NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
THE ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE :
A PRELIMINARY REPORT
BY
P. G. PANDE, M.SC., M.R.C.V.S.,
Veterinary Investigation Officer, Gauhati, Assam.
(With plates XXX and XXXI)
(Received for publication on 25th March 1935.)
INTRODUCTION
Of the chronic diseases of the bovine skin in India, hump sore is one that
has for many years baffled the attempts of field veterinary workers to elucidate
its cause and provide an efficient method of treatment. It is only during recent
years, however, that the skin affections of animals have received attention from
veterinary research workers in India, and although such conditions are not acutely
fatal, it has been pointed out by Kerr [1933] that in cattle they are responsible for
causing loss of condition and retarding growth and development. In Assam,
where stunted growth and general loss of condition are common features of cattle,
hump sore has been recognised as one of the factors responsible for this state of
affairs.
Since the inception of the Civil Veterinary Department in Assam in 1906,
hump sore in cattle had been looked upon as a disease of unknown etiology, and
as one not amenable to any form of treatment. With the approval of the Superin-
tendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Assam, therefore, an investigation on this
disease was commenced in the early part of November 1933 with a view to ascer-
tain its etiology and evolve a rational method of treatment. For about a month
the investigation was confined to the headquarters of the department at Gauhati,
where a study of the lesions in various stages of development together with a
routine examination of smears obtained from them was made the primary consi-
deration. Animals received at the headquarters hospital for treatment were
utilised in this investigation, though special arrangements were also made with
the local municipal authorities and the Manager, Government Cattle Breeding
Farm, Khanapara, with a view to obtain a large number of affected animals for
the study of the lesions. This preliminary report embodies the results of clinical
( 332 )
ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE
333
field work and examination of smear preparations only, since time and facilities
for a more extensive investigation were not available at this stage. The important
results which have been obtained from this investigation are, however, thought
fit for publication, while an account of the more thorough work, which is now in
progress, will be made the subject of a further publication.
The main object in publishing this preliminary report is to draw the attention
of the profession in this country to a skin disease of cattle in Assam and Bengal,
which is caused by a species of Filaria, so that efforts may be made by clinicians in
the field to ascertain whether such a form of skin disease, or one closely allied to it,
and caused by similar parasites exists in other provinces.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISEASE
It is a skin disease appearing in the form of a sore generally localised in or
about the region of the hump. In rare cases the lesions are found situated at the
yoke place, flat of the neck, and over the region in front of the anterior margin
of the scapula. No acute systematic disturbance has been observed in animals
having lesions of hump sore, but the condition is known to assume most dis-
tressing features at times, due to continuous attacks of flies which deposit their
eggs on the sores and set up a condition of myiasis. The condition does not exist
throughout Assam province, but is peculiar to plains cattle, in which the incidence
is so high that one engaged in professional work would not fail to find the lesion
in almost every bovine that comes to his notice. In the majority of cases the
quiescent lesion of winter assumes activity during the rains and the condition per-
sists throughout the life of the animal. The disease does not occur in hill cattle,
and it has been observed on several occasions that affected cattle, when taken from
the plains to a hilly tract, develop freedom from the disease without any
treatment.
The lesion has been observed to arise in the form of multiple shotty infiltra-
tions in the dermis of the hump. They cause pruritis, the animal rubs the part
vehemently against a tree trunk or a wall with the result that they break up and
coalesce to involve a bigger area of the skin. The lesion becomes ulcerative by
repeated acts of rubbing, and this constitutes the first observable form of the dis-
ease. All present forms of treatment being ineffective during the entire course
of the disease, the lesion progresses with the result that a circular area of skin
of varying dimensions assumes the form of a sore.
Three types of lesions have been recognised depending upon the time of the
year and the stage of development. They are as follows :—
Initial Lesion.—This is the early lesion appearing in the form of slight eleva-
tions during the latter part of monsoon, or the beginning of the cold weather. They
334 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [V, IV
are found on young animals, their ages varying from 12 to 18 months. As a result
of pruritis, initial lesions may show excoriation and loss of hair, and this is followed
by an exudation of lymph-like fluid which dries up, forming a crust on the surface.
Those initial lesions, which were not associated with pruritis, were found sur-
mounted with hair and a debris of exfoliated epithelium.
Quiescent Lesion.—This type of lesion is usually noticed in the cold weather,
and in animals over 18 months old. This is the continuation of the initial lesion
which usually does not heal up, but becomes more prominent and ulcerative
in character as the animal grows older. In older animals, due to its perennial
nature, the lesion assumes a more extensive form. The appearance of a quiescent
winter lesion is characteristic. It consists of a central core and a periphery.
The central core represents the remnant of a previously active lesion, and the peri-
phery appears to consist of an accumulation of proliferated layers of the horny
epidermis, and dried up exudative debris. On the whole, the entire surface of a
quiescent lesion presents a dried up appearance.
Active Lesion.—During the rainy season all hump sore lesions, whether
initial or quiescent, become active and frequent pruritis is then the marked feature
of the disease. As a result of frequent rubbing against a wall or a tree trunk, the
horny epidermis is cast off, revealing the deeper structure which constitutes the
surface of an active sore. The lesion appears to consist of an exuberant granula-
tion tissue which gives it a cauliflower-like appearance.
The disease is known to exist in certain low-lying parts of India, perticularly in
Assam, Bengal and Bihar and Orissa. In the experience of the writer, hump
sore of cattle in Assam is a very common affection, the condition affecting some
90 per cent of the cattle population of this province. The disease is found in
cattle only, and no cases have so far been observed in buffaloes or goats. All
indigenous breeds of cattle are affected by the time they are about 18 months old,
but no proofs are available to state definitely that young age predisposes animals
to infection. It has also been observed that older animals imported from up-
country places, such as Nabha and Sind, where the disease is not known to exist,
acquire infection after about a year of stay in Assam. The heavy type of breeding
bulls with highly developed hump are the worst sufferers, since in these animals
the lesion has a tendency to involve the whole hump.
There appears to be no record of any previous work on this form of skin
disease of cattle in India unless we accept an article by the late Rai Sahib Debakar
Dey [1928] on a disease called " Dum-Dum Sore " or " Calcutta Sore ", as referring
to the same condition as hump sore. Dey described his disease as of unknown.
ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE.
335
etiology and " peculiar to bovines and rarely to buffaloes. It appears as a warty
growth on the neck (yoke place), sides of the hump, fetlock, back and elsewhere.
After an inflamed or contused skin due to an accidental or intentional violence
there appears upon an unbroken contusion or contused wound, some wart-like
growth very recurrent, baffling all known treatments, even thermocautery or
actual cautery without any appreciable constitutional derangement. The growth
(naked eye, macroscopic appearance) almost gives the picture of an epithelioma ".
From the above quoted description of " Calcutta Sore " it appears probable
that Dey was referring to more than one diseased condition, including trauma
produced by the goading instrument commonly used for cart-bullocks and buffaloes.
INVESTIGATION
At the commencement of the investigation, attention was devoted to the mic-
roscopical examination of smears and crusts obtained from the lesions. Although
bacteriological examination of the lesions was not made, it appeared from the
character of the lesions that micro-organisms were not likely to be involved in
this disease. On perusal of the available literature, it appeared that the lesion
of hump sore bore a certain resemblance to equine bursati on the one hand, and
to Oriental Sore of man and domesticated carnivores on the other. Reference
was available in an article on bursati by Datta [1933], regarding the occurrence
of bovine bursati in Egypt, and it appeared reasonable to suspect, therefore, that
helminthic parasites might be held responsible for producing the lesion of hump
sore, and that the statement by Lingard [1905] that bursati occurs in bovines was
not without foundation. Portions of affected skin for histological examination
could not be obtained in the beginning and it was, therefore, proposed to examine
the tissue for helminthic parasites when opportunity occurred and materials were
available for the purpose. Examination of smears for the presence of helminths
or leishmania bodies continued at Gauhati for some days, but the results were so
far inconclusive (protocol No. 2).
In the month of November, 1933, the writer came across all the three types
of lesions from which smears were examined with negative results. In view of
no definite findings, it was resolved to carry out differential count of leucocytes
in the blood smears of all the three types of lesions. While the leucocytes in the
smears from initial lesions showed no marked variation from a normal count, the
smears from an active lesion showed a preponderance of eosinophiles, and those
from a quiescent one showed a large number of lymphocytes (protocol No. 1).
An opportunity was availed of by the writer to make an extensive investiga-
tion of this disease in December, 1933, in the rural areas of Tezpur and Sootia,
where the incidence of the disease was reported to be very high. The animals,
which were all of local breed, were stunted in growth and degenerate in health.
Ind. Jour. Vety. Sci. & Anim. Husb. Vol. V, Pt. 4.
PLATE XXX
FIG. 1. Microfilariae in shell.
FIG 2. Microfialria in dehaemo-globinised smear.
Ind. Jour. Vety. Sci. & Anim. Husb. Vol. V, Pt. 4.
PLATE XXXI
FIG. 1. Showing quiescent lesion of hump sore.
FIG. 2. Showing active lesion of hump sore.
ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE.
337
At the headquarters at Gauhati twenty cases of the disease were examined
within a period of 9 days and 76 smears in all were prepared for microscopical
examination. A total of 110 cases of the disease distributed over five districts of
the province have been investigated since the discovery of the parasite in a case
at Tezpur and the results are given in protocol No. 3.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Hump sore of cattle in Assam is a very common affection, the rate of infec-
tion being 90 per cent. It is not known to exist in the hill cattle of Assam. Lesions
of the disease have also been observed in the cattle of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
2. The lesion of the disease presents a sore-like appearance, and is generally
noticed on or near the hump. The chief symptom is that of pruritis which is very
marked in animals having an active lesion during the monsoon.
3. The description of " Calcutta Sore ", which has been described as affecting
cattle in Bengal, does not correspond to that of hump sore. It is likely that under
this title a variety of skin affections of cattle, with which hump sore has been
confused, have been included.
4. It is a filarial disease, the microfilariae as well as adult worms having been
isolated from the lesions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My thanks are due to Mr. W. Taylor, M.R.C.V.S., I.V.S., Officiating Director,
Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar, for his confirmatory opinion
on my findings ; to Colonel A. Olver, C.B., C.M.G., F.R.C.V.S., Animal Husbandry
Expert to the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, for giving encouragement
in publishing this preliminary report; and to the Director, School of Tropical
Medicine Calcutta, for affording facilities in the preparation of photomicrographs.
REFERENCES
Datta, S. C. A. (1933). Ind. J. Vet. Sc. Anim. Husb. 3, 217-236.
Dey, Debakar, Rai Sahib. (1928). Ind. Vet. J. 4, No. 4.
Kerr, P. J. (1933). Proceedings of the First Meeting of the Animal Husbandry
Wing of the Board of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, 173-174.
Lingard, A. (1905). Observations of Filaria Embryos found in general circulation
in Equidae and Bovidae, Fasciculus 1, Bursati Ldn.
F
338 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, IV
PROTOCOL No. 1.
Showing the results of differential count of leucocytes from different types of lesions
of Hump Sore in cattle.
Serial
number
of
cases
14
16
Serial
number
of
smears
61
62
67
68
Neutro-
philes
55.0
56.4
52.5
54.0
Eosino-
philes
Baso-
philes
Mono-
cytes
Initial lesions
4.0
5.2
5.25
6.0
0.46
0.4
0.5
0.45
4.54
4.5
5.5
5.0
Lympho-
cytes
36.0
33.5
36.25
34.55
Remarks
Show no variation
from the normal
count.
Quiescent lesion
1
2
3
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
26
27
28
29
30
36
37
38
39
40
20.2
25.4
21.02
23.50
10.1
24.2
12.0
12.25
20.5
18.0
20.0
15.0
22.5
14.5
15.05
25.5
20.0
23.5
25.0
26.5
7.3
10.0
8.9
10.2
5.0
13.5
20.0
16.8
13.0
15.0
15.5
19.5
16.0
15.05
20.25
0.8
0.4
0.56
1.0
2.6
2.3
0.5
0.8
0.5
2.0
1.5
2.0
0.5
2.8
2.0
3.6
2.0
1.60
2.0
5.2
4.8
3.5
1.1
2.0
2.5
3.0
4.5
3.0
1.0
3.5
Active lesion
38.0
40.5
35.05
39.55
34.0
0.5
1.0
1.2
0.5
1.5
2.0
3.0
2.5
2.55
2.0
68.1
62.2
67.92
63.3
76.1
56.2
64.0
69.05
64.0
62.5
60.0
59.0
58.0
66.65
59.20
34.0
35.5
37.75
32.40
36.0
Show preponder¬
ance of lympho-
cytes.
Show preponder¬
ance of eosino-
philes.
ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE.
339
PROTOCOL No. 2.
Showing the result of preliminary examination of materials obtained from lesions of
Hump Sore of cattle at Gauhati hospital.
Serial
number
of cases
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Serial
number
of slides
1-10
11-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-42
43-44
45-46
47-48
49-50
51-52
53-54
55-56
57-58
59-60
61-62
63-64
65-66
67-68
69-70
71-72
73-74
75-76
Date
and
year
10-11-1933
10-11-1933
11-11-1933
11-11-1933
12-11-1933
12-11-1933
13-11-1933
14-11-1933
15-11-1933
16-11-1933
16-11-1933
17-11-1933
17-11-1933
18-11-1933
Types of lesions
from which materials
were obtained
A quiescent lesion .
Ditto .
A quiescent lesion .
Ditto .
An active lesion .
Ditto .
All quiescent lesions
All quiescent lesions
An active lesion .
An Initial lesion .
Ditto .
An active lesion .
An initial lesion .
All quiescent lesions
Nature of the
materials obtained
for examination
Peripheral
crust
emulsified in saline.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Smears from surface
scraping.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Smears from surface
scraping.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Peripheral
crust
emulsified in saline.
Tissue smears from
the surface of the
sore.
Smears from tissue
scraping.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Puncture
blood
smears.
Tissue smears from
the surface of the
sore.
Result of
microscopical
examination
Epithelial
debris,
dirt and hair.
Theileria mutant.
Spores of fungi, dirt
and cocci.
Thelieria mutant.
Cocci and saprophytic
fungi.
Theileria mutant.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing unusual.
Fibroblasts
and
fibrin
filaments,
and eosinophiles in
fair number.
Fibroblasts
and
cocci.
Theileria mutans.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing unusual.
Fibrin filaments and
fibroblasts.
Remarks
Leishman's
stain was
used
in
staining all
the smears.
340
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, IV
PROTOCOL No. 3.
Showing the results of smear examination of the lesions of Hump Sore in five districts
of the province.
Serial
number
of cases
1
2-14
15-20
21-25
26-31
32-37
38-40
41-42
43-45
46-49
50-52
53-55
Date
and
year
21-12-1933
25-12-1933
29-12-1933
2-1-1934
5-1-1934
10-1-1934
11-1-1934
14-1-1934
15-1-1934
16-1-1934
18-1-1934
15-3-1934
Types
of the lesions
examined
Tezpur (Darang)
A quiescent lesion
All quiescent lesions .
All initial lesions
Sootia (Darang)
All quiescent lesions .
All quiescent lesions .
All quiescent lesions .
All initial lesions
Gauhati (Kamrup)
Quiescent lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Results of micro-
scopical examin-
ation
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae .
Remarks
One bullock being
a
subject
of
Johne's disease
was slaughtered,
and histological
examination of
the skin showed
adult worm in
section.
ETIOLOGY OF HUMP SORE IN CATTLE.
341
PROTOCOL No. 3—contd.
Serial
number
of cases
56-57
58-60
61
62-64
65-67
68-72
73-75
76-80
81-82
83-85
86
87-90
91-92
Date
and
year
Types
of the lesions
examined
Results of
microscopical
examination
Kulaura (Sylhet)
17-5-1934
20-5-1934
Quiescent lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Srimangal (Sylhet)
22-5-1934 A quiescent lesion .
Microfilariae
Maulvi Bazar (Sylhet)
23-5-1934
24-5-1934
All quiescent lesions .
All quiescent lesions .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Silchar (Cachar)
27-7-1934
28-7-1934
29-7-1934
31-7-1934
All active lesions .
All active lesions .
All active lesions .
Initial lesions . .
Microfilariae .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Jorhat (Sibsagar)
3-8-1934
5-8-1934
6-8-1934
8-8-1934
All active lesions .
An initial lesion .
All active lesions .
Quiescent lesions .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Microfilariae .
Microfilariae
Remarks
Few adult worms
were scraped out.
Few adult worms
could be obtain-
ed in the scraping
from the lesion.
342 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, IV
PROTOCOL No. 3—concld.
Serial.
number
of cases
93-94
95
96-100
101-103
104-107
107-110
Date
and
year
Types
of the lesions
examined
Results of
microscopical
examination
Badulipar (Sibsagar)
6-9-1934
7-9-1934
Both active lesions .
An initial lesion .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Golaghat (Sibsagar)
10-9-1934
14-9-1934
16-9-1934
19-9-1934
Active lesions . .
Initial lesions . .
All active lesions .
All active lesions .
Microfilariae
Microfilariae not
seen
Microfilariae
Microfilariae
Remarks
SOME DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING
STUFFS, PART IX.
AMERICAN COTTON SEEDS II.
(1 F AND 43 F)
BY
P. E. LANDER, M.A., D.SC., F.I.C., I.A.S.,
Agricultural Chemist to Government, Punjab, Lyallpur
AND
PANDIT LAL CHAND DHARMANI, L.AG., B.SC. (AGRI.),
Agricultural College, Lyallpur
(Received for publication on the 18th September 1935.)
In an earlier publication [Lander and Dharmani, 1929] of this series an account
was given of the feeding values of certain American and Desi cotton seeds as
determined by digestibility trials at Lyallpur, using oat hay as a basal ration.
One of the objects of that investigation was to ascertain how far the prevailing
prejudice against American cotton seed as a feeding material on account of
adhering lint held good. It was shown that this prejudice could not be substan-
tiated.
Since this paper was written, certain new cottons have been produced, of
which 1 F and 43 F appear to be the best from the point of view of cotton pro-
duction. The seeds of these two cottons are also fuzzy, and it might be expected
that they would meet with the same prejudice as the other American seed men-
tioned above. It was therefore decided to submit the seed of these two types to
chemical analysis and feeding trials in order to obtain data comparable with the
earlier data obtained in 1928 on American (289 F, 285 F and 4 F) and Desi cotton
seeds. It might be mentioned that from their appearance the seeds of 1 F and
43 F appear to possess more adhering lint than the other American varieties. This
is not necessarily so, however, as will be seen from the following statement which
shows the weight of lint per 100 parts of each of the seeds in question.
Cotton seed
289 F
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
4 F . . . . . . . . .
1 F . . . . . . . . .
43 F
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Desi (Mollisoni) . . . . . . . . .
Lint percentage
14.74
5.00
10.46
14.52
7.71
( 343 )
344 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [V, IV
The trials with 1 F and 43 F were conducted during the first 3 months of
1935, using oat hay grown at Risalewala near Lyallpur as a basal ration. Six
heifers in two groups of three were used in these trials. One pound of the cotton
seed was fed per day to each animal, but two of the animals on 1 F seed received
2 lbs. per day in order to see if doubling the quantity of cotton seed fed produced
any marked differences in the digestibility figures. There was no appreciable
difference to record. The oat hay was itself a maintenance ration for these heifers
taking moderate exercise, and its chemical composition as compared with the
oat hay fed in the 1928 trials is shown in table 1. It will be noted that,
although there are certain small differences in some of the constituents, these are
not wide, and the two hays were approximately equal in nutritive value. The
general procedure and technique followed was the same as described in earlier
publication [Lander and Dharmani, 1929] of the series and we need only consider
the data obtained.
Table I shows the complete chemical and mineral analyses of 1 F and 43 F
cotton seeds and for the sake of comparison corresponding data for the other
cotton seeds already investigated are also shown. It will be seen that the two
types of seed are very rich in phosphates and calcium but that the calcium/
phosphate ratio is very wide, the optimum ratio in a feed being approximately
1.0 to 0.8. This unbalanced calcium/phosphate ratio is common to all cotton
seeds and a factor which must be taken into consideration in computing rations
for young growing animals or for milch cows. There are no other features among
the new analytical data of sufficiently striking a nature to need comment.
Table II shows the digestibility data obtained from the new American seeds
together with the corresponding figures of the older seed for comparison. The
striking feature brought out in this table is the high digestibility of the protein
of the new seeds as compared with the old. This finds a reflection in table III
in which are set forth the starch equivalents and digestible protein in 100 lbs.
of the seed together with the albuminoid ratios of all the cotton seeds investi-
gated.
The first two of these factors in the case of 1 F and 43 F are conspicuously
higher than in the case of the older seed.
These trials lead one to the conclusion that the new cotton seeds 1 F and 43 F
contain a protein content as high as, if not higher than, the old seeds and that
the protein is very highly digestible and from this point of view the seeds con-
stitute a highly nutritious ration ; any fear or prejudice on the part of zamindars
that their fuzzyness would prove deleterious to animals can therefore be dis-
missed, as no ill effects were noticed in the animals during the six weeks the trials
lasted.
REFERENCE
Lander P. E. & Lal Chand Dharmani (1929). Mem. Dept. Agri. India, Chem.
Ser. 10, 6.