172                                  FLUORINE INTOXICATION-I                        [Vol. XXV, Part III,

Afterwards, a sample of groundnut haulm from the affected area was compared
with groundnut samples from an unaffected area with regard to their feeding values
and mineral content. From the results of this analysis presented in Table IV,
it is evident that the sample from the affected area (Kurnool) compared favourably
with that grown in the unaffected area (Tindivanam) in all respects except phos-
phorus, which is comparatively low in the Kurnool sample.

                                                                TABLE IV

                                              Feeding value of groundnut haulms

                            (A comparison between Kurnool and Tindivanam samples)

                                                             (On dry basis)

From a pasture survey conducted by the staff of the Madras Agricultural Chemist
throughout the Madras Presidency, it was shown that an imbalance of the chief
minerals, calcium and phosphorus, existed in the affected area, and, therefore, the
groundnut haulms only reflected the general poverty of the area for phosphorus.

B. Aphosphorosis: This factor was probably the prime cause of enhancing
the fluorine intoxication rather than the alleged 'bunch' variety of groundnut.
Considered from the generally accepted proportion of Ca : P as 1 : 1 in the
ration, there was an imbalance between these two minerals in the pasture grasses
of the Ceded Districts, while they were well balanced in other parts of Madras
State [Ramiah, 1939-41]. This probably would explain why cattle in the
affected areas of Nellore in spite of high fluorine content of potable waters was
not so badly attacked by fluorine, as in the Kurnool and adjoining areas of the
Ceded Districts, whereas the malady in cattle was due to the combined effect of
fluorine ingestion and phosphorus deficiency.

Apart from the evidence produced by the analysis of the pasture grasses, the
blood analysis of cattle from the affected area presented in Table V, also showed
that the area must be deficient in phosphorus. The blood phosphorus was very
low compared to the normal range of 4.5 to 5 mg. per 700 ml. of blood and as the
blood is known to reflect the mineral deficiency of the area in which the cattle are
nurtured (Becker et al., 1933; Palmer et al., 1927) the tract must be deficient in
phosphorus.