NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
REPORT
OF THE
Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research,
Muktesar
For the year ending 31st March 1925.
(J. T. EDWARDS, B.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.)
PART I.
GENERAL SUMMARY.*
The orders of the Government of India were published on the 15th
January 1925 notifying the change in designation of the Institute from
"Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory" to the title stated above. It
was felt that a change in designation was necessary to denote clearly
the functions of the institution, which, on its establishment in 1890,
were stated to be "to investigate diseases of domesticated animals
in all provinces in India and to ascertain, as far as possible, by biological
research both in the laboratory and, when necessary, at the place of
outbreak, the means of preventing and curing such diseases."
The most apparent function of the institution has come to be, in the
course of its development, the preparation on a very large scale of certain
products for the prevention of the formidable cattle plagues of India,
and hence from an administrative standpoint the Institute has assumed
the nature of a considerable manufactory, with a large yearly expendi-
ture and an income derived from the sale of its products, for the most part
to Provincial Governments and Indian States, which it is hoped will
balance more or less its cost to the Central Government. With
effect from the commencement of the financial year 1922-23, the
prices of the products sold were adjusted so that the income would
balance expenditure, with an undiminished demand for the laboratory
products. The Inchcape Committee in 1922-23, having in mind the
possibility of adjusting the balance, reported that an endeavour should
be made to place the institution on a self-supporting basis. This
* This short general summary of the activities of the Institute has been written
at special request, to convey a ready impression of their scope to the lay reader.
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
3
It is anticipated that there will always be three yearly periods of de-
pression alternated with similar periods of recrudescence of rinderpest
in India so long as measures of effective sanitary police control are not
practicable in the country. The reason for this alternation is not difficult
to comprehend : after a severe widespread visitation the survivors are
left in a state of immunity and susceptible " soil " for the intensive pro-
pagation of the disease germ is not again provided until some time has
lapsed, during which a considerable number of new, non-immune stock
have been born and have grown.
The following figures represent (i) the income, (ii) expenditure-
(iii) issues (in " doses") of the main saleable product, anti-rinderpest
serum, for the past 12 years :—
Year
1913-14
1914-15
1915-16
1916-17
1917-18
1918-19
1919-20
1920-21
1921-22
1922-23
1923-24
1924-25
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Income
Rs.
1,12,614
1,20,822
2,41,263
1,62,320
2,70,877
3,44,208
3,87,831
3,85,301
4,49,758
5,09,376
4,90,721
6,66,927
A.
4
14
10
12
4
9
4
10
11
1
7
0
P.
3
0
5
6
0
3
1
10
9
9
10
5
Expenditure
Rs.
1,80,208
2,08,483
1,34,347
2,67,128
3,36,481
4,37,712
5,00,509
6,58,408
7,06,331
7,55,815
6,96,322
7,30,412
A.
10
14
3
5
3
13
10
14
3
6
2
10
P.
0
9
5
1
1
4
0
0
7
8
1
2
Doses of anti-
rinderpest serum
issued
7,48,470
13,82,050
9,69,460
14,09,220
20,69,961
32,59,616
28,15,733
31,26,136
29,30,601
19,37,552
19,86,399 }50 % rise in prices of sera
28,48,110
The main feature in the internal economy of the laboratory during
the year under report has been the " unloading " of the greater part of.
routine serum manufacturing work on to the tributary plains sub-station
at Izatnagar, near Bareilly. The rinderpest preventive consists of the
blood serum of cattle that have been made to pass through a mild or arti-
ficially partially suppressed attack of the disease, and thus to provide the
large quantities of this product issued by the laboratory, it is necessary
to purchase and maintain considerable numbers of large animals (now,
buffaloes are employed as " serum producers"). Excellent although
Muktesar is for the purpose for which it was originally established,
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
7
(d) Bovine tuberculosis in India. The services of a trained worker
(Dr. M. B. Soparkar) from the Indian Research Fund Association were
secured in 1923 to conduct experiments upon a large scale upon this
problem. The experimental evidence hitherto available would seem
to indicate that the Indian breeds of cattle do not possess a degree of
resistance which is notably superior to that possessed by cattle bred
in India containing a large admixture of European blood, and that the
strains of tubercle bacilli isolated from natural cases of the disease in
India display as high a degree of virulence as those grown from the lesions
of cattle in Europe. The relatively great rarity of the disease among
cattle in India would appear to be dependent upon the ordinary manner in
which they are bred and raised.
(e) Coccidiosis in cattle. This infection was found to be prevalent
to a degree hitherto quite unsuspected, and that resuscitation of the
causal parasites in " carriers" from a state of dormancy was a common
disastrous complication in rinderpest.
(f) Piroplasmoses. The common piroplasms of cattle in India
would appear to be Piroplasma bigeminum and Theileria mutans. Usually,
the latter may be regarded as a harmless and almost ubiquitous para-
site, but occasionally it becomes exalted in virulence and produces tissue
and other changes rather similar to those seen in East Coast fever of
cattle in Africa.
(g) Surra. Buffaloes suffering from the effects of invasion with ex-
alted strains of Trypanosoma evansi were readily amenable to treatment
by intravenous injections of tartar emetic and certain bismuth salts,
but even powerful trypanocidal agents such as tryparsamide were rot
capable of producing a complete sterilization of the system. This in-
adequacy of chemotherapeutic treatment would explain the difficulty
in obtaining cures in the more susceptible animals, horses, mules, and to-
some extent camels.
(h) Contagious equine abortion. Attempts were made to limit the
spread of infection due to Bacillus abortivo-equinus in a number of import-
ant breeding studs in India by the segregation of carriers detected by the-
application of the agglutination test.
(i) Blackquarter of cattle. Steps were taken to estimate the efficacy
of " germ-free " products in preventive inoculation against this disease.
(j) Strangles. Large scale researches upon the preventive treatment
of this disease were carried out at Army Remount Depôts.
(k) A number of other minor researches were made particularly
in connection with the identification of micro-organisms responsible for
certain disease conditions in India.
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925 15
parts of the country. Provincial veterinary authorities were circularized to this effect
and there arrived afterwards the following individuals for training :—
Name
1. Mr. N. Chatterji .
2. Mr. R. K. Ram .
3. Mr. B. P. Pandey .
4. Mr. P. S. Nair. .
5. Mr. K. S. Prakash .
6. Mr. Syed Salman
Hassan Naqui.
7. Mr. B. N. Kulkerni .
8. Mr. R. N. Naik .
Province
or other
authority
Assistant Director, Civil
Veterinary Depart-
ment, Bihar and
Orissa, Patna.
Veterinary Inspector,
Veterinary Depart-
ment, Bihar and
Orissa, Patna.
Veterinary and Labora-
tory Assistant, Civil
Veterinary Depart-
ment, Bihar and
Orissa, Patna.
Veterinary Assistant,
Civil Veterinary De-
partment, Central
Provinces.
Ditto . .
Veterinary Assistant,
Civil Veterinary De-
partment,
United
Provinces.
Veterinary Inspector,
Civil Veterinary De-
partment, Bombay
Presidency.
Veterinary Assistant,
Civil Veterinary De-
partment , Bombay
Presidency.
From
16th June 1924
1st April 1924
1st April 1924
21st May 1924
21st May 1924
31st May 1924
19th July 1924
19th July 1924
To
13th December
1924.
2nd October 1924.
31st May 1924.
15th
August
1924.
15th
August
1924.
30th July 1924.
18th
October
1924.
18th
October
1924.
22
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
been for a long time enzootic; the new product was tried by him on a small scale concur-
rently with the old" pillule" vaccine, with which the young stock had been customarily
inoculated in previous years. The Superintendent's annual return of the results of inocu-
lation upon the farm, for 1924-25, displays evidence with regard to the relative merits of
the two products which has almost the precision of a laboratory experiment, and so the
table is repeated as it stands below :—
TABLE III.
Statement showing results of preventive incoculation during the year
1924-25.
Di st r i
ct
1
Government
Cattle
Farm, Hissar.
Name of disease
against which
inoculation was
carried out
2
Black-quarter .
Do. .
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia.
Rinderpest .
Method of inoculation follow-
ed
3
Vaccination
(with pills).
Vaccination
(with Germ
free filtrate)
Vaccination
Serum alone
Number
of outbreaks
in
which inoculation was
undertaken
4
3
..
1
NUMBER OF
ANIMALS
WHICH DIED
UNINOCU¬
LATED IN
COURSE OF
OUTBREAK
Equines
5
..
..
..
..
Bovines
6
8
..
..
1
Others
7
..
..
..
..
NUMBER OF
ANIMALS
INOCULATED
Equines
8
..
..
..
..
Bovines
9
1,699
(A)
292
(B)
200
(C)
274
Others
10
..
..
..
..
NUMBER OF
ANIMALS
WHICH DIED
AFTER
INOCULA-
TION
Equines
11
..
..
..
...
Bovines
12
40
(D)
..
..
..
Others
13
..
..
..
..
REMARKS.
14
(A) 940 calves were inoculated as a preventive measure at the time of their weaning, a routine
practice on the Farm and
759 animals were inoculated during the course of outbreak.
(B) 126 calves were inoculated as a preventive measure at the time of their weanin and 166
calves were inoculated during the course of outbreak.
(C) Young calves were inoculated as a preventive measure.
(D) 7 animals died within a week of inoculation.
1
2
6
1
9
14
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
over
a month of inoculation.
3 months of inocnlation.
4
5
6
6
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
The results obtained from this trial brought orders for considerable quantities of the
" germ-free " product to the laboratory after the close of the financial year.
During the year 1924-25 the following quantities of the new products were prepared
and issued :—
(i) Germ-free filtrate . . .
(ii) Fi l t rat e/ Aggressi n (mixed in equal parts) .
(iii) Aggressin
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
8,565 doses (dose 10 c.c.)
6,040 doses (dose 5 c.c.)
4,820 doces (dose 5 c.c.)
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
25
stated on page 19, was found to give the best results. It is made up in large bulk as
follows:—
1. Take minced meat
1000 grams.
2. Add concentrated hydrochloric acid, diluted equal parts
with water ...
....
160c.c.
3. Allow the mixture of meat and acid to digest at 70°C.
for 2—3 days.
4. Add to the digest 6 times its volume of distilled water.
Mix thoroughly, and strain through muslin.
5. Add sodium carbolnate, saturated solution, until the re-
action is just neutral to litmus.
6. Filter; make up to original bulk of dilution with water.
7. Adjust reaction to PH 7.2—7.4 with 10/N caustic soda solu-
tion.
8. Heat in autoclave for 20 minutes at 30 lbs. pressure.
9. Filter; add glycerine, 2 per cent.
10. Distribute in flasks, and sterilise for ½ hour at 20—25 lbs.
pressure
The final reaction of this broth is about P H 7.5—7.6. An appreciably better growth
can be obtained when the digest is diluted with only 3 times its bulk of water, but the
growth is still good when it is diluted with 6 times its bulk. As minced meat, it has
been found quite satisfactory to use cleaned carcase offal as well as muscle, though the
best results are obtained with minced fresh muscle. It is preferable to use chemically
pure strong hydrochloric acid, but a good brand of the commercial acid is also suitable.
In the above broth, the glanders bacillus does not grow with the well known charac-
teristics displayed by it in ordinary peptone broth, but it forms a uniform, rich turbidity,
reaching its maximum capacity on the second or third day, thereafter forming a thick
growth at the bottom of the flask which gives a ropy appearance on shaking with a
circular movement.
After the completion of incubation, there is no need to subject it to a process of con-
centration ; after destruction of the live organisms by heating in the steamer, the liquid
is mixed with preservative substance, filtered through a bacterial filter, and the filtrate
is suitable either for the " ordinary " or " I.D.P." tests. In animals that do react to the
mallein tests at the laboratory, performed as noted above, the degree of reaction seen
on the side done with this kind of mallein is always more distinct than on the side sub-
jected to the imported mallein. The more especially strong brews are reserved as
" I.D.P " mallein; the others are issued for the ordinary subcutaneous test. This
method of preparation was repeatedly investigated before it became established as a
routine procedure
The work of STANTEN and FLETCHER, in the Federated Malay States, upon the rele¬
tionship of the organism (Bacillus whitmori) which causes a glanders-like disease (melici-
dosis) in rodents and human beings with strains of glanders bacilli received from various
countries now makes it possible that the malleins prepared in different laboratories are
28
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
The preliminary information was then subjected to a large scale practical test at
Muktesar during the warm season of 1924, under the supervision of Mr. Haddow, for
it was considered wise to restrain the application of the knowledge to routine processes,
with the known vagaries of biological experiment, until it had been tested out on the
dimensions of current manufacturing methods. The test was conducted in the follow-
ing manner :—
Lot A. 50 buffaloes were inoculated with a fairly large graded dose of antiserum
(40 c.c. per 600 lbs. Brew B.56A.) simultaneously with rinderpest virus. Chart I
represents the " composite " temperature curve of these buffaloes.
Lot B. 34 buffaloes were inoculated with a smaller, graded dose of anti-serum
(10 c. c. of same brew) simultaneously with rinderpest virus. The " composite " curve
of these buffaloes is given in Chart II.
The buffaloes were then bled at the third week after infection, and subsequently at
intervals of a week until the 10th week. (Each lot was divided into three batches bled at
the rate of 6, 7, and 8 c. c. per lb. body weight, respectively, and the sera from the different
batches were tested separately also to ascertain the effect of bleeding at different rates ;
the weights of the buffaloes were also taken before each bleeding.) The sera forthcoming
from the successive bleedings of each Lot were tested upon hill bulls; 2 bulls were
inoculated at the rate of 90 c. c. per 600 lbs. body weight with the serum from each batch
of each Lot (i.e. 6 bulls for each Lot bleeding).
The potency of serum is now estimated at the Institution following a simplified nota-
tion which takes cognizance of its capacity to ward off the intensity of a rinderpest reaction
(which in all tests is indicated by the course exhibited by control bulls inoculated with
virus alone). The notation for gauging the intensity of the reaction is as follows:—
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
29
Estimate of Intensity of Reaction.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7.
8
9
10
11
12
Symptoms
No reaction
.
Temperature below 103° F. and slight loss of appetite .
Temperature 103° to 104º F. only
....
Temperature over 104°F. .
.
.
...
Temperature reaction and mouth lesions without going
off feed.
Temperature reaction and mouth lesions and off feed .
Temperature and diarrhœa (or soft fæces) and slight
derangement of appetite
Temperature and mouth lesions and soft fæces .
Temperature, mouth lesions and diarrhœa .
Death—chronic rinderpest—2 weeks and upwards
Death—subacute rinderpest from and including the
10th day to the 14th day.
Death—acute rinderpest under 10 days
Notation.
— or 0
— „ .5
+
+ „ .75
+ „ 1
++ „ 1.75
++ „ 2
— , 2.5
+++
+++ „ 2.75
+ ++ „ 3
++++
„ 4
+++++ „ 5
++++++ „ 6
P (Piroplasms found).
C (Coccidia found).
D (Debilitated condition).
T (Trypanosomes).
30
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
The curves (Chart III) indicating the estimated potency of the sera obtained from
the two lots of buffaloes according to these tests are subjoined.
CHART III.
Estimated potency of serum obtained from buffaloes treated with large and smalldoses
of anti-serum and bled at intervals of a week at different rates.
The crude results of the tests were that the only deaths occurred in one out of 12 bulls
inoculated with serum from the 5th week bleedings, in one out of 12 bulls inoculated with
serum from the 8th week bleedings, in 3 out of 12 bulls inoculated with the serum from
9th week bleedings, and in 1 out of 12 bulls inoculated with 10th week bleedings, when each
serum was tested at the rate at which it is guaranteed on issue to be efficacious for preven-
tive inoculation; the" control" bulls in this test, inoculated with the virus alone, suc-
cumbed to acute rinderpest. The more detailed tests performed upon the sera are passed
over in this brief report, for it is believed that sufficient evidence has been furnished by
the above data to warrant the conclusion that a profitable yield of good serum can be
obtained from buffalo producers after the mere adjustment to a certain standard of the
initial pyretic reaction. It was anticipated that the reaction displayed by the buffaloes
of Lot I would have been much less distinct than that shown by those of Lot II, for the
serum used for the adjustment of the reaction had been tested at Izatnagar and was
assumed to be capable of rendering the reaction almost" symptomless " at the rate given
to Lot I. It transpired, however, that the protective action of the serum was not so wel
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925
33
CHART VI.
Test results upon sera obtained from hyperimmunized bulls treated with daily injections of zinc
and magnesium.
The idea was then conceived that the " secretory " phenomenon as between the animal
tissues and the so-called antibodies might be allied to the phenomena of secretion by the
tissues in general in so far as it is affected by the action of inorganic salts. In other words,
it was not unlikely that if other salts besides those indicated as having best the non-
specific property of stimulating antibody " secretion" when given in the uniform small
gram-molecular dosages recommended by MADSEN were given in what may be called
equivalent pharmacological dosages, the results might be similar. An experiment in
which the producers were administered large dosages of sodium chloride seemed to point
in this direction. Based upon this conception, a mixture was made of the chlorides of
a number, nine in all, of the kations amongst those of most common occurrence in the
body, and each ingredient entered into the composition of the mixture in the proportion
B 2
34
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
in which it was found on test to produce toxic effects upon intravenous injection in to
rabbits. The solution of the " nine-salt" mixture was thus made up as follows :—
For ten litres (10,000 c. c.) of "nine-salt" solution take the following quantities,
(1) Sodium chloride (NaCl) .
.
(2) Potassium chloride (KC1) .
.
(3) Calcium chloride (CaCl 2 )
....
(4) Barium chloride (BaCl 2 , 2 H 2 O)
(5) Iron perchloride (FeCl 3 )
....
(6) Magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 6H 2 O) .
(7) Zinc chloride (ZnCl 2 )
.
.
(8) Manganese chloride (MnCl 2 , 4H 2 O)
(9) Copper chloride (CuCl 2 , 2H 2 O) .
Grams.
1,750-0
26.625
138.75
24.4
8.125
182.7
15.36
34.65
12.75
In one of the tests (Expt. No. 6—20-10-1923) undertaken to compare the efficacy of
the " 9 salt" mixture with manganese chloride and other salts the curves (Chart VII)
representing the efficacy of the two solutions were as follows :—
CHART VII.
Relative potency of serum obtained from buffaloes treated with 9-salt mixture and manganese chloride
In the above experiment the sera of each series were obtained from four buffaloes
that had received three " hyperimmunizing " injections of virulent blood and were then
bled after 8 days, injected with the salt solution, and bled again for serum at the intervals
stated above the curves. The manganese chloride was given at the rate of 10 c. c. of an
M solution per 100 kilos. body weight, and the " 9-salt " solution at the rate of 1.5 c.c.
per kilo. body weight. Each serum was tested on three hill bulls at the rate of 90 c.c.
per 600 lbs. body weight.
The two curves (Chart VIII) represent again the result of an experiment
(No. 7, 9-11-1923) in which two groups of immunized (only) buffaloes were bled for
serum weekly from the 3rd to 8th week after infection (Al—A5), and then injected
with manganese chloride (1.5 c.c M per 100 kilos.) daily for 10 days. The serum from
each weekly bleeding and the serum taken on the 8th and the 10th day of the manga-
nese treatment was tested (on 3 hill bulls at 30 c.c. per 600 lbs).
MUKTESAR, FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH, 1925 35
One group of producers (Lot M-9 buffs.) had reacted well during immunization but
shown no distinct clinical symptoms ; the other group (Lot N-3 buffs.) had shown distinct
clinical symptoms.
Estimated potency of serum obtained from buffaloes treated with injections of manganese chloride
Experiments of this kind are liable to at least two serious forms of error, namely:
(i) the irregular susceptibility of the test animals, a factor which is by no means eliminated
by using numbers of bulls for testing each serum and selecting bulls of pure hill breed,
and (ii) the known fluctuations in the " curve " of potency of the serum obtained from
producers at regular intervals after immunization during the descent of the curve. It
is difficult to comprehend the causes of such fluctuations but certain observations in which
meteorological curves have been plotted parallel to the potency curves seem to indicate
that it is not unlikely that they are related particularly to conditions of relative
humidity, in that a depression in the potency curve corresponds with an increased relative
humidity, which again is presumed to bring about a lessened metabolism in the animal
producing the serum.
The following experiment (No. 8—11-3-1924; Chart IX) was planned in order to
ascertain the effects of single injections of the " 9-salt" solution and in a way so as to
eliminate as far as possible the effects of the second factor noted above in the interpreta-
tion of results:—
Took two lots;each of 7, buffaloes (Lot I and II) that had shown distinct reactions to
immunization. Bled weekly (5 c.c. per lb.) from the 3rd to the 10th week (A1 to A8);
two days later," hyperimmunized " (4 c.c. v. b. per lb.); bled at 8 days, and again after
1 week and 2 weeks (B1, 2, 3).
Lot I received " 9-salt" (1.5 c.c. per kilo.) 2hours before A3, A5, A7, and B3 bleedings.
Lot II received " 9-salt " (same rate) 2 hours before A4, A6, A8, and B2 bleedings.
Serum from each bleeding tested on 3 hill bulls, at 90 c. c per 600 lbs.
Composite chart of 10 hill bulls indicating the relationship between the degree of rinderpest infection and the
number of coccidian oocysts passed in faeces.