NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
290
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.
[V, III
On opening up such an animal—even if slaughtered on the first appearance of
nervous symptoms—a yellow liver and large spleen, similar to those seen in young
calves, are prominent features.
Asked for reasons why the disease had not been reported to the authorities
concerned various replies were received from the cattlemen. In the case of
dairies already carrying an adequate replacement stock of heifer calves, the birth
of calves during midsummer is necessary only to keep the milk output of the dairy
constant, such very young calves drink the product the dairy has for sale, so they
receive the minimum possible care consistent with life ; very young calves have a
negligible market value in Baghdad, and, if sold in numbers, may provide for
others the nucleus of a future opposition dairy. Deaths in young calves, even
if three out of four died, do not constitute a calamity to the dairies concerned ;
further, each and every cattleman had tried his own favourite remedies on the
calves without the slightest success.
This was no new malady but a disease which had occurred regularly since the
war (the limits of the various jemadars' experience). Four Jewish cattle pro-
prietors knew the condition in indigenous cattle long before the war, but they
considered it had been much more prevalent since the importation of Indian cattle.
There is no ' outbreak ' to report since the calves die at different times, and
there are no signs which might indicate that one death is connected with another.
The disease is not contagious : thus though one calf in the common young stock
enclosure suddenly dies, yet all the remaining contact animals appear unaffected.
The dead calf is simply flung out and nothing untoward happens until another
young calf is likewise thrown out dead, without fuss or worry to those concerned.
The really valuable stock, i.e., from about 6 months old onwards, have only rarely
been noticed to die unaccountably. Reporting to authorities generally means
irksome restrictions, inoculations, etc., dead young calves are worthy of no one's
attention ; the young calf is thrown out and the high mortality remains the
exclusive knowledge of cattlemen, who, acting according to their lights, have
acted for the best in good faith.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL DISEASE.*
From 18th July to 30th October an organization was established at the three
main Baghdad dairies with the object of intensively investigating the deaths in
young calves. Within the limits of the period of intensive observation referred to
above, 250 calves were recorded born at the four dairies under observation. At
least one smear from each was examined. In addition to detailed postmortem
examinations in the laboratory of some calves, rough postmortems were made at
the dairies by assistants, and smears of spleen and liver taken.
*The writer is indebted to Mr. Abdul Razzak Hassan, Second Bacteriologist, who
has given help in carrying on some of the institute's duties, while the writer was
engaged on the present investigation.
THEILERIASIS OF YOUNG CALVES.
291
The result of the investigation has been to show that of the 250 calves, 148
died, of which 119 succumbed to acute theileria infection, 16 to the after effects
of this infection and the remaining 13 to other causes. Of the 13 dying of other
causes, 10 died during the first 6 days of life without showing any parasitic infec-
tion. Of the 250 calves born, 102 survived but these, like the majority of those
that died, showed evidence of theileria infection. It seems evident. therefore,
that all the calves born in the dairies examined became infected soon after birth
with a parasite which appears to be Theileria annulata.
The incubation period is usually about 14 days, the infection reaching its
height between the 17th and 19th day of life, the whole course of the disease
occupying about a week. At the height of the attack 90 to 100 per cent. of the
red blood corpuscles are infected, while in some cases plasma bodies can be found
in the blood. In nearly all cases these bodies are numerous in the glands and
liver. At the crisis the temperature, which has risen steadily during the course
of the infection, varies between 105° F. and 106.8° F. The real crisis covers a
period of 12 to 24 hours. No appreciable symptoms are to be observed at the
height of the attack, the young calf merely lying listlessly in the heat of the sun
like normal calves. If forced up, however, it sways and may fall down or may
rest its head against a railing or other convenient object. Without any previous
warning, it may develop a fit from which it may recover or die. Mixed infections
play no part in the mortality for in every young calf up to the age of 3 weeks, with
very few exceptions, the only blood parasite present is the theileria. Jolly bodies
or anaplasma-like structures occur in small numbers, but in no case were piro-
plasms observed, with the possible exception of Babesia bovis on rare occasions.
In one calf 6 days old Trypanosoma theileri was found together with the theileria
(Plate XXV, Figs. 4 and 5).
Smears were made from the body contents of a tick (Hyalomma aegyptium)
taken from the ear of this calf. The preparation showed large numbers of flagel-
lates of the trypanosome and crithidia types, and similar in appearance to those
described by O'Farrell (1913) from this tick in the Sudan. There seems reason
to suppose that the flagellates represent developmental forms of Trypanosoma
theileri (Plate XXV, Fig. 6).
APPEARANCES IN THE BLOOD.
Usually as judged from blood films made from the tip of the ear, the theileria
first appear in the peripheral blood on the 10th to the 14th day of the calf's life.
In two cases, however, they were observed on the 6th day, the calves dying on
the 7th and 8th days. The first parasites seen are essentially tailed forms though
slenderring, ovoid or elliptical forms also occur. On the 16th to 17th day there is a
marked increase in the parasitized corpuscles, the organisms being similar to those
which have occurred before with the exception that some of them appear to have
L 2
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THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, III
become distended and bloated to form the full ring. On the 18th day, at the crisis,
the majority of the parasites are of the full ring type consisting of a large clear un-
stained area without any apparent limiting membrane, but with the chromatin
mass of varying shape moulded to some part of the periphery of the ring. It
would seem possible in view of the absence of a limiting envelope, that the
colourless area is not actually part of the parasite but an area of degeneration of
the substance of the red blood corpuscles. It is at this stage that death may
occur. If the animal recovers, the full ring parasites disappear almost entirely
in the course of 12 hours to be replaced by parasites of the Theileria mutans type.
After the crises the blood which, apart from some basophilic degeneration of red
blood corpuscles, has hitherto shown little abnormality, now becomes markedly
and rapidly changed in that it offers an exaggerated picture of anisocytosis,
lymphocytosis, oligocythaemial increase in erythroblasts, normoblasts, megalo-
blasts and microblasts, punctuate basophilia, polychromasia and poikilocytosis.
The picture is dominated by the great variety in size of the red blood corpuscles,
by basophilia and particularly by a remarkable leucocytic increase consisting
almost exclusively of lymphocytes. The blood escaping from the cut end of the
ear at this stage resembles water tinged a blood-red colour.
POST-MORTEM PICTURE.
In about half the cases the picture seen on first stripping the skin is that of
a marked icterus with haemorrhages of small and large extent. The appearance
of the liver is characteristic and of diagnostic importance. It is voluminous,
flabby, easily mashed between the fingers and of a peculiar yellow ochre colour.
The spleen is usually, but not always, enlarged to about five times its normal size,
while its consistence is softer than normal. The heart shows sub-epicardial
haemorrhages generally along the auriculo-ventricular groove and endocardial
petechiae, varying in size from that of a pinhead to that of a pea, mostly confined
to the left side. The other characteristic feature is the presence of small ulcers,
2 to 3 mm. in diameter, in the small intestine and particularly in the abomasum.
Each consists of a red ulcerated centre surrounded by a raised red ring. The
whole is easily peeled off leaving a small colourless erosion. Though many of
ulcers have been examined for plasma bodies these have not been detected in
them.
Generally 5 to 20 c.c. of yellowish fluid is free in the thoracic and abdo-
minal cavity. The kidneys show definite pin-head haemorrhagic areas. As
already noted plasma bodies or Kocho blue bodies are very numerous in the pre-
crural glands and in the liver (Plate XXV, Figs 2 and 3). They were found in
at least 90 per cent. of the calves that died.
THEILERIASIS OF YOUNG CALVES.
293
PREVIOUS LITERATURE.
A perusal of the literature shows that there are very few references to the
existence of theileriasis in young calves. Mason (1922) observed from birth
fifteen calves which were infected with the parasite of Egyptian fever. The
earliest infection was on the 59th day of life and the duration 2 to 3 months.
There was no mortality and no plasma bodies were discovered.
Sergent Edm., Donatien, Parrot, Lestoquard and Plantureux (1927) des-
cribe as congenital theileriasis the case of a week old calf described by Magneville
(1925). The fact that the calf died suddenly as in the Baghdad cases, that the
post-mortem appearances were very similar and that smears of the organs showed
Koch's blue bodies seem to indicate that the Baghdad dairy disease may occur
in Algeria and possibly in Tunis, Morocco and other parts of North Africa.
Turnbull (1926) reports that he had discovered plasma bodies in an 18 days
old calf in North-Eastern Rhodesia, where calves suffer from a benign disease
which appears to be a form of theileriasis.
Theiler and Graf (1728) make reference to a disease of calves in the Marico
district of the Western Transvaal associated with a heavy mortality. The former
stated that the disease occurred only in calves under the age of 3 months and that
once they had passed this age they began to thrive. They called the malady
' liver disease,' as after death an icteric liver and large spleen were found. The
disease was investigated only by five short visits. The discovery of Koch's blue
bodies in three of the calves was regarded as an accident associated in some way
with the mixed infections, including paratyphoid, from which many of the calves
were suffering. Theiler and Graf came to the conclusion, after some experimental
work with another virus, that Gonderia mutans is actually a species of Theileria
in the life-cycle of which plasma bodies play a part. They consider it possible
that the cases described from Egypt by Doyle (1924), those from Rhodesia by
Turnbull (1926) and the Marico cases may have been instances of infection with
the parasite which should be known as Theileria mutans and which may be the
cause of serious disease in some places and of little consequence in others.
In the case of the Baghdad disease described in this paper, it seems possible
in view of the change in character of the parasites after the crisis that Theileria
annulata and Theileria mutans are one and the same organism. On the other
hand, it has to be admitted that the occurrence of a mixed infection cannot be
entirely excluded.
CONCLUSIONS.
A disease in calves two to three weeks old occurring in Baghdad has been
shown to be due to Theileria annulata. Very heavy infections of the peripheral
blood occur associated with presence of Koch's blue bodies in the glands and liver.
294
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, III
There is a mortality rate of about 50 per cent., the acute illness lasting about
a week and terminating either in death or recovery by crisis. If recovery occurs,
there follows a rapid diminution of the number of parasites in the blood and a
change in their characters. At the same time the blood becomes remarkably
abnormal in appearance.
Perusal of the literature on the subject of theileriasis fails to reveal any
parallel to the early infection disclosed by this investigation.
REFERENCES
Doyle, T. M. (1924). J. Comp. Path. & Therap. xxxvii, 1, 18—27.
Magneville, A. (1925). bull. Soc. Path. Exot. 18, 271-272.
Mason, F. E. (1922). J. Comp. Path, & Therap. xxxv, 33.
O'Farrell, W. R. (1913). Ann. Trop. Med. & Parasit. vii, 545.
Sergent, Ed., Donatien, A., Parrot, L., Lestoquard, F. & Plantureux, E. (1927). Ann.
Inst. Pasteur, xli, 721-784.
Theiler, A. & Graf, H. (1928) 13th and 14th Reports of Director of Veterinary Educa-
tion and Research, Union of South Africa, 71—106.
Turnbull, D. O. (1926). J. Comp. Path. & Therap. xxxix, 1, 307—311.
ABSTRACTS
Further studies on the survival time of the bovine tubercle bacillus in soil,
soil and dung, in dung and on grass, with experiments on feeding
guinea-pigs and calves on grass artificially infected with bovine
tubercle bacilli. MADDOCK, E. C. G. (1934). J. Hygiene, 34, 3, 372.
The paper is divided into four parts as indicated in the title and also includes
a brief account of the technique adopted by the author for the recovery of Myco-
bacterium tuberculosis.
In the first part evidence is produced to show that changing weather conditions
do not materially influence the survival time of the bacillus, for while this was found
to reach a maximum limit of 178 days in 1931, it was 152 days in the warmer year of
1932. In the latter case, however, positive results occurred only irregularly after
the 61st day, and the retention of infectivity by the organisms seemed to run roughly
parallel with the amount of organic matter present.
In the second series of experiments three grass plots were infected on 25th April
with approximately 120,000, 1,200,000 and 120,000,000 tubercle bacilli per sq. ft.
respectively. The result of guinea-pig inoculation with samples taken from each of
these plots was positive up to 14, 28 and 49 days respectively.
Samples taken during a very hot summer from two grass plots infected three weeks
previously with 25,000,000 and 5,000,000 tubercle bacilli per sq. ft. respectively proved
non-infective on inoculation into guinea-pigs, but another plot infected on 20th Sep-
tember with 7,000,000 bacilli was found infective up to 63 days.
The object of the experiments described in the third part was to find out if in-
fection could be conveyed in a more natural manner. Eleven batches of guinea-pigs,
usually of about twelve each, were allowed access to an infected pasture for 21 conse-
cutive days, the interval between the infection of the pasture and the introduction
of the guinea-pigs thereon ranging from 1 to 106 days. None of the guinea-pigs con-
tracted tuberculosis in this manner, although the grass grazed by them was shown
to be infective by subcutaneous inoculation.
To ascertain whether the fact that the guinea-pigs in the above experiments were
living in the open had anything to do with their resistance to infection, the experi-
ment was repeated the following year with a control batch that was fed with cut in-
fected grass indoors. The pasture was infected with comparatively heavier doses
four times at monthly intervals between June and September and the guinea-pigs of
both batches were placed on the infected feed concurrently with the first infection.
It was possible to induce tuberculosis in about 50 per cent. of the guinea-pigs of each
of the two batches in this manner. It was concluded from the results of the combined
experiments that under certain weather conditions, animals, although admitted to
pasture within a very short time of its infection, may escape infection with tubercu-
losis, but that repeated infection of pasture results in a high incidence of disease in
animals grazing on it.
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ABSTRACTS.
297
On histological examination the pathogonomic features are the excessive formation
of osteoid tissue due to non-calcification of new tissue and the paucity of osteoclasts.
This condition (Osteodystrophia malacia) is not the result of de-calcification of fully
developed normal bones. It is aetiologically different in different species.
In bovines and ovines phosphorus deficiency in grazing pastures (aphosphorosis)
is the cause, although it does not seem to affect the horse. It can be controlled by
a supplement of phosphates, e.g., bone meal, dicalcium phosphate, sodium phosphate
and bran.
In dogs Vitamin D. deficiency in the food or failure of the animal's environment
to supply sufficient ultra-violet radiation produces true rickets, although this is not
the case in grazing ruminants, who get plenty of sunshine which activates ergosterol,
a precursor of Vitamin D. present in the skin of animals and various foodstuffs.
In goats the condition described as rickets is often complicated with osteodystro-
phia fibrosa, and its histo-pathological picture is similar to the one described in the
next article under the subject of equines.
In the third article, the author describes osteodystrophia fibrosa, " Bran disease ",
" Miller's disease " or " big head ", which occurs sporadically amongst horses,
especially those under 7 years of age, and engaged in hard or fast work. It is caused
by a deficiency of calcium and excess of phosphorus in the diet, e.g., in bran. Excess
of phosphorus in some way interferes with calcium metabolism and induces the
disease in equines, although this unbalanced ration does not seem to affect bovines.
Probably the parathyroids are also concerned in calcium metabolism. The
pathognomonic features in this condition are the presence of fibro-cellular and
fibrous marrow and increased osteoclastic activity in all the bones.
The condition can be easily controlled by attending to the diet. [R. L. K.]
G*
298
With deep regret we read the undermentioned ' Obituary Notice ' in the
Central Provinces Government Gazette dated the 23rd August 1935 :—
OBITUARY NOTICE
Nagpur, the 20th August 1935.
The Governor in Council and the Hon'ble the Ministers have heard
with
great regret of the death of Major R. F. STIRLING, Director of Veterinary
Services in the Central Provinces. Major STIRLING was attached to the British
Expeditionary Force on the Western front during the Great War.
On the
conclusion of hostilities he entered the service of the Central Provinces Gov-
ernment on the 8th April 1920 as Second Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, and was placed in charge of the department on the 22nd February
1928. The contributions which he made to the development of preventive
methods of inoculation for the diseases of cattle earned him a reputation ex-
tending beyond the limits of the Province, and his professional skill, allied to
great enthusiasm for his work, made his seven years of office notable in the
history of the department. His loss will be severely felt.
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