SURRA.                              59

THE RESULT OF THE ARSENIC TREATMENT IN TWENTY CASES

           OF SURRA SPONTANEOUSLY CONTRACTED.

In the Autumn of 1909 Surra broke out among the
Army Transport ponies working on the Kathgodam road.
Twenty of these cases were sent to the Laboratory for
treatment. All these ponies were old, not less than sixteen
years, worn out, and in the last stage of the disease. They
were so debilitated that it required two days to march them
from their camp to the Laboratory, a distance of about
18 miles.

On blood examination trypanosomes varying in number
from 5 to 100 in a field were detected in every case. The
animals were not in a condition to tolerate the administra-
tion of arsenic by the mouth. Consequently, an injection
of atoxyl was first given which freed the blood from
trypanosomes. The injection was repeated after an interval
of three days. After a week the ponies had so far improved
that it was considered safe to commence treatment. Out
of these twenty cases, two died from tympanitis during the
course of treatment. There were no symptoms, or post-
mortem lesions of poisoning, and death was not attributed
to arsenic.

One pony died some weeks after the completion of treat-
ment from injuries received by falling under the partition of
his stall, at night. He had not shown any relapse.

Seventeen recovered. Four of these had a relapse and
received a second course of treatment. Sixteen ponies were
returned to their corps after being kept under observation at
the Laboratory for three months following their treatment.
One pony which injured his hock and is unfit for work
remains under observation at the Laboratory.

Taking into consideration the age and condition of
these animals, the fact that the disease was contracted
spontaneously and had advanced to the last stage, it is
evident, that, no more severe or practical test could be