NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
December, 1954 ] G. S. MAHAL AND S. JAYARAMAN 263
many as 60 corings, although coring dense bales may cut down the life to only 20
corings.
Blade retaining ring : This is an ordinary ring with two elbow studways the ends
of which are meant to lock cutting blade in the cutting blade chamber. The ring
fits in the recess of the extraction cylinder.
SAMPLING FROM THE BAGS
The process of sampling by the core method involves two separate stages for
purposes of description : (1) Lots suitable for sampling and (2) the actual sampling.
1. Lots suitable for sampling : It is preferable that the wools to be core-sampled,
be as uniform in grade and condition as possible since the accuracy of the results
depends far more upon the uniformity of the wool than upon anything else.
According to the official standards in the United States Department of Agriculture
[1949] it is not practicable to sample lots of less than ten bags or five bales or appro-
ximately 2,000 pounds of wool. Accurate core tests require a minimum of 100
cores and it is difficult to draw this number of cores from one or two bags. It
has been shown that it is not necessary to draw a sample from every bag in a lot if
there are more than ten bags. Sampling of a restricted number of bags on larger
lots will give accurate results and with less expense. Bags or bales for being cored
are to be selected from all parts of the lot and. should be thoroughly representative.
No bags containing only tags or segregated-off wools should be sampled.
On the basis of sufficient experience, the United States Department of Agri-
culture [1949] has suggested the standards as seen in Table I (a & b) for the number
of bags or bales to be cored and the number of cores to be taken according to the
size of the lot :
TABLE I(a)
Standard for bagged lots
Size of lot by bags
10—13
14— 20
21— 30
31— 60
61—100
101—150
151—200
201—250
251—350
351—450
451—500
Bags to be cored
10
12
15
18
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Cores per bag
10
10
10
10
10
10
8
8
6
6
6
Total cores
100
120
150
180
200
250
240
280
240
270
300
264
CORE
TESTING
METHOD
[ Vol. XXIV, Part IV,
TABLE I(b)
Standard for baled lots
Total number of bales
1— 9
10— 30
31— 60
61—100
101—150
151—200
201—300
Bales to be cored
All
10
15
20
25
30
35
Cores per bale
10
10
7
6
5
5
5
Total cores
Up to 90
100
105
120
125
150
175
2. Actual sampling of a bag of wool by pattern : During actual sampling of a bag
it is essential that the sample should represent all parts of the bag including the
outer and inner layers in proper proportion. Johnston and Davis (loc. cit.) after
conducting a series of trials have developed a pattern by which a sample is obtained
from all parts of the bag and is truly representative. The procedure suggested by
the authors is as follows :—
On one of its flat sides the bag is laid on the floor. The procedure laid out
is on the assumption that the bag is six feet long. Four coring locations are marked
on the uppermost side on a chalk line drawn at the exact centre which runs from
the mouth of the bag to the foot. Starting from the mouth of the bag, the first
coring location is marked on top of the bulge of the shoulder, the second, third and
fourth locations being marked approximately 17 inches apart from the first and
from each other down this centre line towards the foot of the bag. The fourth coring
location thus is approximately 20 inches on a horizontal plane from the central
horizontal line of the foot of the bag. This line of cores is known as the centre line
cores. Two similar side lines are then drawn one on each side of and parallel to
the centre line at a distance of 8½ to 9 inches from the centre line. Three
coring locations are then marked first on the left side line ; commencing from the
foot of the bag the first location is on the top of the bulge of the shoulder, the second
and third locations marked at 26 inches equidistant from the first and from each
other down this side line towards the mouth of the bag. The third location thus
is approximately 20 inches on a horizontal plane from the mouth of the bag. Three
more coring locations are then marked on the remaining right side line ; commencing
from the mouth of the bag, the first location is approximately eight inches from the
top of the bulge of the shoulder and the second and third locations 17 inches equi-
distant from the first location and from each other. The third location will thus be
approximately 30 inches on a horizontal plane from the foot of the bag. These
coring locations as illustrated diagramatically by the authors can be seen in Plate XV,
figure 4.
After the locations are marked the burlap is cut at these spots. The sharp
end of the coring tube is pressed into the wool, the power is turned on and the
ABSTRACTS
Pregnancy toxaemia in grassland flocks. HOLMES, J. R. (1953). Vet. Rec. 65, 20,
299-303
P REGNANCY toxæmia is one of the most important metabolic diseases of
sheep and causes a considerable annual loss to the sheep industry. The incidence
in individual flocks is often high and mortality is frequently over 90 per cent in
affected animals.
This paper comprises a review of some of the observations made on certain
clinical aspects of the disease. As a result of this work, it is considered that in the
great majority of cases the disease is preventable and prophylactic measures are
therefore considered in some detail.
Pregnancy toxæmia is usually defined as an acute metabolic disease affecting
ewes during the last few weeks of gestation, mostly between 120-130 days of preg-
nancy. It is characterized by acetonaemia with fatty infiltration of the liver and
often associated with a low blood sugar level. This disease tends to affect ewes
carrying twins or triplets. The principal symptoms are those suggestive of a nervous
and muscular disturbance.
The results of this investigation indicate that the development of pregnancy
toxæmia depends upon the relationship between fœtal demands and maternal
food supplies during pregnancy particularly near term. It is considered that the
disease could be prevented by supplying an adequate food intake for the pregnant
ewe, particularly during the last six weeks of gestation. Observations recorded in
normal flocks also illustrate the desirability of supplementing natural food supplies
when grass on the pasture is rare in the winter. (K.K.P.)
Studies on the breeding season of the ewe. HAFEZ, E. S. E. (1952). J. agri.
Sci. 42, 189-265
T HE author has made detailed studies of the breeding season of the ewe, and
has divided the paper in five parts ; viz. 1. The breeding season in different
environments, 2. The breeding season in one locality, 3. The breeding season and
artificial light, 4. Studies on the reproduction in the ewe, and 5. Mating beha-
viour and pregnancy diagnosis.
In part 1 of the paper, the breeding season of wild and domesticated sheep in
relation to environment has been studied. It was found that domestication has
changed wild sheep, goat and thar from monoestrous to polyoestrous animals special-
-y in the tropical regions. Maximum sexual activity occurs in autumn and early
winter. The ovarian rhythm is influenced by breed, latitude and seasonal day-length
changes.
269
104 AR/54.
18
December, 1954 ]
ABSTRACTS
271
even after alkaline hydrolysis. The substance could be isolated from the sperma-
tozoa band testis of bull, ram, boar, rabbit and man. Chemical and physical tests
have indicated the presence of elemental sulphur in it. The methods of extraction
in crude form from bull spermatozoa and for the biological assay are described.
(P. N. S.)
Protein requirement of ewes during breeding and pregnancy. E. W. KLOSTERMAN,
D. W. BOLIN, M. L. BUCHANAN, F. M. BOLIN and W. E. DINNUSON. (1953).
J. Anim. Sci., 12, 188-200
T HE experiments described in this paper are in continuation of the previous
work by the authors in which they found that the recommendation of the
National Research Council to provide 0.20—0.25 lb. of digestible protein daily to
pregnant ewes may be somewhat higher than required. In the present series of
investigations lasting over two years, studies were made of the effect of feeding
120 ewes with 12 different rations having protein contents ranging from 5-10 per
cent. The amount of digestible protein supplied to each ewe varied from 0.06 to
0.29 lb. daily. Metabolism experiments showed that the majority of animals on
all the rations remained in nitrogen balance throughout the whole gestation period,
though in late pregnancy the ewes fed at higher levels retained significantly
more nitrogen. No statistically significant differences were found between the
various rations in fleece weight, birth weight of lambs, or weight of lambs at thirty
days of age. Ewes fed at the lowest levels of nitrogen, however, tended to shear
lighter fleeces and their twin lambs weighed slightly less at thirty days.
Statistical calculations revealed a significant correlation between nitrogen
retention and digestible dry matter intake and the amount of nitrogen stored was
influenced more by the amount of dry matter ingested than by the amount of nitrogen
fed. These results indicate that when energy is adequately provided for, the protein
requirement of pregnant ewes may be much less than that recommended by the
National Research Council. (S. N. R.)
Tuberculosis in man, an animal health problem. P. J. J. FOURIE (1952). Onders-
tepoort J. Vet. Sci., 25, 3, 7-37
IN this paper the author has reported the results of his investigations to deter-
mine the source of infection of some of the experimental cattle which gave a
positive reaction to tuberculin.
In the Onderstepoort herd of 224 experimental animals from which tubercu-
losis had been eradicated in 1940 by slaughtering all positive and doubtful reactors,
and in which only one case had been encountered at the annual tests carried out
during the succeeding nine years, ten positive reactors were suddenly encountered
in the 1949 test.
The present studies were undertaken to prove that human attendant was the
source of infection. Seven reactors were from a group of gall-sickness vaccine
December, 1954]
ABSTRACTS
273
experimental stage, evinced favourable laboratory trials and was not likely to
cause a severe reaction in grade cattle. Twenty times the minimum immunising
dose, which was 0.005 gm. of the batch of K 21 of the lapinised virus vaccine, was
used.
At the time of inoculation a proportion of calves, milking cows, bulls, heifers,
and dry and in calf cows, were all showing symptoms of rinderpest. It was observed
that the lapinised virus vaccine inoculated, so interfered with the extension of the
infection, that, rinderpest was prevented from decimating the herd. There appeared
to be no adverse effect on the milk yield. Also, the vaccine proved to have no un-
toward effect on pregnant cows as no abortion or stillbirth of calves was noticed.
The vaccine established a firm immunity in other herds either infected or with fair
chances for contact. It is significant that there was no spread of the disease from
the immunised animals to those of the unfenced neighbouring farms.
The results of the above-mentioned vaccination were encouraging even when
susceptible cattle were vaccinated under conditions when cattle were beginning to
die in large numbers on the infected farm. (M.S.J.)
New theories on methods of selection and mating in poultry. JAAP, R. G. (1952).
World's Poult. Sci. J., 8, 2, 114-27
T O produce chickens superior to their parents, one should take into account the
production of eggs for selecting breeders. The number of eggs laid up to 500
days from the date of hatching, gives a better idea of the hen's qualities. In the
opinion of the author, to large a body size at the time of maturity may interfere
with early sexual maturity ; a desirable characteristic determining total annual egg
production. Where facilities do not exist for long-term trapnesting, the number of
eggs laid during autumn and winter months only can serve as a means to assess the
breeding worth of a hen. The author suggests that allowance be given to differences
in the laying performances due to heredity and environment. A hen to qualify as
a breeder should have laid 30 to 40 eggs more than the average of the flock to allow
for environmental influences.
For growth-rate studies in the early stages, it is recommended that males and
females should be weighed separately. After determining the average weight for
the sex in each of the hatches, the weight of a chicken is recorded not in pounds or
ounces but as to how many tenths of a pound or ounce it is over or under the average
for its sex, e.g. as +3, or —5, etc.
For improvement of egg production, flock mating seems to be more effective
while the breeding worth of a cock bird, if determined in advance, will go a long way
to get better results in the succeeding generations.
Those who practise cross breeding will be well advised to cross a lighter breed
with a heavy breed, e.g. White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red, to produce superior
chickens. (S.G.I.)
274
ABSTRACTS
[Vol. XXIV, Part IV,
Life history of the coccidian parasite-Eimeria arloingi—in domestic sheep.
JOHN C. LOTZE (1953). Amer. J. Vet. Res., XIV, 50, 86-95
E NDOGENOUS development of Eimeria arloingi has been studied. The life
cycle was characterised by a single round of schizogony in epithelial lining of
crypts of Lieberkuehn followed by gametogony occuring in epithelial surface of the
villi which were greatly enlarged. Patches of the parasitised villi were grey-coloured
raised areas on the mucous membrane. The entire cycle was limited to the small
intestine and took at least 20 days to complete.
Experimental lambs were separated at the time of birth and kept in clean steel
cages. They were maintained on a synthetic nutritive mixture of evaporated milk,
corn syrup, water and supplemented with fish liver oil throughout. All chances of
extraneous infection were scrupulously avoided. Thus the lambs were successfully
reared parasite-free.
As 6½ to 10½ hours of stay in paunches was the necessary pre-requisite for ex-
cystation, infective oocysts were administered in gelatin capsules so that they would
drop in the rumen.
Free sporozoites were seen in upper small intestine 24 hours after infection.
They penetrated the epithelial lining of the crypts upto the third day and in next
two days reached the endothelial cells lining the central lacteals of the villi where
they developed into schizonts. By the seventeenth day mature schizonts (146
µ × 122 µ) were noticed, though earliest sign of differentiation of schizonts into
merozoites was noted on the thirteenth day. Each schizont produced, probably,
millions of merozoites (9 µ × 2 µ). Almost all schizonts had ruptured by the twenty-
first day such that they were absent in 23 days after infection.
Gametocytes were seen developing in epithelial cells lining the crypts on the
nineteenth day. In next two days mature slender microgametes and ripe macro-
gametes, containing dense granules at the periphery, had developed. Process of
fertilisation was not observed. Earliest discharge of oocysts was seen on the twentieth
day after infection which continued to be heavy for the next five days after which
the discharge progressively decreased. Text has been illustrated with excellent
photomicrographs. (V.V.S.)
REVIEWS
ANIMAL NUTRITION
By L. A. MAYNARD
(Published by the McGraw Hill International Corporation, New York, 1952, pp. 494.
Price $7)
P ROF. Maynard's book on animal nutrition is a standard text-book and requires
no introduction. The present volume is the third edition of his book, first publish-
ed in 1937. The rapid expansion in the field of animal nutrition is well illustrated
by the fact that the second edition, published in 1947, became so obsolete in four
years' time that a fresh revised edition became necessary. The bringing out of this
edition also shows the eagerness of Dr Maynard in keeping his book up-to-date and
incidentally explains its popularity.
In revising his book for a new edition, Dr Maynard has been faced with two
problems. The first has been to study and evaluate the tremendous number of
papers on animal nutrition which are being published every year and the other one
has been to incorporate the latest findings without markedly increasing the size
of the new edition. On perusal of this new edition, it must be admitted that the
author has succeeded remarkably in achieving both these objects.
In maintaining the size of the book at par with the previous edition, Dr Maynard
has eliminated some material which was included in the second edition. One
such elimination has been discussion, in a tabular form, of the protein requirement
figures for growth of dairy cattle, as found by the factorial method of Blaster and
Mitchell. In my opinion, the retention of these figures would have been useful.
Indeed it would have been very helpful for the student as well as teachers, if the
author had included another table giving the protein requirement for growth of
various species, as found out by different methods, as well as for the sake of
comparison the corresponding figures as recommended by the N.R.C.
Similarly in Chapter III, the portion of biological oxidation and reduction might
have been profitably enlarged by a consideration of the cytechrom system. In
Chapter IV, some elaboration of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs cycle) would
have been helpful.
From the point of view of students in the tropical countries, it would have been
very helpful, if some discussion about the effect on extreme climates on animal
health and production had been included. Some reference to critical temperature
has been made in Chapter X but nothing has been mentioned about the
large number of papers on the subject of environment on feed intake and milk
production.
Dr Maynard cites (In Chapter XII, p. 312) the reference of Mitchell that the
endogenous nitrogen in ruminants is 0.03 gm. per kg. body weight. Kehar and
Mukherjee have however shown that on a nitrogen-free ration the value is really
as low as 0.02 gm. of nitrogen per kg. body weight. These authors [1949] have
also shown (Indian J. Vet. Sci. 19, 125) that the metabolic faecal in nitrogen output
275
276
REVIEWS
[Vol. XXIV, Part IV,
of cattle depends more on the level of faecal dry matter output rather than on dry
matter consumption.
The book is singularly free from mistakes. The only one discovered by the
reviewer is on page 333, where it has been stated that 'the data in Table XXVI
are somewhat higher than those arrived at by the factorial method (Table XXV)'.
The reverse seems to be true.
However, the book can be highly recommended and should find a place on the
shelf of every student of animal nutrition. Its usefulness will be more appreciated
in the tropical countries if some space is given in the next edition to extensive work
now being carried out in India. (N.D.K.)
ENTOMOLOGY
(Medical and Veterinary)
By D. N. ROY and A. W. A. BROWN
(Published by Excelsior Press, Calcutta 1954, pp. 423, Price Rs. 30)
E NTOMOLOGY is a branch of zoology in which Medical and Veterinary men
attach the least importance to details of morphological characters unless these
have a direct bearing on the identification of the disease producing agents. They pay
special attention to the life-history, bionomics and natural enemies of the insects
with a view to discover a weak point in their life-cycle for the adoption of suitable
control measures. Entomology has now acquired a separate status which has its back-
ground in preventive medicine. As there are very few authoritative books on this
subject in this country, the medical entomologists experience considerable difficulty
in obtaining the requisite information as it is scattered in several scientific journals.
A good book on the subject was long overdue and Dr D. N. Roy's book on ento-
mology, published in 1940, filled the lacuna and is being largely used as a text-
book by medical and veterinary students and those interested in public health.
It is gratifying to see that within a short period of eight years the author has brought
out a revised edition, incorporating all that is known till now, in collaboration with
Professor Brown, M. B. E., Ph. D., Professor and Head of Department of Zoology,
University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Special emphasis is laid in this
book on life-history and bionomics of the disease-producing insects with a view to
facilitate their identification with certainty and also for the final adoption of suitable
control measures.
This book has been written with a special bias for medical entomology and until
such time a separate treatise on veterinary entomology is brought out, it will
continue to be useful for the veterinary entomologists also.
December, 1954]
REVIEWS
277
The book is divided into two parts ; part one deals with entomology of disease-
producing agents, while the second part deals with the insecticides of vegetable and
chemical origin with special emphasis on the control of the insects that transmit
human and animal diseases.
The get-up of this book is excellent and the author deserves the gratitude of all
of those interested in this subject for having brought together all available informa-
tion regarding the life-history, bionomics, behaviour, identification and control
of all the arthropods that are chiefly responsible for the causation of diseases in
man and animals. (S.R.R.).
DISEASES OF LIVESTOCK
By T.G. HUNGERFORD
(Published by Graham Book Co., Martin Place and Elizabeth Street, Sydney 1953,
pp. 660, Price 6s.)
T HE author has tried to write in simple language the difficult subject of livestock
diseases for the use of students of agricultural colleges, graziers, extension workers
and other non-veterinarians. The language is non-technical as far as the subject
would permit and is precise and lucid. The diseases have been dealt with species-
wise and in the beginning of each section there is a key for differential diagnosis,
which is most useful for recapitulation, even for a trained observer or a busy practi-
tioner, who has no time to go through the whole text, to pin down the cause of a
certain malady. This, however, as the author points out, is merely a guide to see the
details of the disease from the main text.
In view of the importance of sheep industry to Australia, the chapter on sheep
diseases has been dealt with rather well and extensively. General information
given separately about age of puberty, gestation period and about feeding and
management of different types of livestock given in the beginning of different sections
is most useful. In a book written in 1953 one would however expect a little more
information on many of the current topics like pining in lambs in the U.K., selenium
poisoning in the U. S. A., use of B. C. G. vaccine for control of T. B. in livestock,
etc.; if for nothing else but for the sake of completion. The geographical incidence
of the diseases is not mentioned in detail; reference is made about the occurrence
of the diseases in Australia and New Zealand only and occasionally in other countries.
Important diseases like rinderpest and foot and mouth which occur in this country
and several other countries do not find any mention. It is also mentioned that in
haemorrhagic septicimia, according to some theory the cause is a virus. This seems
to be out-dated since Pasturella boviseptica is a well-established cause of the disease.
Similarly the name of a number of important parasites and the species of snakes
found in India are missing. Such shortcomings limit the utility of this well-written
book to Australian conditions only. (H.K.L.).
104 AR/54.
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