NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
June, 1955]
R. M. SHARMA AND TULSA RAM 137
TABLE III.
Average reaction in Hissari sheep
Serial
No.
1
2
Description of group
Scarification group
Subcuteneous group
No of
animals
5
5
Temperature on
1st day
101.2
101.2
2nd day
101.2
101.2
3rd day
102.2
102.0
4th day
103.2
103.4
5th day
103.7
104.2
Serial
No.
1
2
Description of group
Scarification group
Subcutaneous group
6th day
103.0
103.9
7th day
103.1
103.4
8th day
100.9
101.8
9th day
100.5
101.6
10th day
100.3
100.8
Reactions. There was in general no apparent systemic disturbance observed in
the above animals. They kept on feeding and did not show any dullness. The
reaction on the whole was moderate. Fig. 3 shows the composite charts of the
average reactions recorded. The slightly high reaction (average 0.39°F) in the
subcutaneous group is not very significant.
(d) Lohi sheep
Twenty female lambs varying in age from 6 months to 1⅓ years were taken,
10 in each group. They were vaccinated as above with G.T.V. Table IV shows
the average thermal reactions recorded for 10 days following vaccination.
TABLE IV
Average reaction in Lohi sheep
Serial
No.
1
2
Description of group
Scarification group
Subcutaneous group
No. of
animals
10
10
Temperature on
1st day
110.5
101.8
2nd day
102.1
102.0
3rd day
103.1
102.6
4th day
103.5
103.6
5th day
103.3
103.4
Serial
No.
1
2
Description of group
Scarification group
Subcutaneous group
6th day
103.6
103.1
7th day
102.8
102.8
8th day
101.7
101.7
9th day
101.7
101.2
10th day
101.5
101.4
141 AR/54
13
June, 1955]
R.
M.
SHARMA
AND
TULSA
RAM
139
SUMMARY
Immunisation of goats and sheep against rinderpest with 'Goatis' by scarification
and subcutaneous methods has been described. The results obtained by the two
routes of inoculation are compared and the following conclusions arrived at :
(1) There is no significant difference in the degree of reaction obtained by two
methods.
(2) ' Goatis ' alone, whether by scarification or subcutaneous method, is not
a safe vaccine for immunising goats against rinderpest. It causes 25 per cent
mortality. For sheep of Bikaneri and Hissari breeds, ' Goatis ' can safely be used
for conferring immunity but the simultaneous administration of anti-rinderpest
serum is necessary in Lohi sheep to avoid severe reaction.
(3) In goats and sheep that have long ears, the scarification method may appear
a little more convenient but it presents difficulty and inconvenience in vaccination
in breeds of sheep which have very small ears such as the Bikaneri.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are indebted to Major A. C. Aggarwala, the then Director, Veterinary Ser-
vices, and Warden of Fisheries, Punjab, for helpful suggestions and for correcting the
paper, and to Shri R. R. Ghulati, formerly Superintendent, Government Livestock
Farm, Hissar, for encouragement and healthy criticism.
REFERENCES
Hutyra, Marek and Manninger (1949). Special Pathology and Therapeutics of the Diseases of Domestic
animals, Fifth edition 272
Lall, H. K. (1947). Indian, J. vet. Sci. 17, 11-22
Nagina Singh (1949). Ann. Rep. A.D.I.O. (S. & G) Pb., 1948-49
Siddiqi, T. A. (1944). Indian J. vet. Sci. 14, 159-162.
140
VACCINATION AGAINST RINDERPEST
[Vol. XXV, Part II,
APPENDIX
Reaction following vaccination in animals under experiment
Description of animals
Time
of
reaction
1st day
2nd day
3rd day
4th day
5th day
6th day
7th day
8th day
9th day
10th day
Subcutaneous group.
Female Lamb Hissari
1. No. 752
2. No. 737
3. No. 758
Female Lamb Lohi
4. No. 67
5. No. 69
6. No. 72
Female Lamb Bikaneri
7. No. 267
8. No. 299
9. No. 285
F.C.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
100.4
100.6
100.4
101.4
101.6
101.6
102.2
101.2
101.2
101.0
102.0
102.0
101.6
100.8
102.2
101.0
100.8
99.2
100.8
100.8
102.4
102.0
101.4
101.1
102.6
101.0
102.2
101.4
102.0
101.6
101.8
101.2
103.4
101.6
102.6
100.9
101.8
100.6
102.4
103.4
102.4
100.2
102.4
100.8
102.6
101.7
102.4
102.0
102.4
101.4
103.8
102.6
103.4
101.0
104.4
100.6
102.4
104.0
103.8
101.8
104.6
101.0
102.8
101.0
102.6
101.0
104.0
101.4
105.9
102.7
103.6
100.1
106.0
99.6
102.0
104.3
105.4
99.7
106.0
99.2
102.0
101.8
102.0
101.0
105.0
101.7
105.0
102.7
103.0
100.0
105.0
100.8
102.4
104.0
104.0
101.0
104.5
101.3
102.2
100.4
103.0
100.6
106.4
101.5
104.0
101.6
102.2
100.4
104.4
100.0
103.2
104.0
103.4
99.8
103.6
100.0
102.0
99.5
102.2
100.1
104.6
101.4
103.0
100.7
102.0
99.6
101.8
100.1
101.8
103.7
100.0
100.0
101.8
100.1
101.4
100.0
102.0
100.3
102.6
100.8
102.2
100.5
101.4
100.1
102.4
100.3
100.8
102.5
100.6
100.1
101.4
100.2
101.4
100.2
101.4
100.1
100.6
99.9
101.0
100.0
101.4
99.5
101.8
99.7
100.0
100.5
100.0
100.0
101.4
100.1
100.8
98.4
101.2
100.1
100.8
100.3
101.0
100.0
101.4
99.5
June, 1955]
R.
M.
SHARMA
AND
TULSA
RAM
141
Description of animals
Time
of
reaction
1st day
2nd day
3rd day
4th day
5th day
6th day
7th day
8th day
9th day
10th day
Subcutaneous
group
Betal Goat
10. No. 585
Male Kid
11. No. 521
12. No. 523
Female Lamb
Hissari.
1. No. 749
2. No. 751
3. No. 748
Female Lamb
Lohi
4. No. 73
5. No. 65
6. No. 64
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
101.4
100.3
101.9
100.7
102.4
101.3
102.8
99.7
103.0
99.7
103.4
100.4
103.4
99.0
103.0
101.1
103.4
101.5
105.0
101.6
104.4
100.0
103.6
100.8
106.0
99.7
104.4
100.0
104.4
100.0
104.8
101.0
103.6
99.2
105.0
100.8
104.2
102.0
103.4
100.0
104.6
100.5
103.4
100.7
103.4
100.2
103.4
100.1
103.0
100.3
102.4
100.0
103.0
100.4
102.4
100.4
102.0
100.0
102.4
100.0
Scarification
group
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
101.8
102.0
100.6
100.9
101.6
101.3
101.4
101.5
101.4
101.8
102.0
100.9
102.2
105.0
100.4
101.0
101.4
100.9
101.8
101.0
102.0
100.6
102.4
102.0
102.4
105.7
101.4
100.8
101.8
101.0
102.6
101.8
102.6
101.9
102.8
102.0
102.4
105.2
104.2
100.4
102.2
101.3
103.2
100.2
102.8
102.2
103.0
101.2
102.4
105.6
105.6
100.4
102.2
100.4
103.4
102.0
102.8
102.2
103.0
101.6
102.0
103.0
104.0
100.1
102.6
100.5
100.2
101.4
102.4
100.6
103.0
101.2
103.0
103.0
104.4
100.5
102.0
100.6
102.4
101.8
102.0
101.4
102.8
101.4
100.4
103.9
100.8
100.5
101.8
100.5
100.8
101.3
100.4
101.0
101.6
100.8
100.4
103.0
100.0
99.7
100.2
100.2
100.8
100.7
102.0
101.0
101.8
99.6
100.0
101.0
100.4
99.0
100.0
98.6
100.4
100.3
101.6
100.0
101.4
100.3
141 AR/54
14
142
VACCINATION AGAINST RINDERPEST
[Vol. XXV, Part II,
Description of animals
Female Lamb
Bikaneri
7. No. 254
8. No. 312
9. No. 293
Betal Goat
10. No. 583
11. Male Kid No. 515
12. Male Kid No. 516
Control
1. Male Kid No. 572
2. Male Kid No. 576
Time
of
reaction
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
F.V.
F.C.
1st day
101.8
101.8
101.4
102.0
100.8
102.0
101.6
99.8
100.0
99.5
100.6
101.4
101.9
101.2
2nd day
102.4
101.8
102.0
101.6
101.4
104.3
102.6
101.5
103.2
100.5
103.4
100.2
102.8
103.4
3rd day
102.4
102.0
102.4
102.7
101.6
104.6
103.2
102.7
103.6
99.4
103.6
100.8
104.2
103.4
4th day
102.6
101.2
103.0
101.8
102.6
104.1
104.4
104.5
104.2
100.1
103.8
100.8
102.8
104.1
5th day
102.6
102.0
103.0
102.8
193.0
105.1
105.2
98.8
103.4
101.3
104.0
101.7
99.8
104.4
6th day
102.8
102.0
102.8
102.5
102.2
103.6
104.4
99.0
103.2
101.2
104.4
101.0
102.2
104.0
7th day
102.4
100.5
102.8
101.7
102.2
102.0
104.0
100.4
103.0
101.2
104.2
101.3
Died
104.0
8th day
102.4
100.4
102.4
100.9
102.0
102.3
104.0
101.9
102.4
101.3
105.0
100.5
103.2
9th day
102.0
100.6
102.0
100.8
102.0
101.7
103.2
100.8
102.2
101.0
104.4
100.3
101.9
10th day
101.6
99.5
101.2
99.8
101.4
100.0
103.0
100.2
102.2
100.7
102.8
100.1
100.9
F.V. Reaction following vaccination
F.C. Reaction following challenge dose of virus
EFFECT OF STARVATION ON THE COURSE OF EX-
PERIMENTALLY INDUCED TRYPANOSOMA EVANSI
INFECTION IN RATS
By H. G. SEN, B. N. DUTTA and H. N. RAY, School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta
(Received for publication on 20 October 1954)
(with one text-figure)
I T has now been definitely established that a relationship exists between the
nutritional status of the host and the course of different protozoal infections.
McKee and Geiman (1946) observed that by fasting monkeys infected with P.
knowlesi for 24-48 hours, the parasitic infection could be strikingly reduced but when
methionine and PABA were administered, they became susceptible to
infection and died due to overwhelming infections. These observations suggested
that methionine and PABA were the growth factors of the simian plasmodium,
P. knowlesi. Similar studies on the rodent parasite P. berghei showed that when
fasting was started simultaneously with the inoculation of the parasites, the infection
remained suppressed during the period of continued fasting. But when the period
of starvation continued upto 8-10 days, a very low grade infection appeared in the
peripheral blood and the number of parasites did not increase in the circulation
even after they were put back to full diet [Dutta and Chaudhuri, 1953 ; Ramkrishnan,
1953]. Evidence of adverse effect of starvation on the growth of human
plasmodia, P. vivax and P. falciparum was also obtained during the Bengal famine in
1943 [Chari, 1944; Dasgupta and Chaudhuri, 1943 ; Aich 1944]. The effect of
starvation on other blood protozoa has so far not been investigated. Trypanosoma
evansi has been selected for the purpose as these are extracellulur in character and
multiply at a rapid rate in the blood stream, and differ from the plasmodia in their
physiological adaptation. The present work is carried out to explore the host-
parasite relationship in rats infected with T. evansi and possibly the nutritional
requirements of these organisms.
EXPERIMENTAL
Experiments were made on young white rats weighing about 100 gm. For
each set of experiments the animals were divided into two equal and homogeneous
groups, so that the average weight of each group remained practically the same and
the weights of the individual rats were within a small range of variation. The
normal diet of these rats consisted of bread, milk, gram, green and root vegetables,
viz. spinach, carrot, etc. supplemented by yeast and cod liver oil. The animals
in one of the groups were kept on the usual normal diet while those in the other were
kept fasting and were offered water only ad libitum. The strain of the parasite was
that of equine origin, obtained from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Mukteswar and isolated in the year 1945. It was maintained by blood passages
through the subcutaneous route. The dose of inoculum used varied from a few
millions (5×10 6 ) to 100 millions in different sets of experiments, the route of ad-
ministration used being the intraperitoneal or subcutaneous. The donor rat showing
143
141 AR/54
15
June, 1953] H. G. SEN, B. N. DUTTA AND H. N. RAY 145
10-20 trypanosomes per 100 r.b.c. was slightly etherized and blood was drawn
by heart puncture. The parasitized blood was diluted with citrated saline as found
necessary. 0.2 c.c. of the blood inoculum was used for infecting each rat and for
a particular set of experiment, the same dose of inoculum was injected to each rat.
With a view to getting more uniform results as well as to avoiding probable loss in
viability of the parasite with time, inoculations were given in alternate turns to the
rats in both the groups. Samples of blood were taken from the tail in thick wet
smears at the early stage of the experiments. When a sufficient number of try-
panosomes appeared in the circulation, thin smears were taken and stained with
Giemsa or Heishman stain. Intensity of the parasitaemia was assessed by counting
the total number of trypanosomes per 1000 erythrocytes. Infection having one or
two trypanosomes in the entire thick wet smear was denoted very scanty and one
or two trypanosomes per field (thick wet smear) was denoted as scanty.
RESULTS
The results of a typical experiment are shown in Fig. 1 in which the intensity
of infection in each cage of four rats is shown as the mean of the logarithms of the
number of trypanosomes per 20 fields in a thin blood film. This figure shows that
the resultant infections were practically identical in both the control and fasting
animals, there being no evidence of suppression of parasites in the latter case.
The protocols of the three experiments are given below :
Experiment I
Two groups of rats (four in each group) were inoculated with about 100 million
of trypanosomes I. p. Two days after inoculation, the number of trypanosomes
per 1000 r.b.c. in the control and the fasting groups were 98 and 105 respectively
and all of them died on the next day due to heavy infection.
Comment. Inoculation by the I.p. route reduces the prepatent period significantly
and results in death of the animals in three to four days. Fasting for three or four
days has no effect on the course of Trypanosoma evansi infection in the host.
Experiment II
Two groups of rats (four in each group) were inoculated with 90X10 6 trypano-
somes subcutaneously. The course of the infection is shown in Table I.
TABLE I
Intensity of parasitaemia expressed as number of trypanosomes per 1000 red cells
Day of inoculation
1
2
3
4
5
Control
R168
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
70
dead
R169
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
32
dead
R170
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
5
130
(treated)
R171
Neg.
V.S.
S.
102
(sacrificed)
Fasting
R172
Neg.
V.S.
S.
78
dead
R173
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
35
dead
R174
Neg.
Neg.
V.S.
115
(sacrificed)
R175
Neg.
V.S.
6
90
dead
146
TRYPANOSOMA INFECTION IN RATS
[Vol. XXV, Part II,
Comment. Inoculation with a heavy dose of inoculum by subcutaneous route
also produces short prepatent period (a day or two later) and the results are more
or less similar to those in experiment I.
Experiment III
This experiment was designed in such a way that the starvation group was kept
fasting for four days before and six days after inoculation. The nutritional status
of the host was assessed by taking weights on the day of inoculation and six days of
starvation after inoculation; this is shown in Table II. It was found that the
starving group of rats lost about 13-25 per cent of the initial body weights, while the
control ones maintained more or less constant weights. The intensity of the infection
in both the groups have been compared in Table III.
TABLE II
Nutritional deficiency of the host compared with the control group
Weight in grams
Initial weight (before inoculation)
Final weight (six days after inoculation)
Difference in weight
Percentage change in weight
Control
R182
102
107
+ 5
+4.90
R183
94
93
—1
—1.10
R184
87
86
—1
—1.20
R185
103
106
+ 3
+2.90
Starvation
R186
100
75
—25
—25
R187
104
90
—14
—13.40
R188
92
77
—15
—16.30
R189
99
79
—20
—20.2
TABLE III
Intensity of parasitaemia expressed as number of trypanosomes per 1000 red cells
No. of days
after
inoculation
1
2
3
4
5
6
Intensity of parasitaemia expressed as no. of trypanosomes per 1000 red cells
Control
R182
Neg.
Neg.
V.S.
20
160
(Treated
with
antrycide)
R183
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
S
72
246
(dead)
R184
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
V.S.
40
172
(dead)
R185
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
S
46
(Treated with
antrycide)
Starvation*
R186
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
S
61
(Treated with
antrycide)
R187
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
5
125
(Treated
with
antrycide)
R188
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
10
50
224
(dead)
R189
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
V.S.
48
195
(dead)
* Kept fasting for four days previous to inoculation.
Inoculated with 5×10 6 trypanosomes subcut.
148 TRYPANOSOMA INFECTION IN RATS [Vol. XXV, Part II,
cytochemical pattern (such as acid and alkaline phosphatases, mucopoly-
saccharides and nucleic acids—RNA and DNA). Further it is suggested from these
observations that milk diet or any other deficient diet could not change the course
of trypanosoma infection significantly different from that in the control. The
findings on the effect of milk diet on the course of infection (which is the subject
matter of a following communication) confirm our belief. This type of approach
in the case of plasmodia has yielded data of considerable importance on the nutritional
requirements of the parasites. In conclusion it may be said that the trypanosomes
are rather fastidious in their growth in the host and for proper appraisal of their
growth requirements, in vitro cultural studies of the organisms outside the body
of the host are necessary.
It is evident from these observations that unlike plasmodia, no clue as to the
exact growth requirements of the parasite can be obtained for T. evansi by subjecting
the experimental animals to deficient diet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Our thanks are due to Dr S. C. Dutta, the former Director, Indian Veterinary
Research Institute, Mukteswar-Kumaun and Dr R. N. Chaudhuri, Director, School
of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta, for giving proper facilities throughout our work.
The award of a research fellowship to one of us (H. G. Sen) by the Indian Council
of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, is gratefully acknowledged.
REFERENCES
Aich, J. C., Chakravarty, M. and Chandra S. C. (1944). Calcutta Med J. 41, 277
von Brand, T. (1938). J. Parasit. 24, 445
Chari, M. V. (1944). Indian Med. Gaz., 79, 578
Clark, P. F. (1949). Bact. Rev. 13, 122
Cleveland, L. R. (1925). Biol. Bull. 48, 309
Dasgupta, B. M. and Chaudhuri, R. N. (1943). Unpublished data
Dutta, B. N. and Chaudhuri, R. N. (1953). Bull. Calcutta School, trop. Med. 1, 7
Dogiel, V. A. and Winogradowa Fedorowa, T. V. (1930). Tierernahr, u. Tierzucht. 3, 172
Geiman, Q. M., and McKee, R. W. (1948). Scient. Monthly 67, 217
Mangold, E. and Schmitt Krahmer, C. (1927). Biochem. z. 191, 411
McKee, R. W. and Geiman, A. M. (1948). Federation. Proc. 7, 172
Muller, J. and Simons, H. (1920). Z. Biol. 70, 231
Pinkerton, H. (1949). Bact. Rev. 13, 112
Ramkrishnan, S.P. (1953). Indian J. Malariol. 7, 53
Reid, W.M. (1940). J. Parasit. 26, Suppl., 16
——(1942a). Poultry Sci. 21, 220
——1942b) J. Parasit. 28, 319
——(1944). J. Parasit, 30, Suppl., 12
——and Ackert, J. E. (1941). J. Parasit, 27, Suppl., 35
Solazzo, G. (1929). Z. Immunitatsforsch. 60, 239
144
TRYPANOSOMA INFECTION IN RATS [VOL. XXV, PART II,
Fig. 1. Average density of Trypanosoma evansi in the peripheral biculation in two series
of rats (four in each group) kept on full diet and starvation respectively.
ABSTRACTS
Nutritional deficiencies in poultry. THOMAS H. JUKES (1943). Javma, 102, 19-98.
I N the farm flocks, deficiencies have been recorded of vitamins A,D,E, riboflavin,
biotin, the gizzard factor and the minerals—calcium, manganese, sodium chloride,
iodine and certain amino-acids. Vitamin E deficiency or nutritional encephalo-
malacia in young chickens causes ataxia, coarse tremors, opisthotonos and progressive
incoordination ending in prostration and death. Vitamin K is essential for the
formation of prothrombin; a lack of this, therefore, causes dietary haemophilia.
The addition of 0.5 per cent alfalfa meal in the mash will prevent this condition.
Riboflavin deficiency results in slow growth and ' curled toe paralysis' in young
chickens, while in laying hens, egg production is decreased, hatchability is lowered,
and abnormalities of the embryo occur. Perosis or ' slipped tendon' is a disease
condition in young chickens due to a variety of causes including deficiencies of
vitamins, choline or biotin, or manganese. In laying hens, this condition leads
to abortion of yolks. Necrosis of the secreting epithelium of the gizzard is observed
frequently in young chickens under field conditions. It is prevented by feeding
bile salts or a dietary factor present in green leaves. Cooked rations may develop
biotin deficiency manifested by dermatitis, glued eyelids and perosis. Ability of
chickens to synthesize vitamin C and nicotinic acid has been proved by experiments.
Inadequate amount of calcium and phosphorus results in poor calcification of the
bones, low egg production and soft-shelled eggs. Chickens have a high requirement
for certain amino-acids like glycine, arginine, methionine, histidine and lysine.
(S.B.V.)
Syndactylism in Holstein-Friesian cattle. F. E. ELDRIDGE, W. H. SMITH and W. M.
McLEOD (1951). J. Heredity, 42, 5, 241-250.
T HE first case of syndactylism (uncleft hooves) in cattle was reported by H.
Landois in 1881. Cases have also been observed in India in 1942 and 1948,
and in the U.S.A. in 1948. Seventeen cases in the Holstein-Friesian breed in the
last mentioned places, form the subject matter of this paper. Detailed illustrations
and descriptions of the anatomical aberration involving the various muscles and
bones are given to show how functional inefficiency in animal production is caused
where such cases occur.
Incidence of the defect occurred in varying degrees. One, two, three or all the
four feet were affected regardless of the sex, and the cleavage in hoof varied from
partial to total absence. The affected animals were generally less thrifty, and in
India, would have negligible draft value.
The probability of a single autosomal recessive mode of inheritance is suggested
pending confirmatory matings. Difficulties in eliminating such deleterious genes
from a population are discussed, specially as such recessive genes remain hidden
in carriers, and generally crop up in animals inbred for high productivity of economic
characters, e.g. milk in this case. (S. V. C.)
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ABSTRACTS
[Vol. XXV, Part II,
The importance of numbers of spermatozoa in relation to semen quality and
fertility of dairy bulls. C. BRANTON, H. C. KELLGREN and T. E. PATRICK (1953).
J. Dairy Sci., 36, 1301-1307
T HE studies consisted of routine semen quantity and quality observations and
fertility data obtained in the field studies from ten bulls during 1949 and 1950-
51. Semen dilution experiment using two, six or twelve million motile spermatozoa
per milliliter was also conducted. Semen samples which contained at least 50
per cent motile spermatozoa and a minimum of 500 million spermatozoa per milli-
liter were diluted and shipped to the various artificial insemination centres in the
field.
During 1949, fertility increased with the increase in sperm concentration.
The fertility levels were found to be uniform in 1950-51, when the semen was diluted
on the basis of number of motile spermatozoa instead of by volume. In 1949,
equal results were obtained from semen samples which had concentration of over
1300 M/ml. On the other hand, good results were secured in 1950-51, with semen
samples having concentration as low as 600 M/ml., when they were diluted to contain
a constant number of motile spermatozoa.
In order to obtain more uniform fertility results, semen should be diluted on
the basis of number of motile spermatozoa instead of on volume basis. Approxi-
mately, a minimum of six million motile spermatozoa per milliliter are necessary
for obtaining optimum fertility rate. (S.N.L.)
Effect of stimulation of the reproductive organs of the cow on the release of an
oxytocin-like substance. R. L. HAYS and N. L. VANDFMARK (1953). Endocrinology
52 (6), 634—637
I NCREASE in intra-mammary pressure has been observed in 16 out of 17
non-pregnant cows in their first to eighth lactation by massaging the vulva, cervix
and cervical as through the rectal wall and during the insertion of 7-8 mm. glass
inseminating tube into the cervix. The pressure also increased during natural
mating. The intra-mammary pressure was measured by a water manometer
connected to a teat cannula which was inserted into the teat or gland cistern. It
has been observed that in 99 trials on 16 cows, the artificial insemination techniques
caused an increase in intra-mammary pressure in 88 per cent of the trials. In 15
natural services, 80 per cent showed positive increase of pressure. Blood taken
before massage of the vulva and cervix had no effect on the excised, perfused cow
uteri but taken after massage caused contraction of the uteri similar to that caused
by oxytocin. It is, therefore, considered that stimulation of the reproductive
organs of the cows causes the release of oxytocin from the pituitary. (D.P.M.)
A standardized rapid agglutination test for the quantitative estimation of brucella
antibody in milk. T. S. GREGORY (1953). J. Comp. Path., 63, 171—178
T HE author has described a rapid milk agglutination (R. M. A.) test valuable
for quantitative estimation of specific Brucella abortus antibodies in milk.