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for obtaining grass with the least possible labour from swamps, ponds, or the beds of
recently dried tanks or nullahs. The state of these latter places just as the evaporating
process approaches completion, is horrible, simply a mass of foul smelling, putrid green slime
containing myriads of low organisms Stacking grass would, at least to a great extent, protect
animals against this source of infection.
Period of Incubation.
I regret I cannot afford any accurate information, I should think from twenty-five to
seventy days or even longer.
Mules and ponies, old and young, male and female, of all sizes and colours are attacked
and die of the disease. I do not believe that sex, age, colour, or breed exercises any influence
in the matter. Animals in the "Pink" of condition succumb as, or even more rapidly than,
those that are weak and in a debilitated state. Burman ponies and Panthe mules contract the
disease as readily as imported animals. We will no doubt hear a good deal about flies
serving as transmissive agents, now that Dr. Bruce has established the fact in connection
with the " Nagana " or " Tsetse-fly " disease. As in South Africa I am certain the flies
possess specific venom; though I have never served in Africa I venture to state that certain
tracts in this province could compete very favourably with the special " fly tracts " of any
other country. In Burma they are particularly bad after the first few thunderstorms, i. e.,
the end of April and early part of May; indeed they are so troublesome that Burmans
when obliged to take carts, etc., etc., through them, take the precaution of making torches of
strips of bark of one of the wood-oil trees, I think the Dipterocarpus Laevis, Burmese
(Kanyin-ni). After lighting the torches, they tie a bundle of green twigs with leaves on
to make them smoke well,—one is tied to the yoke between the oxen, the driver carries another to
protect himself, and drive the ies from the back and sides of the bullocks. In spite of these
appliances men and animals are often severely bitten. Baggage elephants, with trunks and tails
swinging, do record trips through such places. I have not observed the cattle or ponies in these
parts looking any worse than animals out of these tracts. The Burmans laugh at the idea of
these flies provoking any ailment beyond sores at times resulting from the bites. I have
frequently examined many kinds of horse and cattle flies in different tracts, and at different
seasons of the year, but so far without results. If flies are removed from the body of a Surra
patient, Hæmatozoa may now and again be seen, but I examined many specimens before I
detected them, and then only in a fly which had been feeding on soiled blood.
That flies may carry soiled blood I am prepared to admit, the ordinary 'Bara Dhang' could
easily do this ; still I am of opinion that only a small percentage of animals become infected
in this manner; however, time may show that they carry the Hæmatozoon about, a great deal
more than we at present give them credit for. Feeding on coarse rank grass which wounds
the mouths, tongues, of animals endeavouring to eat it, affords ample means for the entry
of the infusorian, especially so when they have to eat marsh grasses, after a course of thatch
grass and drink bad water. There can be no question that the Hæmatozoon is the cause of
the malady ; it is to be found in all cases of Surra, and all equines in which it is seen, as far
as my experience goes, will most assuredly die.
I have often heard men say that they have known Burman doctors to cure Surra, and
that, when stationed at such and such a place, a Burman cured two cases, etc., etc, such animals
having, to their certain knowledge, worked for two years after. These were, no doubt, cases
of that peculiar form of bilious fever which very closely resembles Surra in many of its
symptoms, and which I described to you. You also met with the same disease in Poona. I
think, we can safely say, that no Burman ever cured a case of the disease we know as Surra.
I have given Burmese doctors every opportunity and assistance, and have offered a large
reward; though they have on several occasions accepted my offers, they have after a week's trial
given the patients up as hopeless, stating that they had mistaken the nature of the malady.
No doubt the most striking feature of the disease is the wonderful appetite of the affected
animals, and the manner in which they (in spite of food) rapidly become living skeletons
It is a distressing sight to see an animal down, with its heart thumping violently, and veins
of head distended, still struggling to eat. I have many times seen an animal drop dead while
eating, and have several times propped them up when unable to stand into the lying posture,
when they have at once commenced to feed and have died in from twenty to thirty minutes
after. Even with very high temperatures they will always take grass, but may refuse grain.
Urticaria is not nearly so common as in Indian cases; œdema is common enough,
especially among the larger patients.
Constipation is the rule; diarrhœa the exception; the dung natural at first, later on is
of a light brown colour, towards the close it is frequently pultaceous and possesses a foul odour.
The urine from Surra patients varies a great deal, sometimes viscid, at others not; in colour
varies from a reddish to a greenish yellow. As a rule, it is alkaline in reaction, but towards
the close is often slightly or distinctly acid. I have failed to detect the organism in the
urine, but blood and granular casts are common enough; in some cases small quantities of
albumen may be present.
Spiroptera nests are distinctly rare. During this season I have made upwards of sixty
post-mortems, and in only one case did I observe a nest.