NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
59
The lesions were just at the point of bifurcation of the
trachea into the two bronchi and were most numerous in the
commencement of the right bronchus.
FILARIA OSLERI.
Magnified and Natural Size. From the Bronchus of an
Indian Bred English Fox-Hound.
Drawn by Ghulam Hussain.
The tumours were all egg-shaped with their long
diameter parallel to the lumen of the bronchus.
They looked exactly like little pieces of tissue stuck on
the mucous membrane; each however was firmly attached
by a strong neck, slightly less in circumference than the
tumour itself. The respiratory mucous membrane covered
the surface of the tumours.
The "tumours" consisted almost entirely of the coiled
and intertwined tails of the worms, in between being a little
connective tissue.
The coiled-up tails could be easily seen through the
mucous membrane covering.
From an examination of the very minute "tumours"
under the microscope it was clear that an adult worm had
never protruded from the surface, yet one could be seen
60
inside. The worm must have reached its position in the sub-
mucosa as an embryo either viâ the blood stream or by
piercing the mucous membrane from the lumen of the
bronchus.
The probability is that the life-history is a simple one
and that eggs or embryos are coughed out and then taken in
with the food of another dog.
PLATE VII.
FILARIA OSLERI IN THE BRONCHI OF AN INDIAN-BRED ENGLISH FOXHOUND.
NATURAL SIZE AND MAGNIFIED.
Preparation prepared by S. H. Gaiger, Punjab Veterinary College.
Drawn by Mahd. Hanif.
LINGUATULA TÆNIOIDES.
BY
S. H. GAIGER, I.C.V.D.,
Punjab Veterinary College Laboratory.
THE extraordinary prevalence of this parasite amongst
pariah dogs in India has only been noticed during the last
six months.
Several cases of excessive hæmorrhage from the nostrils
of European dogs were met with and the absence of the
Hæmopis sanguisuga noted. The fæces were examined and
the eggs of the Anchylostomum trigonocephalum were in
most cases present. The patients were treated for anchylos-
tomiasis, but the periodical epistaxis continued.
It was then that it occurred to me to search in pariah
dogs for the Linguatula tænioides.
The owners of the epis-
taxis patients would not allow a post-mortem examination.
Up to the present time over fifty pariah dogs have been
destroyed and the meati of the turbinated bones examined,
and in nearly every dog the Linguatula has been found.
From one to six is the usual number present in each dog.
I am very disinclined to attribute epistaxis in European
dogs to the parasite.
It may be from this cause in one or two isolated cases,
but in by far the greater number of cases it can be put down
to the Anchylostomum trigonocephalum which is present in
almost every dog examined, sometimes only one or two being
present and sometimes large numbers.
When many are present, the dog's condition is generally
very poor. I have never seen a case of epistaxis in pariah
dogs yet, though for several years many have been kept for
experimental inoculations, and on post-mortem examination
anchylostomes have very commonly been found, and recently
the Linguatula also.
62
This may be taken as a further proof that canine epis-
taxis is due to anchylostomes, for one can conclude that the
pariah possesses immunity to the poisons excreted by the
anchylostomes in the same way as it acquires immunity to
certain endemic diseases, such as contagious gastro-enteritis
from continual association with the poison or virus, but
immunity to what would be in the case of Linguatula
a mechanical cause of hæmorrhage would be hardly possible.
Symptoms common to European and pariah dogs, and
which are no doubt due to the presence of the Linguatula,
are:—
Intense periodical irritation in the nostrils. Rubbing
with the paw. Severe attacks of sneezing.
After running he will stop suddenly and gasp for
breath; the nostrils seem closed to the exit of air.
The dog makes a great effort at inspiration which takes
place through the nostrils, but expiration is viâ the mouth.
Probably the cold air taken in when running causes the
parasites to shorten and thicken—a common form of move-
ment with them—and this closes the nasal meati.
I have not seen a whole parasite ejected by a fit of
sneezing, but I have frequently examined the nasal mucus
so discharged, and found the eggs.
The anatomy and measurements of the Linguatula
tænioides as found in Lahore agree with those given in all the
works on Parasitology for the European parasite. The
female is 9 to 10 cm. long, 8 to 10 mm. broad anteriorly
and 2 mm. posteriorly. (See Plate.)
The egg measurements, however, vary very considerably.
Instead of being 90 µ long and 70 µ broad, they were,
when examined in fresh nasal mucus from the dog, 126 µ
long and 80 µ wide.
Eggs which had been preserved for some months in
5 per cent. formalin solution were 114 µ long and 76 µ wide.
In six text-books on Parasitology the measurements
are given as 90 µ and 70 µ, and the mistake has probably
been copied from one book to the other, having originated
from counting immature eggs from the uterus of the
parasite, instead of mature eggs from the mucus in the
host's nostril. (See Plate.)
63
The eggs in mucus fall to the ground on to grass and
are taken in by herbivorous animals with their food.
The embryo is set free in the herbivore's stomach and
from thence bores its way to the liver, lungs, or mesenteric
glands and having encysted itself becomes a "pupa" and
later develops into a "larva."
The larvæ, attaining full development, migrate in
their host to other organs, or some may escape from their
host altogether and so gain entrance into their true host.
Of those which migrate some accidentally find their way to
the nasal cavities of the intermediate host and there
develop into adults, but the majority of the larvæ encyst
themselves in some suitable organ till the intermediate host
is preyed upon by the true host; in other words, until the
viscera of the herbivorous animal is eaten by the carnivorous
animal. Now in what animal are the larval and pupal stage
to be found in India? It must be in the organ of some
animal which every pariah dog gets to eat.
"The larval forms have been found in or on the liver
of Capra sp., the Cat, Cavia cutleri, Equus caballus: in
the lungs of Bos taurus, the Cat, Cavia cutleri, Hystrix
cristata, Lepus cuniculus, and L. timidus: in the mesenteric
glands of Bos taurus, Camelus, Capra sp., Ovis aries and
Mus decumanus."—(Shipley).
There being no rabbits in India, one naturally would
look to sheep and oxen and rats. In these animals I have
never found any such lesions. I fed some tame rabbits
experimentally on the eggs of the parasite obtained from
dog's nasal mucus and from the uterus of the females, in
one case with successful results.
This rabbit was chloroformed three months from feeding,
and the pupal stage was found in the lungs in immense num-
bers. A drawing of this rabbit's lungs is shown. (See Plate.)
I was at once struck with the close resemblance of
these lungs to a condition very common in the liver of the
horse in India, and which I have always heard described as
"nodular disease of the horse's liver."
Every case I have examined of this "nodular disease"
has puzzled me completely, chiefly on account of the lesions
being degenerated, caseated, or calcified.
64
I call the condition "common" chiefly because of what
I have been told regarding its prevalence by those who have
been several years in this country, but in my three years'
experience I have only met with some half dozen cases in
very old horses, for my opportunity of making post-mortems
on equines has not been great.
It appears to me extremely probable that these nodules
are the larval stages of the Linguatula
tænioides.
I have heard it said that the condition of "nodular
liver" was due to filaria, but on what ground, I am unable
to state.
PLATE VIII.
LINGUATULA LACEOLATE.
Natural size.
[Drawn by Mahomed Hanif.]
LUNGS OF A RABBIT SHOWING THE PUPAL STAGE OF
THE LINGUATULA TÆNIODES.
The rabbit was fed two months previously on
the eggs of this parasite.
[Drawn by Mahomed Hanif.]
EGGS OF LINGUATULA TÆNIODES.
[Drawn by Mahomed Hanif.]
I. TREATMENT OF CAMEL SURRA.
II. AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF RESIS
TANCE TO CAMEL SURRA IN THE DOG.
III. SOME ATTEMPTS AT TREATMENT OF
SURRA IN THE DOG.
BY
S. H. GAIGER, I.C.V.D.,
Punjab Veterinary College Laboratory.
I.—TREATMENT OF CAMEL SURRA.
IN November last I went to Montgomery and chose
twelve camels from about 40, belonging to the 56th Camel
Corps, which were about to be destroyed, being affected with
surra.
Twelve of the best were selected and marched to
Lahore.
Of these twelve, eight were used for the "orpiment
alone" treatment, one of them being for about three weeks
kept on the atoxyl and orpiment combined treatment.
Three of the eight died within a few days from the effects
of the red orpiment which is too poisonous to be of service
in the treatment of the disease, so results must be judged on
the remaining five cases, treated with yellow orpiment.
In every case, treatment had not the slightest effect on
the course of the disease, even though enormous doses were
given, the total amount of yellow orpiment given to one
camel amounting to 900 grammes.
Camels are extremely sensible to small doses at the com-
mencement of treatment, i.e., before a tolerance has been
acquired for the drug.
66
The method of giving was to make the camel lie down,
then men caught the head and applied a twitch to the upper
lip.
The mouth was then opened, pointing upwards and
bran mash in which the orpiment was evenly distributed was
dropped in double handfuls into it. This was followed by a
pint or two of water from a jug to wash the bran mash
down.
Never a morsel was wasted, and though the method
looked very crude, no accidents resulted.
Case I.
Given red orpiment 6 grammes.
Death next morning.
Symptoms:—Diarrhœa and prostration.
Post-mortem:—Large and small intestines congested.
Case II.
Given red orpiment 15 grammes.
Death six days later.
Symptoms:—Dull and off feed. Diarrhœa.
Post-mortem:—Small intestines slightly inflamed.
Large intestines severely inflamed.
Case III.
Given red orpiment 20 grammes.
Death on the 4th day.
Symptoms:—Diarrhœa and prostration.
Post-mortem:—Stomach and small intestines showed
patchy congestion.
Case IV.
This camel was under observation for two full months
before commencing treatment, so as to see exactly the course
the disease was taking, i.e., how frequently parasites were
appearing and febrile periods occurring. Yellow orpiment
was given every second day in gradually increasing doses
commencing with 6 grammes, 6-6-6-7-7-7-8-8-10-12-14-14-
16 and so on judging by the camel's appetite and his
fæces.
67
ATOXYL AND ORPIMENT TREATMENT.
Camel. Case No. V.
68
A dose of 25 grammes was reached in a month's time
without the slightest effect on the appearance of the try-
panosomes or the occurrence of fever. Treatment was
discontinued.
Case V.
Was observed for one month before commencing treat-
ment. Trypanosomes appeared during three different
periods of a few days each. Atoxyl and yellow orpiment
were given for about three weeks, a total of 40 grammes
atoxyl.
It was realised that if such a quantity combined with
orpiment were ineffectual, the method was impracticable as
the animals would hardly be worth the expense of treatment.
The treatment was continued on the "yellow orpiment
alone" method in gradually increasing doses every second
day until 12 grammes was reached when the animal died
from effects of the orpiment, of which a total of 118 grammes
had been given.
In spite of the treatment trypanosomes appeared in the
blood three days before death.
Parasites were not found during the period atoxyl was
being administered.
Case VI.
Was observed one month before treatment was com-
menced and trypanosomes were found on eleven days out
of 31.
Treatment was commenced with yellow orpiment, 7
grammes in gradually increasing doses every second day until
in eight weeks a dose of 50 grammes was reached: the total
orpiment given being 450 grammes.
Treatment was discontinued as trypanosomes continued
to appear regularly in the circulation.
Case VII.
Treatment was commenced after one week's observation
during which time parasites were found every day.
69
The dose was gradually increased from 5 to 50 grammes
till a total of 524 grammes had been given when the treat-
ment was discontinued as parasites continued to be found
in the blood.
Case VIII.
Was observed five weeks previous to commencing treat-
ment and during this period trypanosomes were present on
"ORPIMENT ALONE" TREATMENT.
Camel. Case No. VIII.
eleven days, a preliminary dose of 6 grammes was given and
in nine weeks this was increased to 75 grammes, making a
total of 900 grammes.
This enormous quantity had not the least effect on the
trypanosomes, which continued to appear.
70
CONCLUSIONS.
I. The atoxyl and orpiment combined treatment is
too expensive to be practicable with camels.
II. The "orpiment alone" treatment, if started in
small doses, is quite useless for camel surra because the
trypanosomes acquire a tolerance for the drug as soon as the
camel itself does.
III. Any methods of treating camels for surra must
always be preceded by at least one month's observations
to see the course the disease is taking, otherwise wrong
impressions may be obtained as to the effects of the
drugs.
One camel, which was not treated, only showed trypano-
somes for one day in three months and was practically a
recovered case, would have entirely deceived me as to the
effects of orpiment had he not been kept under observation
before treating.
II.—AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF RESISTANCE TO SURRA IN
THE DOG.
Dog No. 34.—Was a black cross between an Aberdeen
terrier and a pariah.
He was inoculated subcutaneously on 10th July 1905
with a few drops of blood from camel 119, a natural surra
case, and in whose blood at the time of inoculation, trypano-
somes were swarming.
The result was positive on the 10th day, and on the 11th
and 12th day serum 7 c.c. and 10 c.c. respectively from a
horse affected with surra, and to which a quantity of carbolic
acid had been added, was inoculated subcutaneously. The
dog nearly died from the effects of the carbolic acid,
showing acute symptoms of poisoning.
The disease, surra, went on unaltered for just over
five weeks when no more trypanosomes were found on
microscopical examination until January 1909, an interval of
3½ years.
The dog all this time remained in the very best of
condition though he had frequent febrile periods. The
temperature was, as a rule, between 101° and 103°F.
71
The following blood tests, by subcutaneous inoculation,
were made on other animals:—
Date.
111th day of disease ...
147th
ditto ...
182nd
ditto ...
232nd
ditto ...
298th
ditto ...
343rd
ditto ...
412th
ditto ...
557th
ditto ...
637th
ditto ...
699th
ditto ...
820th
ditto ...
820th
ditto ...
1031st
ditto ...
1220th
ditto ...
Animal.
Dog ... ...
„ ... ...
„ ... ...
Same dog as on
182nd day.
Dog
...
...
„ ... ...
„ ... ...
„ ... ...
Guinea-pig
Dog... ...
„ ... ...
„ ... ...
„ .. ...
„ ... ...
Quantity.
½ c.c.
1½ c.c.
½ c.c.
7 c.c.
4 c.c.
10 c.c.
10 c.c.
2 c.c.
1 c.c.
9 c.c.
?
?
10 c.c.
5 c.c.
Result.
Positive 14th day. Death 24th
day.
Positive 10th day. Destroyed.
Negative.
Positive 5th day. Death 82nd
day.
Negative to 27th day, when
dog died of distemper.
Positive 28th day. Destroyed
on 71st day.
Positive 11th day. Death 109th
day.
Positive 35th day. Death 375th
day.
Negative up to 524th day.
Positive 21st day. Destroyed
on 288th day.
Positive 23rd day. Died 144th
day.
Died in 22 days without show-
ing trypanosomes.
Positive 14th day. Destroyed.
Positive 14th day. Destroyed.
In January 1909 trypanosomes were present to micros-
copical examination three times. In February 1909 they
were found seven times. In March only once and in April
five times. The dog died on April 17th, 1909, and
at the time of death trypanosomes were swarming in the
blood.
This case teaches one how careful one ought to
be before thinking an animal cured or free from surra
parasites.
To microscopical examination this animal was "unaf-
fected" for 2½ years, yet from blood inoculation parasites
were proved to be there in extremely small numbers.
The results may partly have been due to the effects of
the carbolic acid in the serum and partly to the dog's
naturally great powers of resistance to camel surra.
A perusal of the above table shows how long some
animals will live with surra from the camel, one dog having
lived over a year.
In this latter dog parasites were present on an average
for three periods in every month and the following chart
showing the monthly averages of temperature throughout the
72
disease, is quite typical of the course camel surra takes in the
pariah dog.
III.—SOME ATTEMPTS AT TREATMENT OF SURRA IN THE DOG.
The whole of the foxhounds belonging to the Lahore
Hunt were this year wiped out by surra.
The first cases were found on Sunday, March 1st:—
After qui a short run, several of the hounds collapsed and
one or two died several miles from home. The blood was
examined and trypanosomes found. For about six weeks
previously the hounds had been noticed to be gradually
falling off in condition and becoming lazy.
On 2nd March the whole of the hounds were gone
through and the blood of each examined and about half of
them were found affected. It was only a matter of a few
days till trypanosomes were found in all the remainder.
Symptoms.—Weak and emaciated. Discharge from the
eyes in some. Trembling when made to walk. Some were
quite unable to stand. Fever, constipation or diarrhœa.
At the time of taking the photo, very few of the dogs
could rise without help and even when put on their legs,
collapsed at once and lay utterly exhausted. (See Plate.)
The disease probably commenced in the pack from tear-
ing up a jackal which had surra. There were several
jackals killed during the winter which scarcely were able to
run more than a few hundred yards till caught and killed,
and no doubt they got the disease from feeding on the car-
case of a horse or camel dead of surra. It seems unlikely
that all the foxhounds could have caught the disease from
infected jackals, so we had to decide how the disease spread
PLATE IX.
SURRA IN FOX-HOUNDS OF THE LAHORE HUNT.
Showing nine Hounds suffering from Surra spontaneously contracted. Their condition of Exhaustion and
Emaciation is well shown.
73
from hound to hound in the months of January and
February.
The only blood-sucking insects found were a few fleas
and a few lice.
House flies abounded in the kennels and swarmed all
over the dogs, especially on their faces. Most probably all
these insects helped to spread the disease.
I have always noticed in any animal affected with surra,
how the trypanosomes swarm in any wounds present, even
when few in the blood. This would help house flies to play
their part.
All the hounds most likely became infected about the
same time because they all died within three weeks of one
another.
Post-mortem examination showed patches of congestion
in the lungs, liver enlarged and hyperæmic, spleen much
enlarged and darker than normal, stomach, large and small
intestines, all slightly inflamed.
Treatment was carried out with atoxyl and quinine on
alternate days in three dogs and with atoxyl alone in one
dog.
Orpiment was not used owing to the dog's extreme
sensibility to this drug.
Case I.
Bitch No. 155 —Atoxyl subcutaneously in 10 per cent.
solution in normal salt solution.
Quinine in powder per os.
Commenced with atoxyl .5 grammes and next day with
quinine 10 grains.
She died after 9 days' treatment having received 3.5
grammes of atoxyl and of quinine 40 grains.
Case II.
Dog No. 156.—Treated in exactly the same way.
He also died 9 days after commencing treatment.
Case III.
Dog No. 164.—Commenced on atoxyl 1 gramme and
quinine 15 grains. Total 3 grammes atoxyl, quinine 30
grains. Death after five days' treatment,
74
Case IV.
Dog No. 157.—Atoxyl in increasing doses every second
day. Only two doses were given—one of .25 grammes and
the other of .5 grammes—when the dog died.
ATOXYL AND QUININE TREATMENT.
Canine. Details of Case No. II.
Atoxyl seemed to have no effect in any of these dogs in
driving the parasites from the general circulation.
SECOND SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS ON
TREATMENT OF SURRA IN CAMELS.
BY
A. S. LEESE, I.C.V.D.,
Investigating Camel Diseases.
THIS series of experiments was begun after news had
been received of the success of MM. Thiroux and Teppaz
in the treatment of Equine Trypanosomiasis in Senegal (1)
by the method of MM. Laveran and Thiroux and by
Orpiment alone; and the reports by the Imperial Bacteri-
ologist of his good results in Equine Surra by treatment with
Atoxyl, Orpiment and Sodium Arsenite, (2) or by Atoxyl,
followed by carefully regulated doses of Arsenic (3) also
came to hand.
As a rule the Surra camels obtained for treatment this
time were in very poor condition.
The animals were all Northern Indian baggage camels,
standing from 5¼ to 7½ feet at the withers.
ATOXYL.
The price of this drug has been greatly reduced of
late.
All experiments with Atoxyl were made intravenously.
Solutions were made up immediately before use.
Doses of 2.0 grammes generally failed to disperse try-
panosomes. 2.4 or 2.8 grammes acted better, but if given
when trypanosomes are absent, these doses do not prevent
the appearance of the organism in the blood 36 hours after-
wards.
4 grammes and 4.4 grammes are generally reliable as
trypanosome dispersers, in camels in poor condition, the
organism disappearing within 24 hours.
76
4.8 grammes make a more reliable dose for camels still
retaining a good hump.
These quantities are easily given in an 8 per cent.
solution. Six grammes caused serious illness in one case
out of two, so no attempt was made to find a fatal dose.
Seven grammes caused an abnormal temperature for
several days.
ORPIMENT—(As 2 S 3 ).
The Orpiment used was stated by Messrs. Baird and
Tatlock, who especially tested it, to be free from Arsenious
Acid or Arsenite, and to be what is known as Precipitated
Yellow Orpiment—it was given in a ball.
Four, 5 and 6 grammes in single doses may be given
without harm to the camel. Ten, 15 and 20 grammes cause
fever and diarrhœa, the effects of the former doses lasting for
several days and the latter doses sometimes producing gastro-
enteritis and congestion of kidneys. None of these doses
have any appreciable effect on the trypanosomes
Attempts were made to tolerate the camel to the drug
by starting with small doses of 4 or 5 grammes given every
third day; this was tried on 4 camels, but diarrhæa always
appeared before a dose of over 6 grammes could be reached.
The trypanosomes meanwhile were unaffected, coming and
going as usual.
The drug had the same effect when given distributed
in a feed.
The commercial Yellow Orpiment, as Holmes (2) points
out, may contain as much as 72 per cent. of White Arsenic,
a substance which the camel stands well if given in a solid
form; Mr. Gaiger (4) tells me he used bazaar orpiment in
his experiments and this may account for any difference in
tolerance which his camels showed.
ANTIMONY SULPHIDE (Sb 2 S 3 ) BY MOUTH.
The bazaar drug was not used.
The Antimony Sulphide was given in balls.
Doses up to 12 ozs. were given without any appreciable
effect either in dispersing trypanosomes or on the camel
Larger doses than this were not used as I found a good deal