FURTHER NOTES ON CONTAGIOUS PLEURO-PNEUMONIA OCCURRED IN IMPORTED CATTLE

Abstract

I have informed in my previous paper (No. 1, Vol. IV, 1925, of this journal) that a number of cases of contagious pleuro-pneumonia occurred among cattle imported from China in September 1924.8 months later viz. in May 1925, the disease again broke out in the city of Osaka and has rapidly propagated to the five neighbouring prefectures. On this occasion 124 cows were affected and 656 were treated as exposed to infectionTaking advantage of this opportunity I have made some further experiments upon the disease, the results obtained being briefly summarized as follows:1. The virus of contagious pleuro-pneumonia grew well in 4-8 days in stab culture in beef-bouillon-agar or Martin's agar, both containing 9% bovine serum The virus generally formed a white network consisting of many small colonies along the stab line.2. In the shake cultures in bouillon agar or Martin's bouillon agar, colonies developed semi-anaerobically, that is, principally in a definite stratum, about 1/2cm. below the surface of the culture medium in the course of 3-7 days.3. The organism grew well in oxygen-free atmosphere quite anaerobically in the course of 7-8 days.4. In a medium prepared from the transparent fluid of the anterior chamber of cattle eye, the organism grew in 7-8 days, showing a fine opalescent turbidity.5. By inoculating a pure culture (0.2-0.6c.c.) into the anterior chamber of rabbit eye, I have recognized that the organism can survive there for two weeks. An acute iritis was observed in the inoculated eye.6. 4-5c.c. of the pure culture introduced into the rabbit testicle were apparently absorbed in 1-2 days, but a few days later the testicle began to swell up and after 2 or 3 weeks it recovered into normal size or even smaller than normal. No symptom of suppuration was observed in the swollen testicle.7. The serum from a rabbit immunized by inoculation of pure culture into the anterior chamber of the eye or into the testicle, showed a precipitine reaction to the serum from affected cattle.