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Tuberculosis in a Cart Mare
The Veterinu:ry 1/_ournal. The genital opening was small, and the mass was to·u ched wit h some difficulty. A cannula was fiJ·st g uided into position and the trocar then introduced. vVhen the neifer made her next strainin g effort the instrument was thru st forwards , which was followed by t~1e di scharge of from two to three gallons of fluid with the dis tinct odour of a cow's aftePbiTth. Twice subs·equently I ha d to see the heife1·, and to complete the first tr·e atment by teari ng down adhesions and enlarging the1 opening. During her recovery the end of her tai l sloughed off. When last I heard of her she had been in quite good health and comfort for some months , and was then sold to be fatt e (l at grass.
TUBERCULOSIS I N A CART MARE. By G. MAYALL, M.R.C.V.S.
A BAY cart mare 12 •years old had been gradually fall ing away m condition for about three months, and when being shod ha d ocoasio111aliy faUen down. \VIhe n first my attention was called to her I noticed slightly increased respinations and a temperature of 102°. She was r·ested for a week an d some fever medicine given, and was put to work again. She ate well, as indeed sh e Aftt;,r working for a fortnight, during which tim e did a ll along. -she was very sluggish, lacking in life, and getting gradual•ly thinner, she was again thrown off work and isol.a ted. On examination at this time I found a t emperature of IOJO and pulse of s6, respirat i on~ 24 and shallow, th ere was great tenderness on pressure over the third cervical ve•r tebra, re spiratory sounds absen t in left lung, and on examination per ·rect!.lm I could feel \\1lat l considered to be a nodular sp!een and enlarged mesenteric g'J.ands . On November 3 and t'hr·ee following days pulse, t emperature, and respirations remained t.he same, and mare was ma king a lot more I reported my suspicion of tuberculosi.s, and urine than normal. as the temperature ·r emained high, an·d did not g iv·e much chance of any useful employment of the tuberculin test, I decided to collect some of her urine and test it according to Ehrlich's diazo reaction (an .account of which I had read in the Veterinary· Reco nf for November 27, 1915, in an artic!e contributed by Mr. G. G.ai.r , M.R.C. V.S.). I passed t·h e catheter and got a 2 ounce bottle full
Tubero1losis in a Cart j\lfare. o£ the mare's urine. I mixed some of it with the sodium nitrate and sulphan ilic and hydrochloric acid ·s olutions, a described in Ehrlich '-s test, and added 5 drops of ammonia solution and s~ook the mixtme well up. Tlhe urine was at onee coloured reel , the foam was lighter coloured, but, on standing for 24 hours, no blue, gn-een or black eolouration of the upper portion of the precipitate was shown. However, taking the results of this test along with the clinical symptoms shown, I felt pretty corufident that the mare was tuberculous, and advised her slaughter . This was done . The post-mortem showed : Gaseous consolidation of both lungs, only a hand breadth of lung tissue at the base of each lung appearing oapable of performing respiaatory functions . The spleen was studded with tubercles from the size of a walnut to that of a russet apple, the mesenteric glands were enla,rged and cheesy, a nd the third cervical Yertebra and the fifth dorsal vertebra had been attacked by the disease and were inflamed, enlarged, and necrotic. It was a matter of surprise that the m a•r e worked as 'lo ng as she did do and did not lose more condition. During th e. last four clays of life s!he never li ed down. For t'he benefit of t·hose who are not acquainted with the diazo reaction, particulars are herewith g iven . For the perform1ance of the test two solutions are necessary. I
2
Sodium nit rate Aqure de st. .............. . ... .. ... . .... . . . Acid su1phanili·c Acid hydrochlor. Aqure dest. . . ......... .
o.s 100.0
s.o .)0.0 TOOO.O
Two c.c. of th e first and g8 c.c. of the second solution are mjxed. The reaction is carried out thus :-Ten ro fifteen c.c. of urine are treated in a test tube with an equal quantity of the reagent, shaken vigorously until a foam is produced, atnd then about one c.c. of ammonia is aclclecl . The reaction is positive i.f the foam and liquid are bot-h coloured red . Normal urin e is onJy coloured ye.Jlow by the test. After 24 hours standing a positive test throws do\Yn a precipitate, the upper portion of' which is blue, gr·een or black. As gi.ven by Mr. G. Gair, in the non-menric way, th e test mads as follows:-" Prepare two fresh solutions: (I) a sa.tumted -soiution of sulphani,lic acid in 5 per cent. of H.Cl.; (z) 5 p er :/5
The
Veterinc.~'y
/ounJGI.
cent . of sodium nitrite. Tb five c.c. of urine add aru equ al qua ntity of solution I ; then add a few drops of solution 2, and shake till flfothy; add ammonia ti H aJkalin e. A positi ve resu lt is in dicated if the liquid acq uires a port \l·ine colour and the f ro th at t he same time beoo mes red. " W e think the test is a ve ry useful one 111 som e c ase~ '\v•nere t uberculin cannot be properly •applied. \Ve shaH be g lad :·J hc :-~ r from o th elf practition ers who :have used it .
CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM PO ISONH\G. By G. YATES, F.R.C. \ '.S., Harro w. CALLED out early one morn ing la st mont h to see a terrier said to have be en suddenly take n se r iou sly ill. On arriYal, eli cited the follo wing information , v iz., t ha t t he maid s, on comin g down stai rs that m orning (6.30 a.m .) di scove re d t hat during th n i~·ht bur gla rs ·h ad paid a vi si t to the prem ises, gaiuing ent ra nce throug h a ba.r red window in the bc.. sement, and had ·ev idently been di stu rbed, leaving their boot y, si lve r pla te, e tc., all rea dy a Tangcd fo r removal. The prese nce of several pieces o f meat st r ewn a bou~ t he kitchen floor did not excite their su spi cion, a s t he t erri er· at th is ti me appeared quite well a nd in hi s usnal spirit s . A t seYen o 'clock . however, symptoms of illne ss be came apparen t. T he dog a ppeared in a condition of utter' prostr atio n upon my arr ival, in fac t , alma.st inanimate, pul se barely percept ible, ext r em itie s deadly cold, a nd r espirati ons shallo w, although co nsciou sness st ill r emained. Ow ing to th e patient's mi;;t r··e s·s •being seriously i I at the ti me, the telephon e message g·aye me no pa rti cular s, so c onsequently was unpre pared. U pon r etu r ning late r wit!t the neces sary antidotes, the t errier was al most mor ibund, and pQs se d away at 8.30 a .m . The pieces of meat , up on examinat ion, \rere fou nd to IJ. of horse fle s h, cut into thick, square poTti on s , a centra l circu lar· p.iece having been skilfully cut out, the poison in serted, an d t he piece replaced. O f the pieces ·d ist ributed about the fl oo r each c ont:1 in ed in its cent re a small cry stal t he size of a pea o r y.ery sma ll bean. Its nature could be readily determined by it s ·sm ell, w hioh was verified by two· chem ists to wh om I subm itted it , a nd wh o read ily r ecog nised the substanc-e to be cyanide o f pota ss ium . Thi:; case brough~ vividl y to my ·mind a n in stance of suspected p oi s oh~llg I
TUBERCULOSIS I N A CART MARE. By G. MAYALL, M.R.C.V.S.
A BAY cart mare 12 •years old had been gradually fall ing away m condition for about three months, and when being shod ha d ocoasio111aliy faUen down. \VIhe n first my attention was called to her I noticed slightly increased respinations and a temperature of 102°. She was r·ested for a week an d some fever medicine given, and was put to work again. She ate well, as indeed sh e Aftt;,r working for a fortnight, during which tim e did a ll along. -she was very sluggish, lacking in life, and getting gradual•ly thinner, she was again thrown off work and isol.a ted. On examination at this time I found a t emperature of IOJO and pulse of s6, respirat i on~ 24 and shallow, th ere was great tenderness on pressure over the third cervical ve•r tebra, re spiratory sounds absen t in left lung, and on examination per ·rect!.lm I could feel \\1lat l considered to be a nodular sp!een and enlarged mesenteric g'J.ands . On November 3 and t'hr·ee following days pulse, t emperature, and respirations remained t.he same, and mare was ma king a lot more I reported my suspicion of tuberculosi.s, and urine than normal. as the temperature ·r emained high, an·d did not g iv·e much chance of any useful employment of the tuberculin test, I decided to collect some of her urine and test it according to Ehrlich's diazo reaction (an .account of which I had read in the Veterinary· Reco nf for November 27, 1915, in an artic!e contributed by Mr. G. G.ai.r , M.R.C. V.S.). I passed t·h e catheter and got a 2 ounce bottle full
Tubero1losis in a Cart j\lfare. o£ the mare's urine. I mixed some of it with the sodium nitrate and sulphan ilic and hydrochloric acid ·s olutions, a described in Ehrlich '-s test, and added 5 drops of ammonia solution and s~ook the mixtme well up. Tlhe urine was at onee coloured reel , the foam was lighter coloured, but, on standing for 24 hours, no blue, gn-een or black eolouration of the upper portion of the precipitate was shown. However, taking the results of this test along with the clinical symptoms shown, I felt pretty corufident that the mare was tuberculous, and advised her slaughter . This was done . The post-mortem showed : Gaseous consolidation of both lungs, only a hand breadth of lung tissue at the base of each lung appearing oapable of performing respiaatory functions . The spleen was studded with tubercles from the size of a walnut to that of a russet apple, the mesenteric glands were enla,rged and cheesy, a nd the third cervical Yertebra and the fifth dorsal vertebra had been attacked by the disease and were inflamed, enlarged, and necrotic. It was a matter of surprise that the m a•r e worked as 'lo ng as she did do and did not lose more condition. During th e. last four clays of life s!he never li ed down. For t'he benefit of t·hose who are not acquainted with the diazo reaction, particulars are herewith g iven . For the perform1ance of the test two solutions are necessary. I
2
Sodium nit rate Aqure de st. .............. . ... .. ... . .... . . . Acid su1phanili·c Acid hydrochlor. Aqure dest. . . ......... .
o.s 100.0
s.o .)0.0 TOOO.O
Two c.c. of th e first and g8 c.c. of the second solution are mjxed. The reaction is carried out thus :-Ten ro fifteen c.c. of urine are treated in a test tube with an equal quantity of the reagent, shaken vigorously until a foam is produced, atnd then about one c.c. of ammonia is aclclecl . The reaction is positive i.f the foam and liquid are bot-h coloured red . Normal urin e is onJy coloured ye.Jlow by the test. After 24 hours standing a positive test throws do\Yn a precipitate, the upper portion of' which is blue, gr·een or black. As gi.ven by Mr. G. Gair, in the non-menric way, th e test mads as follows:-" Prepare two fresh solutions: (I) a sa.tumted -soiution of sulphani,lic acid in 5 per cent. of H.Cl.; (z) 5 p er :/5
The
Veterinc.~'y
/ounJGI.
cent . of sodium nitrite. Tb five c.c. of urine add aru equ al qua ntity of solution I ; then add a few drops of solution 2, and shake till flfothy; add ammonia ti H aJkalin e. A positi ve resu lt is in dicated if the liquid acq uires a port \l·ine colour and the f ro th at t he same time beoo mes red. " W e think the test is a ve ry useful one 111 som e c ase~ '\v•nere t uberculin cannot be properly •applied. \Ve shaH be g lad :·J hc :-~ r from o th elf practition ers who :have used it .
CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM PO ISONH\G. By G. YATES, F.R.C. \ '.S., Harro w. CALLED out early one morn ing la st mont h to see a terrier said to have be en suddenly take n se r iou sly ill. On arriYal, eli cited the follo wing information , v iz., t ha t t he maid s, on comin g down stai rs that m orning (6.30 a.m .) di scove re d t hat during th n i~·ht bur gla rs ·h ad paid a vi si t to the prem ises, gaiuing ent ra nce throug h a ba.r red window in the bc.. sement, and had ·ev idently been di stu rbed, leaving their boot y, si lve r pla te, e tc., all rea dy a Tangcd fo r removal. The prese nce of several pieces o f meat st r ewn a bou~ t he kitchen floor did not excite their su spi cion, a s t he t erri er· at th is ti me appeared quite well a nd in hi s usnal spirit s . A t seYen o 'clock . however, symptoms of illne ss be came apparen t. T he dog a ppeared in a condition of utter' prostr atio n upon my arr ival, in fac t , alma.st inanimate, pul se barely percept ible, ext r em itie s deadly cold, a nd r espirati ons shallo w, although co nsciou sness st ill r emained. Ow ing to th e patient's mi;;t r··e s·s •being seriously i I at the ti me, the telephon e message g·aye me no pa rti cular s, so c onsequently was unpre pared. U pon r etu r ning late r wit!t the neces sary antidotes, the t errier was al most mor ibund, and pQs se d away at 8.30 a .m . The pieces of meat , up on examinat ion, \rere fou nd to IJ. of horse fle s h, cut into thick, square poTti on s , a centra l circu lar· p.iece having been skilfully cut out, the poison in serted, an d t he piece replaced. O f the pieces ·d ist ributed about the fl oo r each c ont:1 in ed in its cent re a small cry stal t he size of a pea o r y.ery sma ll bean. Its nature could be readily determined by it s ·sm ell, w hioh was verified by two· chem ists to wh om I subm itted it , a nd wh o read ily r ecog nised the substanc-e to be cyanide o f pota ss ium . Thi:; case brough~ vividl y to my ·mind a n in stance of suspected p oi s oh~llg I