14 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



tube. Microscopic examinations were made daily of smears taken at various depths 

 in the mixtures. Smears were prepared from the sediment after centrifuging one 

 cubic cciitiinotre of saline solution. In none of the exiiniinations made fnom this 

 diluted blood were we able to detect any trypanosomata or what we understand as their 

 involution forms. 



In March this mare was in an exceedingly poor physical condition, she was thin, 

 her coat had an unthrifty look and there was marked inco-ordination in the movement 

 of both the fore and tlie hind limbs. The knuckling of the fetlocks was particularly 

 noticeable even to the inexperienced clinician. When at rest she would raise the 

 near hind foot as shown in an accompanying photograph (plate VI) taken May 5, 1906. 



Immediately after the advent of warmer weather and the appearance of green 

 grass in the inclosure in which the experimental animals were held, there was a 

 marked improvement in her condition with a lessening of the clinical evidence of the 

 disease. The inco-ordination of the fore and the hind limbs gradually became less and 

 could scarcely be detected during the latter part of the summer. She was bred to 

 the stallion (G50) at vaiiious times after his purchase for reasons similar to those 

 mentioned under (Sleepy 588), and was later found to be in foal. 



In October, 1906, this mare was worked with (588) and worked up to the time of 

 foaling (June 20, 1907), when she was relieved and, although several efforts were made 

 to subsequently use her at some light work her condition rendei*ed it necessary to 

 abandon all efforts in this direction. The foal which presented no evidence of 

 dourine died of a septic infection (navel ill) eleven days after birth. 



Shortly after being placed at work in the fall of 1906 (November), she was noted 

 to be lame in the near foreleg. A careful examination was made without locating 

 the exact seat . of the difficulty but it was considered to be above the fetlock. This 

 lameness was of an intermittent character and we were therefore forced to conclude 

 that it was but another clinical manifestation of the disease from which she was suffer- 

 ing and not due to an injury. 



On January 1, 1907, a large number of animal inoculations were made, using 

 untreated and defibrinated blood. In these inoculations large amounts were used, 

 75 and 150ccm. in guineapigs and mbbits and SOOccm. in a young puppy. The 

 guineapigs and rabbits were inoculated subcutaneously and intra-abdominally with 

 the untreated blood and with that which was defibrinated. The puppy (weighing 

 about ten pounds and about two months old) received 150ccm. of the untreated 

 blood subcutaneously and loOccm. of the defibrinated blood intra-abdominally. No 

 reaction followed the inoctilations of these relatively large amounts of blood, save 

 a slight rise in temperature in the cases of a few of the inoculated animals on the 

 third and fourth days. This rise in temperature was attributed to the blood acting 

 as a foreign body, the rise in temperature being occasioned by the general metabolic 

 disturbance during the absorption of the inoculated material. Careful and syste- 

 matic examinations of the blocd of these exi)erimental animals were conducted sub- 

 sequent to their inoculation, but in none of the preparations taken were we able to 

 discern any evidence of trypanosomata. 



On the date of making the inoculations about 3.000 cubic centimetres of blood 

 were removed from the mare, and there was little or no difference to be noted in her 

 condition following this procedure. 



After foaling (June 20, 1907), the condition of the mare rapidly grew worse, 

 and although she appeared to eat well it was impossible to put any flesh on her. 

 Inco-ordination of the hind limbs was very marked and there was a distinct sway- 

 ing of the quarters. Early in August, on account of the rapid failure of her on- 

 dition she was brought to the laboratory stable that she might be available at such 

 times as it was deemed advisable to make clinical or other examinations. Within, 

 a few days of her return to the laboratory she was picketed and allowed to eat all 

 the gneen grass that she desired. This was followed by a temporary improvement 

 in her condition,; there was a partial subsidence of the inco-ordination, her coat 



