296
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, III
The last part deals with a parallel experiment conducted concurrently in calves.
Nine calves which had passed the tuberculin test were used, three of which (Group I)
were run on infected pasture, three (Group II) were fed indoors on cut infected grass
and three remained as controls among the general herd of the Institute. All the three
animals of Group I and two of Group II contracted tuberculosis. [V. R. R.]
Traitement de la piroplasmosa équine vraie par la gonacrine. [Treatment of
true equine piroplasmosis by means of gonacrine]. LOLÉ, G. AND
GUILHON, J. (1935). Bull. Acad. Vet. 8,172—177.
The authors record having advantageously substituted trypanblue by gonacrine
(chlorohydrate of diamino-acridine) in the treatment of equine proplasmosis due to
Pirolasma caballi under field conditions, in certain localities in France. In support
of this, details are given of six natural cases successfully treated with this drug. The
age of the six animals varied from 18 months to 21 years and all were in an extreme
state of prostration, generally with high temperature, a feeble and rapid pulse, total
inappetence and an icteric condition of the explorable mucous membranes. A single
intravenous injection of 1 gramme of gonacrine in a 5 per cent. solution brought about
a remarkably speedy recovery, the animals regaining condition within the space of
about 4 days after injection of the drug. The injection provoked within the follow-
ing 6 to 8 days a temporary hyperpyrexia, but otherwise the drug was well tolerated.
The antiparasitic action of gonacrine is superior to that of trypanblue, whilst it has
the great advantage of being injectable in high concentration and of not requiring
to be repeated. Some of the animals received, in addition to gonacrine, injections of
camphorated oil and caffeine, an intervention of this kind having been found neces-
sary in view of the general state of their health. [S. K. S.]
The osteodystrophic diseases of domesticated animals. THEILER, SIR
ARNOLD. (1934). Vet. Jour. 90,143-175 and 183—206.
The author has discussed the subject in three different articles. In the first of
these he points out that whenever the body goes into negative mineral balance, as it
does at the height of lactation when a cow loses more calcium and phosphorus in milk
and excreta than it acquires in food, or when there is a mineral deficiency in the ration,
the skeleton (reserve for minerals) begins to suffer and the osseous tissue is broken
down to liberate the required elements (resorption). When, however, this extra demand
is satisfied, osseous tissue is laid down and immediately impregnated with minerals
(deposition). These two processes occur normally within certain fairly wide physio-
logical limits. Besides various other causes, if resorption exceeds deposition atrophy
of the skeleton follows and when it is sufficiently advanced it is termed osteoporosis.
In his second article the author describes rickets and osteomalacia as seen in
the young and in older animals respectively. Sexually mature animals may still be
growing, especially at the proximal ends of the extremities, tubera of the pelvis and
sternocostal cartilages. He states that histo-pathologically rickets and osteomalacia
are the same and osteoporosis is a stage in the development of rickets or osteomalacia.