NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
242
Observations on Babesia foliata n. sp. from a Sheep
TRANSMISSION
The transmission of the disease was successfully carried out by direct
intravenous inoculation of blood from the natural case into two experimental
sheep. Goats were also inoculated with the infected blood but they failed to
react. The parasites were later found in the blood of the two sheep. In one,
the parasite was seen on the third and fifth days, and in the other on the
fourth and twenty-first days, after inoculation of infected blood. With the
appearance of the parasite in the peripheral circulation the animals showed
thermal reactions. These sheep also showed in their blood anaemic changes
similar to those observed in the natural case. Subsequently, these changes
disappeared and the animals recovered without the intervention of any drug.
DIAGNOSIS
Systematic position. Babesia foliata n. sp. (Haemosporidiida, Babesiidae).
Description.—Flattened leaf-shaped in outline ; mostly seen in pairs,
angle between the pairs, obtuse ; mostly situated in the centre of the erythro
cyte ; produces no change in the infected corpuscle; size, 2.065-4.13μ
×0.5-l.5μ.
Habitat. Erythrocytes of sheep.
Locality.—Mukteswar-Kumaun, U. P., India.
REFERENCES
Achar, S. D. and Srikantiah, G. N. (1933-34). Ind. Vet. J. 10, 270
Bhatia, B. L. (1936). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 6, 151
——————(1938). Fauna of British India, Sporozoa (Taylor and Francis Ltd.,
London).
Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar (1932). Ann. Rpt. p. 33
Nuttall, G. H. F. and Graham-Smith, G. S. (1908). Parasitology 1, 134
Sarwar, S. M. (1935). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 5, 171
Starcovici, C (1893). Zentralblatt.f. Bakt. 1, Abt. 14, 1.
Thomson, J. G. and Hall, G. N. (1933). J. Comp. Path. & Therap. 46, 218.
Wenyon, C. M. (1926). Protozoology, Vol. II (Bailliéré, Tindall and Cox, London)
EXPERIMENTAL INFESTATION WITH FISCHOEDERIUS
ELONGATUS IN A CALF AT MADRAS
BY
S.N. VAIDYANATHAN, G.M.V.C.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Helminthology Research Section,
Madras Veterinary College, Madras
(Received for publication on 12 April 1941)
R AO and Ayyar [ 1932 ] have determined by infection experiments carried
out in Madras that Cercariae Indicae XXIX Sewell, 1922 is the larval
stage and the snail Limnea leuteola (Lamarck) an intermediate host, of the
amphistome Fischoederius elongatus. An experiment was therefore per-
formed to confirm these findings, as well as to find the clinical significance in
an infection.
Cercariae Indicae XXIX Sewell, 1922 discharged by the snail Limnea
leuteola (Lamarck) were allowed to encyst on blades of grass and a total of
250 encysted cercariae, collected within a week, were fed on the 7th April 1940
to a heifer calf aged about a year and three months. The calf used for the
experiment was under observation for seven-and-a-half months prior to the
date of infection and it was kept during the whole period in experimental
sheds of the College Laboratory under conditions designed to prevent extra-
neous parasitic infection. Previous infection with any amphistomes was
ruled out by a daily examination of the dung which was negative for their
ova. The calf was destroyed on the 14th June 1940, nine weeks after the date
of infection. At post-mortem ninety adult Fischoederius elongatus were
collected from the wall of the rumen.
In this infection, producing 36 per cent adult amphistomes out of 250
encysted cercariae fed, during the development of the parasite within the
host, there was no systemic disturbance met with. The temperature ranged
from 100°F. to 102°F. touching 102°F. for only a couple of days. The
dung was normal and the appetite good throughout. Though faecal
examination made every day prior to destruction revealed no ova of amphis-
tomes, eggs were detected mixed up with the contents of the rumen at post-
mortem. It may, therefore, be said that eggs are discharged by these am-
phistomes by the ninth week after infection.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author is indebted to Rao Sahib M. Anant Narayan Rao, Lecturer
in Parasitology, Madras Veterinary College, for guidance and help generously
given during the conduct of the experiment.
REFERENCES
Rao, M. A. and Ayyar, L. S. P. (1932). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 2, 402
Sewell, R. B. S. (1922). Ind. J. Med. Res. Suppl. No. 3
243
A STUDY ON GOAT SPLEEN TISSUE VACCINE AS AN
IMMUNIZING AGENT AGAINST RINDERPEST
BY
K. S. NAIR, G.B.V.C., M.R.C.V.S., D.T.V.M.
Superintendent
R. KRISHNAMURTI, G.M.V.C.
AND
G. S. KALYANASUNDARAM, G.M.V.C.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons,
Serum Institute, Madras
(Received for publication on 24 January 1941)
(with one text-figure)
INTRODUCTION
T HE preparation of a single, safe and cheap product for the effective
immunization of cattle and buffaloes against rinderpest has been engag-
ing the attention of various workers for a long time past, and the use of goat
spleen tissue preparations may be said to be the outcome of such work. Based
on the results published by Kerr and Menon [1934] and Kerr [1935] on the use
of goat spleen tissue for the control of the disease in Bengal, experiments were
conducted at the Serum Institute, Madras, under laboratory conditions, with
a view to study the adaptability of the same technique in the Madras province.
METHOD OF REMOVAL OF SPLEEN
Healthy young goats are injected with 5 c.c. of rinderpest goat blood
virus, and killed at the height of thermal reaction usually on the 4th or 5th
day. As the normal temperature of goats in Madras is about 100° F. a tem-
perature of 103° F. and above in the morning is considered to be a satisfactory
reaction. The goat is bled for virus and the abdomen is then shaved and dis-
infected and the spleen removed under aseptic precautions.
EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED AT THE INSTITUTE
Spleen taken from goat No. 856 of the 300th passage of goat virus, Muk-
teswar strain (Fig. 1), was used. The spleen was cut into pieces weighing ap-
proximately one gramme each and put into small sterile test-tubes which were
then sealed with cotton plugs dipped in boiling paraffin. The tubes were then
packed in a case with damp cotton wool, and kept at room temperature which
ranged from 83 . 8° to 86° F. (The temperature of the tube was less by nearly
3.5° F. than the temperature of the room and this difference in temperature
was noticed for 10 days after which the temperature of the tube equalled
the temperature of the room, since all the moisture had evaporated from the
damp cotton wool by that time.)
244
K. S. NAIR, R. KRISHNAMURTI AND G. S. KALYANASUNDARAM 245
TEMPERATURE CHART
Fig. 1.
The experiments were commenced with one per cent emulsion of fresh
spleen (one gramme of the tissue in 100 c.c. of 0.5 per cent sal ne solution)
and were continued with emulsions of the same strength prepared from the
spleen tissue stored at room temperature for one to ten days, the temperature
of the room ranging from 83. 8° to 86° F. In each case four buffalo-calves were
injected, one pair receiving a dose of 1 c.c. each, while the other pair received
a dose of 0. 5 c.c. each, of the emulsion. Different doses (0.5 c.c. and 1 c.c.)
were adopted to study if the dose given had any effect on the reaction pro-
duced.
No sub-inoculations were conducted in this series of experiments but all
animals that survived were tested with bull virus.
246
Goat Spleen Tissue Vaccine as an Immunizing Agent
DETAILS OF REACTIONS
Forty-four buffalo-calves were used in all, in this experiment. For pur-
poses of classification of reactions, they might be grouped into two batches :
First batch.—This batch consisted of twenty calves ten of which received
a dose of 0. 5 c.c. each and the remainder 1 c.c. each of the emulsion prepared
from fresh spleen tissue or that stored at room temperature from 1 to 4 days.
All the calves reacted severely and four of them died. They showed high
temperature and diarrhœa and in some cases vesicles in the mouth were also
observed. The dose, either 0.5 c.c. or 1 c.c., had no appreciable difference in
the severity of reactions set up.
Second batch.—This batch consisted of twenty-four calves, twelve of which
received a dose of 0.5 c.c. each and the remainder 1 c.c. each of the emulsion
prepared from spleen tissue kept at room temperature for 5 to 10 days. None
of the animals reacted to vaccination, but on retest with bull virus all of them
reacted severely. Only one calf which received 1 c.c. of the emulsion stored at
room temperature for nine days showed thermal disturbance and diarrhœa
and died. Probably it was in the incubative stage of the disease at the time
of inoculation. On retest with bull virus almost all the calves reacted severe-
ly and twelve died.
SUMMARY OF REACTIONS
(1) Emulsion of fresh goat spleen tissue as well as emulsions prepared
form spleen stored at room temperature for 1 to 4 days (one per cent emulsion in
0.5 per cent saline) produced uniformly severe rinderpest reactions in buffalo-
calves in doses of 1 c.c. and 0.5 c.c. The animals that survived withstood
the retest with bull virus and did not react.
(2) Emulsions prepared from spleen tissue stored at room temperature for
5 to 10 days did not produce any reaction and conferred no immunity as
judged by the severe reactions on retest.
(3) The dose of either 0.5 c.c. or 1 c.c. made no appreciable difference,
either in the severity of reactions produced or in the degree of immunity set up.
EXPERIMENTS IN THE FIELD
Trials with this product were carried out in the field also. The sealed
tubes containing one gramme pieces were sent in thermos jars packed with
ice, with instructions to use the vaccine immediately on receipt. Each one
gramme piece was ground gently in a sterile mortar with 100 c.c. of normal
saline solution. The emulsion was then filtered through sterile gauze and the
filtrate was used, the dose adopted being 1 c.c. per animal. From the re-
ports received, the following observations are made :—
Six thousand two hundred and eight cattle and 910 buffaloes were so far
vaccinated, out of which 5,669 cattle and 784 buffaloes could be observed for
reactions. The vaccinations were performed both in clean and infected areas.
The reactions may be classified under two headings—mild and severe. 45
per cent of the cattle and 34 per cent of the buffaloes had mild reactions. 22 . 5
per cent of the cattle and 46 per cent of the buffaloes had severe reactions.
K. S. NAIR, R. KRISHNAMURTI AND G. S. KALYANASUNDARAM 247
There was a mortality of 0.5 per cent in the cattle and 2.5 per cent in the
buffaloes. 32 per cent of the cattle and 20 per cent of the buffaloes showed no
reaction to vaccination. In some cases, anti-rinderpest serum had to be used
to check the severity of reaction.
IMMUNITY TEST
Immunity tests with rinderpest bull virus were conducted on a few
vaccinated animals in selected areas a few months after the original vaccina-
tion and it was found that the immunity was solid.
DISCUSSION
It was found, both from experiments conducted in the laboratory and in
the field, that the method of vaccination with an emulsion of one per cent
strength of infected goat spleen, in normal saline, was not altogether satis-
factory, as it produced severe reactions and even mortality in some cases.
Though in Bengal very good results were reported with this method of vaccina-
tion by Kerr & Menon [1934] and Kerr [1935], yet in this province the ex-
perience was such that it was not possible to encourage this method. Many
of the vaccinated animals had good reactions which were nearly as severe as
those seen in goat blood virus alone method and quite alarming enough for
the ryots. Many animals were reported to have lost their condition after
vaccination, and in case of working animals which were put to work after
vaccination, the reactions were found to be severe. It was also found necessary
in some cases to give anti-rinderpest serum to modify the severity of reactions.
In Bengal, this method was found to be efficient and safe to combat rinderpest
outbreaks [Kerr & Menon, 1934], but later on, however, the experience as
stated in the annual report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal [1938-
39] was that this method had not only caused severe reactions which proved
fatal, but there was evidence of the introduction of infection in apparently
healthy herds leading to outbreaks of rinderpest.
CONCLUSIONS
Rinderpest goat spleen tissue is potent for four days when stored at room
temperature ; the immunity conferred is satisfactory.
The reaction set up in the susceptible buffalo-calves is severe, a mortality
of 20 per cent being observed in the calves when infected with potent goat
spleen.
The application of this method of vaccination without serum in combating
outbreaks of rinderpest is not suitable when the susceptibility of cattle and
buffaloes is high, as it may produce reactions the nature of which sometimes
creates panic among the ryots.
SUMMARY
Experiments were conducted at the Serum Institute, Madras, with saline
emulsions of rinderpest goat spleen tissue stored at room temperature for
varying periods. It was found that emulsion of fresh goat spleen tissue as
248
Goat Spleen Tissue Vaccine as an Immunizing Agent
well as emulsions prepared from spleen tissue stored at room temperature for
1 to 4 days (strength of the emulsion being one per cent in 0. 5 per cent saline)
produced uniformly severe rinderpest reactions in buffalo-calves, in doses of
1 c.c. and 0.5 c.c. and conferred immunity. Emulsions prepared from spleen
tissue stored at room temperature for 5 to 10 days did not produce any reac-
tion and had no antigenic value. The dose of either 0.5 c.c. or 1 c.c. made no
appreciable difference in the severity of reactions produced or in the degree
of immunity set up. The adoption of this method in the field to combat
outbreaks of rinderpest was not found to be quite safe in the Madras province
as the reactions set up after vaccination were rather severe.
REFERENCES
Ann. Rept. Civil Vet. Deptt. Bengal for 1938-39
Kerr, P. J. and Menon, M.B. (1934) Ind. J. Vet. Sci. and Anim. Husb. 4, 75
Kerr, P. J. (1935) Ind. J. Vet. Sci. and Anim. Husb. 5, 67
K. S. NAIR, R. KRISHNAMURTI AND G. S. KALYANASUNDARAM 249
Experiments with goat spleen tissue vaccine (one per cent emulsion in 0.5 per cent.
saline)
Serial
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Nature of the
goat
spleen
tissue vaccine used
Fresh vaccine
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for one day
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for two days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for three
days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for four days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for five days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for six days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for seven
days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for eight
days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for nine days
Do.
Tissue kept in
room tempera-
ture for ten days
Do.
Dose
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
1c.c.
½ c.c.
1c.c.
½c.c.
1 c.c.
½c.c.
1 c.c.
½c.c.
1 c.c
½ c.c.
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
1 c.c.
½ c.c.
Number
of
calves
used
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Reactions
Severe; one died
Severe; both died.
Severe; one died
Severe; both died
One moderately
severe and one
non-reactor
One severe and
one mild
One moderately
severe and one
non-reactor
Severe; one died
One severe and
the other non-
reactor
Mild
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil in one and
severe in
the
other*
which
died
Nil
Nil
Nil
Reactions after
retest with
rinderpest
bull virus
Nil
...
Nil
...
Nil
Nil
No reactions in
one and severe in
the non-reactor
Nil
No reactions in
one and severe
in the non-reac-
tor which died
Nil
Severe; both died
Severe; one died
Severe; both died
Do.
Severe
Severe; one died
Mild in one and
severe in
the
other which died
Severe
Severe
Severe
Severe and one
died
Severe and both
died
Remarks
One died after re-
test due to ema-
ciation
One died after re-
test due to ema-
ciation
Do.
*Probably
this
calf was in the
incubative stage
of the disease at
the time of in-
oculation
BREEDING COLOURATION OF BARBUS (PUNTIUS)
STIGMA (CUV. & VAL.)*
BY
H. K. MOOKERJEE, D. Sc. (LOND), D.I.C., F.N.I.,
S. R. MAZUMDAR, M.Sc.
AND
B. DAS GUPTA, M.Sc.
Department of Zoology, Calcutta University
(Received for publication on May 3, 1941)
(With Plate XIX)
B ARBUS (PUNTIUS) STIGMA is a small Carp Minnow commonly found
in ponds, pools and ditches of Bengal; it usually grows to a size of 2 to
3 inches, but according to Day [1878],' It attains at least 5 inches in length.'
Day mentioned that' As food it is bitter'. We have, however, found that the
flesh of the fish is not bitter, but as the gall-bladder is got rid of by external
pressure at the time of preparation of the fish, sometimes a certain amount of
bile remains inside and this makes the fish bitter. During the dry season it
is caught by the poorer people in large quantities by inexpensive methods of
fishing [Hora, 1933]. The fish can easily be reared in small aquaria, but
owing to its dull colouration it has not found favour with aquarists. In the
course of our investigations on the life-histories of the freshwater fishes of
Bengal, we noticed that during the breeding season, which lasts from April to
July, both sexes develop a characteristic band of carmine red colour along the
lateral line. In the male it is well defined and of a deeper colour and extends
to the end of the caudal fin, while in the female it is more or less diffuse and
only extends up to the end of the caudal pedunc e. (Plate XIX). U ually the
female develops this colouration only when fully ripe or immediate y before
it is ready to lay eggs, while in the male the colour band is developed with
the ripening of germ cells. The body of a mature female is proportionately
deeper than that of the male. Day (loc. cit.) also noted that the species
is marked ' with a scarlet lateral band at some seasons ', but evidently he
did not realise its significance.
In several species of Carp Minnows the males assume brilliant colour
during the breeding season [Innes, 1935] and during these periods sexes can
*Chaudhuri [1916] has shown that Barbus (Puntius) stigma (Cuv. & Val.) is a
synonym of Barbus (Puntius) sophore Hamilton. In view of the fact that Hamilton
[1822] found this fish ' very common in ponds ' of Bengal, we consider that Chaudhuri's
views are probably correct, but as Day's Fishes of India and the volumes in his Fauna
of British India series are still our standard works on Indian fishes we have retained
the specific name stigma in Day's sense to facilitate reference.
250
Ind. J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb., Vol. XI, Part III ]
PLATE XIX
H. K. MOOKERJEE, S. R. MAZUMDAR AND B. DAS GUPTA 251
be readily distinguished. The Indian species of Barbus in which this character
has already been noticed are B. (Puntius) chola Ham., B. (Puntius) concho-
nius Ham., B. (Puntius) gelius Ham. and B. (Puntius) terio Ham. Misra [1938]
described the colouration of preserved specimens of the male and the female
of B. (Puntius) malanampyx Day, while Hora and Misra [1938], in describing
the secondary sexual characters of B. (Puntius) ticto Ham., referred to the
differences in the colour of the preserved male and female specimens.
Hora, Misra and Malik [1939] have also referred to the differences in the
colouration of the male and female specimens of ticto and conchonius.
REFERENCES
Chaudhuri, B. L. (1916). Mem. Ind. Mus. 5, 436
Day, F. (1878). Fishes of India, pp. 579 (London)
Hamilton, F. (1822). An account of the Fishes found in the River Ganges and its Branches
p. 310 (Edinburgh)
Hora, S. L. (1933). Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 28, 197
Hora, S. L. and Misra, K. S. (1938). J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. 40, 29
Hora, S. L., Misra, K. S. and Malik, G. M. (1939). Rec. Ind. Mus. 41, 267
Innes, W. T. (1935). Exotic Aquarium Fishes, pp. 187-202 (Philadelphia)
Misra, K. S. (1938). Rec. Ind. Mus. 40, 259
SELECTED ARTICLES
EXPERIMENTS ON THE ANTHELMINTIC ACTION OF
PHENOTHIAZINE
BY
GEOFFREY LAPAGE, M.A., M.D., M.Sc.
Institute of Animal Pathology, University of Cambridge
(Reprinted from the Veterinary Record, Vol. 52, No. 36, September 7, 1940)
T HE experiments described below were begun in October 1939, and
formed part of the field trials which, as Dr. Taylor explains elsewhere in
this symposium, were instituted by the Agricultural Research Council. They
were planned with the advice and practical assistance of Professor Dalling,
F. Blakemore, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M., F. Day, F.R.C.V.S., and J. A. J. Venn,
M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M. Professor Keilin, Director of the Molteno Institute,
University of Cambridge, made the spectroscopic examinations of the blood of
some of the horses. The egg and differential worm counts would not have
been possible without the skilled help of H. E. Bowman. The phenothiazine
used was supplied by the Agricultural Research Council and was therefore part
of the stock which was also supplied to the other contributors to this sympo-
sium. Most of the contributors judged the effect of phenothiazine by egg
counts and periodical weighings of the animals treated and the writer also
followed this practice, except that he did a series of egg counts before the dose
was given and took the average, in every instance, between the counts done
on two different portions of the same sample of faeces, these two counts being
done by different observers. These two counts on the same sample of faeces
often differed very considerably, so that the precaution of taking the average
of two was amply justified. It was unfortunately not possible to supplement
the egg counts and weighings with autopsies, histological examinations of
organs removed, especially of the kidney and the liver and by examinations of
the blood (although the blood of some of the horses was examined), but these
further examinations are being done on animals being used for additional expe-
riments now in progress. The object of these additional experiments is to
gather further information about (1) the relative efficiencies of copper sulphate
alone, copper sulphate and nicotine, phenothiazine suspended in liquid, and
tablets of phenothiazine ; (2) the effect of phenothiazine on the host; (3) the
greater or less effect of phenothiazine on particular species of nematodes.
There is some evidence in the literature and in private communications to the
writer, which suggests that phenothiazine acts most powerfully on nematodes
living in the abomasum and in the lower parts of the bowel, and that it has less
effect on nematodes living in the duodenum and the upper part of the small
intestine. This evidence is not in any way conclusive, but it seems to the
writer that this question should be investigated further. The study of it
could well be combined with a study of (4) the effects, if any, of the environ-
ment of intestinal nematodes on phenothiazine and (5) the mode of action of
phenothiazine, about which we know nothing at all. Taylor records in this
252