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PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN BOVINES AND
BUFFALOES DURING A PERIOD OF OBSERVATION AND THE PHASES
OF SURRA.
Up to the time these experiments were undertaken there was no evidence forthcoming
to show whether buffaloes are susceptible to the organism of Surra or not, although it was
surmised that, if bovines were capable of contracting the disease, buffaloes would not be
exempt. We had previously shown that bovines passed through an attack of Surra, and if
uncomplicated with any other disease the animals always survived, even when re-inoculation was
resorted to after varying periods.
In our previous researches the experiments were conducted either in the plains or at an
altitude of 1,850 feet; consequently, when these investigations were initiated on buffaloes in
the hills at a height of 7,500 feet, it was decided to ascertain concurrently what effect, if any,
was produced on bovines by the change of elevation, temperature, etc.
The opportunity was also taken of working out certain physiological and pathological
problems, as far as circumstances would permit, on very much the same lines as those adopt-
ed in the case of equines, a précis of which were included in the Report for 1895-96. In
order to make this enquiry in bovines and buffaloes, the quantity and composition of the
ingesta and egesta have been ascertained during a period of observation, previous to inocula-
tion, the incubatory period of the disease, and the paroxysms and intermissions until death.
The following data were recorded, viz., the weight and composition of the ingesta,
including fodder and water ; also that of the egesta, including dung and urine.
In the Urine the total Nitrogen, the Urea, the Hippuric Acid and Ammonia were sepa-
rately estimated.
UNTREATED CASES OF SURRA.
BULL V.
A hill animal, aged two years, height 10 hands, in good health and condition. After
a period of observation lasting 72 days, the animal, on January the 14th, 1897, was inocu-
lated on the ear by means of a slight scratch, and a trace of blood containing a few hæma-
tozoa—taken from Buffalo No. I, primarily inoculated from a horse—was smeared over the
wound. As no symptoms of Surra supervened up to the 22nd of February 1897, the animal
was re-inoculated on that date in the ear with blood taken from Buffalo II.
It is of interest to note that swelling was absent from the seat of inoculation, although
the hæmatozoon appeared in the blood on the 8th day following the operation.
The period of incubation lasted 6.75 days. At the time of writing this note 131 days
have elapsed since the first appearance of the organism in the blood.
The first paroxysm extended over three days, on the last of which the hæmatozoon was
swarming. Intermission I lasted three days and was followed by Paroxysm II, during which
period the hæmatozoon was found to be swarming for a period of 48 hours. Intermission II
extended over five days and was followed by a third paroxysm lasting 24 hours.
One hæmatozoon, however, was only found in two covered glass preparations of fresh blood.
From the 17th of March till July 25th no more organisms have been observed.
Body-weight —The animal was weighed three times daily—morning, noon and evening.
During the period of observation the body-weight varied between a maximum of 292 and mini-
mum 252lb. The variation in weight was of course due to the different amounts of food and
moisture in the stomach and intestines at the time of weighing, but the mean for the full
period of observation was 276lb. The animal after inoculation rapidly lost flesh, and on the
seventh day of the last intermission weighed 226lb.
On reference to the case of Bull I in Volume I of Surra Report, it will be noted that this
animal rapidly lost flesh during the attack of the disease, and that it did not become fat and
sleek again until the expiration of 12 months from the date of inoculation.
Water drunk.—During the period of observation 6.55 litres were taken daily. The amount
rapidly decreased through the rest of the case, being most marked during the period of
incubation of the disease. During the paroxysms 4.82 and intermissions 4.98 litres were res-
pectively drunk. For the whole period of 101 days it averaged 5.07 litres or 11.15lb.
Water in food.—In addition to the above 0.608 litres (l.34lb) were taken in daily as
moisture in the fodder, equal to a total of 5.68 litres (12.49lb.)
The ratio of water egested to ingested was in the period of observation 1 : 1.28 ; it
decreased in the latent period to 1: 1.03, whilst during the paroxysms and intermissions the
ratios were 1: 1.35 and 1: 1.22, respectively. For the whole period of 101 days it was the
same as during the intermissions.
During the period of observation lasting 72 days the animal drank 4.18lb of water for
every 1lb of body-weight, whereas during the third intermission, lasting seven days, the quan-
tity had become reduced to 0.325 lb for each pound body-weight.
Food.—This consisted of hay which was given to the animal ad libitum. The animal
weighed at the commencement 287lb and at the end of the third intermission (seven days),
101 days later, 226lb, showing a loss in body-weight of 61lb equal to 21.25 per cent.
The difference between the Nitrogen ingested in the food and egested in the urine, dung,
etc., during the same period amounted to 10.75 per cent. of the total loss calculated as proteid
matter; the remaining loss was due to moisture, Co. 2 , etc.