73.44
73.44
79.56
72.72
65.88
Virus.
Natural
infection.
„
„
„
„
„
Result.
Temperature reaction, 9th to 14th clay.
Lived.
Slight temperature reaction, 9th to
15th day. Lived.
No reaction.
Temperature reaction, 9th to 15th day.
Lived.
Temperature reaction, 12th to 15th
day. Lived.
No reaction. Lived.
Two bulls gave no reaction, four had a rise of temperature
(under 40°C.) between the 9th and 15th day. None of these
bulls were off feed, or showed any other symptoms of illness.
These bulls were tested after an interval of 90 days. None
re-acted. All were immune.
The following animals received a treble dose of serum alone
followed by exposure to Natural Infection for four days, after
which they were removed to a non-infected area.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Body
weight.
lbs.
199
184
209
184
183
183
Actual dose
of serum.
c.c.
71.64
66.24
75.24
66.24
65.88
65.88
Virus.
Natural
infection.
„
„
„
„
„
Reaction.
No
reaction.
„
„
„
„
„
Retested
after
Days.
42
42
42
42
42
42
Virus.
c.c.
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
Result.
No reaction.
Six bulls injected with treble dose of serum, placed in
contact with the virus for four days. Tested with 0.5 c.c. V. B.
after six weeks, all the bulls proved to be immune to rinder-
pest, none showing any definite reaction.
Rinderpest.
83
The following animals received a single dose of serum and
after 14 days were exposed to natural infection by placing
them in a shed with infected cattle.
No.
1
2
3
4
Body
weight.
lbs.
198
178
224
199
Actual
dose
of serum.
c.c.
23.76
21.36
26.88
22.88
Test
after an
interval of
Days.
14
14
14
14
Virus.
Natural
infection.
„
„
Result.
Severe attack. Died.
Temperature reaction.
Severe attack. Lived.
Temperature reaction.
Lived.
Lived.
Two healthy bulls were exposed to the same infection.
They contracted the disease which ran a similar course as in
the case of controls inoculated with virulent blood, with the
exception that the symptoms of disease appeared three days
later than in inoculated cases. They died on the tenth day.
Out of four bulls exposed to natural infection 14 days after
receiving a single dose of serum, two had severe attacks, and two
had slight temperature reaction only. One died.
SUMMARY.
The general conclusions arrived at from the results of these
experiments are that—
(1) A single dose of anti-Rinderpest serum confers immu-
nity against the inoculated virus for about two weeks only.
A double dose protects for about three weeks, a treble dose
for five weeks and four times the single dose for about six
weeks.
(2) The serum protects against natural infection for the
same period as against the inoculated disease.
(3) The. immunity following a simultaneous injection of
serum and virus even when no reaction occurs, is of an active
nature and lasts for several months and that to produce this
result it is not necessary to determine a balance between serum
and virus nor to give rise to any clinical symptoms of the dis-
ease.
(4) When animals are injected with serum and immediate-
ly exposed to infection, they acquire an active immunity of
several months' duration, without evincing any clinical symp-
toms of the disease.
84
Rinderpest.
These results are of particular interest, inasmuch as they
further establish the correctness of the statistics recorded
regarding the use of the " serum alone " method in the field and
the value of the inoculation work being carried out by the
Veterinary Department of India. They show, however, that the
good results are not due simply to the protection afforded by
the anti-serum alone. The immunity conferred by serum even
in large doses is of so short duration as to be in itself useless
in a country like India where Rinderpest is endemic and where
cattle must necessarily be exposed to infection for many
months following an outbreak. It is evident also that there
is little advantage in administering serum in doses larger than
the amount necessary to protect against a simultaneous
inoculation of virus. In field operations the two conditions
to be observed are that the dose is protective and that the
animal is exposed to infection before the protective effect of
the serum has worn off. If the first exposure to infection is
at a period later than 10 days, the attack will be severe and
in many cases fatal. Bordet's view is that the exposure
must be immediate and continuous and that each animal
contracts a mild form of the disease as the diminishing strength
of the immunity conferred by the serum gradually admits.
It appears to me that the infection can be taken into the
system immediately after the serum injection and that it pro-
duces its reaction at the time when the immunity is decreasing.
Many cases which were treated with large doses of serum
immediately placed in contact with infected cattle for four
days and then removed to a non-infected area, acquired an
active immunity. None of these animals showed any tempera-
ture reactions.
Also the results of the simultaneous use of serum and virus
support this view. In these cases where thermal reactions
or other clinical symptoms occur, they are manifested 10 to
14 days after the inoculation.
It is most important also to recognize that the use of the
serum combined with virus or followed by natural infection
establishes an active and durable immunity even in cases where
the dose of serum has been sufficient to suppress all clinical
symptoms of disease. Whether this immunity persists for
Rinderpest.
85
the same length of time as that following a pronounced attack
of the disease is open to question.
Working on the subject of immunity against Anthrax and
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia, a similar result was observed in a
large number of experiments. In both diseases animals treat-
ed with serum and virus simultaneously and which showed
no reaction to the injection, were immune when tested with
virus three months after the first inoculation. The "serum simul-
taneous" method undoubtedly confers a much more durable
immunity than can be obtained by the use of serum alone or
by the employment of dead vaccines. It is a safer method than
that of " attenuated vaccines."
Owing to the extremely contagious nature of Rinderpest
and to the conditions under which cattle are kept in India,
sick and healthy cattle being invariably brought in contact
both at pastures and in the stalls, natural infection takes the
place of the virus inoculation. Consequently the " serum
alone " method as at present employed in this country produces
the same results in a safer manner as the " serum simultaneous
process."
PART V.
A PECULIAR FORM OF STREPTOTRICHOSIS AMONG
CATTLE.
DURING the past year a disease bearing a resemblance
in many clinical features to equine epizootic lymphangitis made
its appearance among the Army Transport Bullocks in Calcutta.
In October 1907, we were requested by the Senior Veterinary
Officer of the Division to investigate the etiology of the disease.
Captain Edwards, A.V.C., kindly supplied the material, clinical
notes and photographs of the cases. The Laboratory work
was carried out by Mr. Cross, Assistant Bacteriologist and my-
self.
HISTORY OF OUTBREAK.
The first case occurred in November 1906, in the Transport
Lines at Hastings (a suburb of Calcutta). No further cases
were observed till April 1907, and between that time and the end
of December 1907, eighty-five bullocks were affected. Of
these eighty-five cases, eighteen were destroyed as incurable,
thirty-eight have apparently recovered, and twenty-nine still
remain under treatment. From the dates of the second cases
in April, all Transport bullocks were kept under close observa-
tion and at the first appearance of a sore or any enlargement
of the gland, the animal was immediately segregated and placed
under treatment.
SYMPTOMS.
The first symptom which attracted attention was usually
the appearance of a small nodule under the skin in the region
of the neck, shoulder, ribs or flank. This was followed after
a period varying from a few days to some weeks by enlargement
of the deeper seated glands, almost invariably the prescapular
or precrural.
This was accompanied by pain and inflammatory swell-
ing in the affected part and generally marked lameness.
Streptotrichosis.
87
The affected subcutaneous lymphatic glands varied in
size from a pea to a walnut. The precrural glands reached
the size of a cricket ball, while the largest prescapular gland
observed was more than six inches in diameter.
The glandular abscesses showed no tendency to spon-
taneous evacuation of their contents.
In the early stage, the pulse, temperature and appetite
remained normal. In those cases where the disease advanced
and became more general, though the appetite was maintained,
the pulse and temperature increased, the breathing was acceler-
ated, the animal wasted rapidly, remained lying down, and
could with difficulty be got on his feet. At this stage, these
bullocks were destroyed as incurable. The course of the
disease lasted in the severer cases from 2 to 3 months.
In all cases except one, the disease followed a wound or
sore in the region of the neck or hump. These sores are locally
known as " Calcutta sores." They are indolent, spreading
and very difficult of treatment. In one instance the popliteal
gland became affected after a wound between the digits of the
hind foot.
TREATMENT.
The glands were cut into as early as possible, the contents
of the cavity emptied and irrigated with warm antiseptic solu-
tion. In some cases this was sufficient and the animal recov-
ered in a few weeks.
Other cases required further operative measures; the
affected gland showing several cavities filled with a thick pus
and after the first incision numerous small abscesses formed
in the subcutaneous tissue surrounding the gland.
The majority of these cases did not recover.
In several of the animals that had apparently recovered
under treatment, the disease again made its appearance after
six or eight weeks.
The administration of Potassium Iodide internally and
dressing with Iodine had no beneficial effect.
GROSS PATHOLOGY.
The affected glands were surrounded by an inflammatory
œdema, half to one inch deep and varying in colour from
yellow to deep red.
88
Streptotrichosis.
The enlarged glands on incision were found to have a thick-
ened fibrous capsule in some cases, half an inch thick. On
section the appearance varied with the stage of the disease;
in some, the whole of the glandular tissue had disappeared
and the capsule contained a thick caseous yellow material,
elastic and smooth to the touch.
In others, parts of the normal tissue remained; there was
extensive fibrous tissue formation surrounding one or many
small abscesses defined by a thick white fibrous capsule. In
several glands, where not much degenerative alterations had
taken place, the substance was studded with hard gritty nod-
ules of a yellowish colour, resembling the granules of actino-
myces. The pus was invariably noticed to be gritty when rub-
bed between the fingers or between slides.
In the cases where the disease spread to more than one
gland and where the animal wasted and was considered in-
curable, the lungs were filled with abscesses similar to those
found in the glands, from the size of a pea to that of a walnut.
In the majority of these cases, the bronchial glands were not
affected, but in four instances, these glands were enlarged,
fibrous and the seat of abscesses. No other organs were
affected.
BACTERIOLOGY.
Over three hundred smear preparations of pus from
several cases were examined. Invariably the pus contained
masses resembling the granules of Actinomyces bovis. Stained
with Methylene-Blue, without decolorising, the masses showed
no structure except at the periphery where individual small
cocci-like bodies could be distinguished.
By Gram and Gram Weigert method the details of the
composition of these groups was brought in evidence. They
consisted of a dense collection of small cocci identical in ap-
pearance with the spores of actinomyces.
Closely interwoven with these spores were thin branching
filaments.
The filaments were easily decolorised by the Gram method
and were consequently difficult to clearly demonstrate. Un-
like the ray fungus, there is no concentric arrangement of fila-
PLATE A.
Streptotrichosis.
89
ments and, as a rule, no peripheral club formation. Plate A
(c).
In some preparations a distinct striated arrangement of
the filaments was evident. Plate A (e).
In preparations obtained by scraping the fibrous capsule
of the abscesses, groups showing peripheral clubs, Plate A
(a), were found. Some of these groups were of a very peculiar
wheel-shaped arrangement, the club-shaped branches radiating
from a central mass of spores. Plate A (d) & (f).
In sections of affected lymphatic glands, the same micros-
copic appearances were seen as in the pus. There was exten-
sive invasion of new connective tissue cells, Epitheloid and a
few giant cells. In some sections, the glandular structure had
been entirely replaced by this invasion. The capsules of the
abscesses consisted of dense fibrous connective tissue. Stained
by Gram, there appeared scattered throughout the new tissue
the same characteristic dark masses as seen in the pus, showing
a dark-stained amorphous centre with the cocci and traces
of filaments at the periphery. In many sections masses of
filaments alone were found. They were composed of very fine
light-stained interlacing threads clearly defined. No cocci
or club terminations were present in these latter groups.
PHOTOGRAPHS of CASES.
Photograph No. I shows enlarged prescapular gland and
three small subcutaneous nodules round the shoulder joint.
The abscesses were opened and the bullock recovered. A chain
of enlarged lymphatic gland connected the higher abscess with
a wound on the hump.
Photograph No. II.—Bullock in the later stage of the dis-
ease. The prescapular and precrural glands were enlarged.
On the neck is the scar of a partially healed " Calcutta sore."
This animal was destroyed as incurable. The lungs were full
of small abscesses.
Photograph No. III.—This bullock was treated for a wound
in the interdigital space of the off hind leg. Following this,
the gland of this limb became affected and abscesses formed in
front of the hock and in the popliteal gland. The abscesses
were opened and the animal recovered.