4
the disease. Previous to its entry the amount of N. P. contained in the
injected bile is generally sufficient to bring about a passive protection, but
when the 6th day bile is utilized with the " materies morbi " of rinderpest
present, the contagium is more or less kept in check by the action of the
N. P. present, and produces in the injected animal a very modified form of
the disease, but nevertheless the result is a transitory active immunity which
may persist for a period of 3 to 5 months, according to the degree of virulence
possessed by the contagium in the injected bile. Further, on the 5th day of
the disease the average percentage of N. P. is only 0.5063 grammes per cent.,
the multiple of increase of N. P. being 28.93 per cent., whereas on the 6th
day the average percentage of N. P. jumps up to 1.1160 grammes per cent.
or a multiple of increase of 63.77 times more than the average found in healthy
young hill cattle. A total increase of more than 100 per cent. in 24 hours.
Consequently if the 6th day bile utilized for the purpose of injection should
fail to bring about a transitory active immunity owing to absence of rinderpest
contagium from the injected bile, the amount of N. P. present would in plains
cattle be sufficient to produce a passive immunity which could be changed
into an active immunity by the inoculation of virulent blood, several weeks
later.
5. Normal Bile and its N. P.—The most important result of Normal
Bile and its N. P. is that a passive immunity can be conferred on plains cattle
and buffaloes against rinderpest after successive doses of normal bovine bile
containing N. P. and Lecithin in sufficient quantities.
6. Serum experiments.—In last year's report the results obtained with the
serum deposited at Jacobabad, Madras, and Rangoon were recorded, showing a
material diminution in the initial protective value of sera when exposed to
high temperatures. During the year under report similar experiments were
carried out with the serum deposited at Meerut, Muktesar, and Quetta. The
following is a short resumé of the results obtained :—
7. Meerut.—On the 26th November 1900, 2,380c. c. of No. VIII serum
were issued to the Assistant to the Inspector General, a certain quantity was
utilized and the remainder was deposited in Meerut (United Provinces) until
27th January 1903, when it was despatched to Muktesar and received on the
7th February 1903, being retested on the 12th March 1903. After having
been exposed for a period of 26 months including two hot seasons in Meerut,
maximum shade temperature in 1901 rising to 107.7° F. and in 1902, 103.8°F.,
it was found to have lost 55 per cent. in protective power, i.e., a hill animal
required a dose of 200 c. c. per 600 lbs. body weight to bring about protection
by the simultaneous method instead of 90 c. c. as standardized at the time of
issue.
The same serum, viz., No. VIII, which was deposited in the office of the
Collector of Jacobabad on the 17th of January and retained there until the end
of July, 1901, exposed to a maximum temperature of 126° F., was found last
year on being retested at Muktesar, to have lost 66.6 per cent. in protective
power.
It will therefore be observed from the above experiments that when
samples of the same serum were deposited in (i) Jacobabad for a period of 6½
months maximum shade temperature rising to 126° F., (ii) in Meerut for a
period of 26 months, including two hot seasons, maximum shade temperature
rising to 107.7°F., the former sample lost 66.6 per cent., whereas the latter only
lost 55 per cent.
8. Muktesar.—No. XI serum was prepared during the months of Septem-
ber to November, 1901, and was utilized for the serum test experiments carried
on in Cawnpore, Central Provinces, and Poona in January and February, 1902,
also for the Bengal and Madras experiments by Mr. Stockman during the past
few months, and in addition for testing the Lucknow, Jalaun, and Meerut
breeds of cattle between December, 1902, to March, 1903.
The unused serum has been kept in the cold room at Muktesar and only
forwarded to the plains when required for the above mentioned experiments.
It nevertheless was deemed advisable, during the present winter, to retest
it in order to ascertain whether the protective value had decreased since it was
prepared and standardized 16 to 17 months ago. These latter experiments have
proved that the protective value of No. XI serum as issued at 126 c. c. for hill