September, 1956 ] R. M. SHARMA AND H. M. BHATIA 119
(3) Once it was suspected that this condition may be due to the animal
eating certain poisonous weeds and grasses. A botanist from the Forest Research
Institute, Dehra Dun visited the farm and collected 102 samples of different weeds
and grasses for examination. He reported the following weeds and grasses to be
poisonous:
(i) Datura (ii) Lycium curopelm (iii) Solanum melingen (iv) Xanthium strumeri-
um (v) Andropogan-Janvaranous (vi) Cardrospermum habiacaum (vii) Farsattie-
Jaequerontin (Seed poisonous) (viii) Fluggo-virisa (ix) Fribulus ferrestris
and (x) Sorghum helipensi.
Accordingly pieces of spleen, liver, kidneys and stomach wall and stomach
contents from a number of cases that died of the disease were sent to the Chemical
Examiners of the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Governments but no poison could be
detected in any of the materials sent.
(4) Pieces of brain and spinal cord from three cases of the disease on histo-
pathological examination at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar,
revealed changes associated with encephalomyelitis such as haemorrhagic foci,
neuronophagia and nerve cell degeneration. The whole brain and long pieces of
spinal cord from different parts of the vertebral column of a typical case of the disease
were also sent to the Research Officer, Disease Investigation Section, Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar for detailed histopathological studies as
desired by Innes. The changes observed were :
Cerebrum. Congestion, focal necrosis and slight but distinct neuronophagia.
There was congestion of the membranes as well.
Cerebellum. Capillary congestion and slight but distinct neuronophagia.
Medulla oblongata and spinal cord. There was only slight congestion. No
neuronophagia could be detected. Careful examination of sections from various
parts proved negative for helminthic infection.
On the other hand similar examination of the pieces of brain and spinal cord
from four other typically affected cases failed to reveal any of the above mentioned
pathological changes.
(5) The Research Officer, Disease Investigation, Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, on the basis o early histopathological studies felt that the disease might
be of virus origin. He, therefore, advised vaccination of healthy stock with a 4 per
cent carbolised brain emulsion prepared from the brain substance of a typical case
of the disease destro yed in extremis. One hundred and twenty-six goats and
108 sheep were vaccinated with the above vaccine in three batches
during the years 1950-53. An equal number of these animals of the same age-group
were kept as controls under identical conditions of feeding and management for
comparative study. Results judged on 150 vaccinated animals showed that ten cases
of the disease occurred in the two groups, six in the vaccinated and four in the
control group. It was also noticed that one animal, male goat No. 515, which
suffered from the disease in 1950 in spite of the vaccination, had a second attack in
1951 and a third attack in 1952. The third attack was as severe as the second.
This work showed that vaccination had no good effect and that one or more
attacks of the disease did not confer any protection against a subsequent attack.