4
REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY RESEARCH,
Five strains of tubercle bacilli were isolated from conservancy bulls
belonging to the Corporation of Madras, and two of them, both obtained
from the same animals but from different tissues, as a result of prelimi-
nary observations, have shown the characters of avian bacilli.
In the course of a tour in Bombay Dr. Soparkar examined a number
of carcases at the Bandra Slaughter House for evidence of tuberculosis.
Out of 1,586 carcases examined, suspicious lesions were found in 77 cases,
but in only three instances was the disease confirmed by biological tests.
A large number of old and debilitated cattle kept at different Pin-
jarapoles in Bombay were tested by the intra-dermo-palpebral method
for both tuberculosis and Johne's disease. Out of 378 animals so tested
none reacted for Johne's disease, but one batch of 10 animals gave a
suspicious reaction to tuberculosis.
Eight debilitated horses were tested with both avian and ordinary
tuberculin at the Chember Pinjarapole, near Bombay, but no reaction
was detected.
There appear to be no records of work on tuberculosis amongst pigs
in India. Two hundred and forty-five pigs were examined at the Muni-
cipal Slaughter House for Pigs in Bombay, and suspicious lesions were
discovered in 98 of them. Out of these, 25 were subjected to a biological
test and of these 9 gave positive results. This indicates an incidence of
tuberculosis of about 4 per cent. in these animals.
Johne's disease. Investigations carried out in the field by Mr. Menon
and checked by laboratory examinations indicated that this disease had
assumed large proportions in certain centres in Southern India. In
the case of one it was decided that the large incidence of the disease
precluded control by segregation, and that the alternate method of
resorting to wholesale slaughter of valuable animals might be averted by
having recourse to vaccination with an avian strain of tubercle bacilli,
following upon the principles enunciated by von Behring, MacFadyean,
and Calmette in this connection. A set-back was received by somewhat
high mortality in the vaccinated animals which proved to be due to the
unanticipated and surprisingly high virulence of the strain employed.
Surra. Great advances were made during the year in the treatment
of this disease with the German product known as Bayer 205, which has
already gained conspicuous success in the treatment of the similar human
affection in Africa known as sleeping sickness. There are now in the
Institute several horses that have been apparently completely cured with
this drug for several months. Most of the work under this head was
carried out personally by Mr. Edwards with the help of Mr. R. K. Ram,
Veterinary Inspector, Bihar and Orissa, and Mr. Torbas Khan, Veterinary
Inspector on the staff of this Institute.
Strangles. Investigations upon the control and prevention of strangles
at the Army Remount Depôts were continued, and some of the results are
embodied in a paper wrirten by Mr. Edwards on the subject.
Minor researches. Included under this head are investigations by
Mr. Cooper regarding bovine nasal granuloma and the causes of mortality