Onchocerciasis in Cattle and Associated, Animate. 7 



Similar conditions appear to exist in the Hawaiian [elands which 

 were visited. 



Malay Peninsula. 



As already known, worm-nodules were found by Mr. T. A. Ford 

 in Malaya in 1904, and recorded under the name of Spirojitera 

 reticulata by Dr. Daniels (1904, p. 17). These came from an aged 

 specimen of Bos indieus. I visited a number of official Veterinary 

 Surgeons in the Peninsula, and enquiries were made from others, 

 but none so far seem to have been able to detect them elsewhere, 

 though while this report was nearing completion, I received from 

 Mr. Ford specimens from an old working Indian bullock, and 

 from 17 small Siam bulls (from the west coast of Siam, about mid- 

 way between Penang and Rangoon), the latter having been brought 

 to Kuala Lumpur for slaughter. The nodules vary in number from 

 1-20. The fact that cattle are never killed unless incapable of 

 work, naturally diminished the likelihood of the nodules being 

 found, but it does not seem credible that they are so restricted in 

 distribution in the Peninsula, especially in view of experiences else- 

 where. Thus, at Penang inquiries were made, and finding that 

 their existence had not been noted, I accompanied the Municipal 

 Veterinary surgeon to the Abattoirs, where I interviewed his Chief 

 Inspector, and made with them an examination of the carcases 

 then in the houses. That they were well known to the Inspector, 

 although he had not previously reported them, was quickly seen, as 

 without any advice from myself he immediately cut in two inches to 

 the side of the midline of the sternum of an Indian bullock, disclos- 

 ing three nodules exactly similar to 0. gibsoni in appearance and 

 position. These were found to be mature, and contained living and 

 actively motile larvae. The nodules were present to the number of 

 1-3 in nearly all the cattle killed that day, but none could be found 

 in any of the buffalo then in. I was assured, however, by tho 

 Inspector, evidently a careful observer, that they are quite fre- 

 quently found in Indian cattle (Bos indieus), and in more than 20 

 per cent, of the " native " brown Malay cattle, and in the small 

 humped Siamese cattle, both of which appear to be varieties of 

 Bos ifidictfs — always in the brisket, but usually only up to three per 

 animal, varying up to the size of a walnut. They are also found 

 but comparatively rarely in the "native'' buffalo or Karibouw 

 (Bos bubalis). In the face of this evidence it seems credible that n 

 more careful search will reveal the presence of these worm-nodules 

 widely spread in the cattle and buffalo on the mainland. 



