6
From the above Table I it will be observed that of twenty-one (21) horses
suffering from Surra, submitted to the Arsenical treatment, fifteen (15) were
known to have suffered from the disease for periods varying from ten to thirty-
five (10 to 35) days, previous to their admission to the Laboratory Hospital.
Of the above fifteen (15) animals, six failed to survive for more than a fortnight
after the treatment, was commenced, owing to their weak condition, brought
about by the paroxysms of fever they had previously passed through.
2. In three (3) of the twenty-one (21) cases, the hæmatozoon re-appeared
in the blood after an absence of 28, 2, and 70 days respectively, but in the case
of Animal CXVII, in which the organisms re-appeared after two days, a sufficient
reason is patent to account for its recurrence, in that the Arsenic was first ad-
ministered just before the termination of an intermission, and a sufficient quan-
tity of the drug had not been given to destroy the developing Trypanosoma,
previous to the recurrence of a fresh paroxysm.
3. In the blood of two horses (Nos. CXXII and CXXIII) the hæmatozoon
appeared a second time after the animals had been submitted to the Arsenical
treatment, and it is of interest to observe, that in both the first recurrence
took place after intermissions of 52 and 50 days, whilst the second recurrence
occurred after intermissions of 50 and 30 days respectively.
4. It has previously been noted that the most common periods during
treatment by Arsenic in which the hæmatozoon re-appears in the circulation of
equines, whose systems are under the influence of the drug, is somewhere about
the 25th, 50th, or 75th day of an intermission, i. e. subsequent to the dis-
appearance of the organism from the circulation of the animal. This gives one
an idea of the deterrent effect produced on the immature form of the Surra
hæmatozoon, and its great tenacity of life, for in ordinary cases of Surra the in-
termissions between the paroxysms, rarely if ever, exceed a maximum duration
of seven days.
5. Horse No. LXXXIX, an Australian, whose cure was detailed in my last
Annual Summary Report of July 1894, continued to thrive and gain in body
weight. The difference in weight, during the period of disease and after cure
was effected, was nearly three maunds or 240 lbs. This animal was treated, and
the blood daily examined up to February 23rd, 1895—a period of nearly one year
and four months.
6. No, CXV, a Persian G-ulf entire horse, aged 4 years, belonging to
the Bombay Mounted Police, was seized with fever (temperature 105° F.) in the
middle of October 1894 The animal was sent to the Poona Laboratory on
November 29th, and the same evening the Arsenical treatment was commenced.
The hæmatozoon disappeared from the blood on 4th December, and did not
again return.
This animal was returned from Poona to the Mounted Police, Bombay, on
March 9th, 1895, cured. Two days later a Board there examined and reported
that the animal was sound and healthy, and certified it fit for duty. A letter
received from the Commissioner of Police, Bombay, dated June 28th, 1895, stated
" the horse sent back from Poona on 10th March last is at present in good
condition."
7. No. CXIX, a Herati gelding, aged 8 years, belonging to the Bombay
Tramway Company (No. 822). This animal was found to be suffering with fever
on December 1st, 1894, and on the 4th idem the hæmatozoon was discovered
in its blood.
Treatment commenced at the Poona Laboratory on December 6th, and the
organism disappeared from the circulation on the 8th of the same month, but
again appeared on the 16th February 1895, after an absence of seventy (70)
days. At the present time June 28th, 207 days after the first discovery of the
hæmatozoon in the blood, the animal is in good condition, has regained flesh,
and weighs eleven maunds or 902 lbs. The Surra organism has now been absent
for an extended period, and hopes are entertained of yet being able to save
the animal.