SHORT HISTORY OF SURRA TREATMENT IN THE PUNJAB     235

able for treating debilitated animals and in many instances the treatment resulted
in the animal refusing its food altogether. This was serious inasmuch as many of
the cases were already emaciated when they arrived for treatment. Furthermore,
the " Cross method " of treatment by tartar emetic alone was hardly suitable for
application in cases of massive infection, as on account of the drastic action of the
drug it not infrequently resulted in the death of the host consequent upon the
occlusion of blood capillaries by dead trypanosomes or the liberation of toxic
decomposition products.

In view of the irritant effects of potassium antimony tartrate, tartar emetic,
Colonel E. E. Martin, Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, Northern Command,
suggested some trials with the sodium salt, particularly in the case of old and
debilitated animals. The relative efficacy of these two salts was, therefore, tested
upon 50 cases of surra, 24 of which were treated with the potassium and 26 with
the sodium salt. Eighteen animals of the first category were cured, one relapsed
and five failed to withstand the action of the drug. The latter were later treated
with naganol-emetic combination (infra). Of the 26 animals treated with sodium
antimony tartrate, 15 were cured, 2 relapsed and 2 died, whilst the remaining
7 could not withstand the action of the drug and were later treated either with
naganol alone or by the combined naganol-emetic method (infra). As will be noted
from these results, the percentage of recoveries obtained with the potassium
antimony tartrate was slightly higher than that obtained with the more costly
sodium salt. The results of these trials further demonstrated the inadvisability
of using either of these drugs in the treatment of old and emaciated animals.

    TREATMENT OF SURRA BY MEANS OF NAGANOL ALONE.

In the Punjab, the earliest trials with naganol were carried out in 1924, when
a small supply of the drug was obtained and tested upon 6 animals artificially in-
fected, recovery being obtained in 4 cases. In 1925, the manufacturers very kindly
supplied the Sohawa Laboratory with 800 grammes of the drug for further experi
ments and its efficacy was tested upon 10 cases, with a successful termination in
five. The results of these trials demonstrated the superiority of naganol over
tartar emetic in three important respects. In the first place, the treatment was
simpler and entailed a less prolonged course of treatment than the " Cross method."
In the second place, the drug lent itself for injection by the intravenous route
without resulting in abscess formation, as is not infrequently the case when tartar
emetic is used in this manner. Lastly, the drug could be safely injected even into
animals showing swarming trypanosomes in blood smears. Furthermore, an
improvement in the condition of the affected animal was noticeable within a few
days of the commencement of the treatment and its appetite remained unimpaired.