Page:The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 1920.djvu/18

220 also black-skinned animals and those showing more than two permanent teeth. They are from a year to 18 months old. Male or female are taken, but females are usually brought. Any calf showing signs of disease, after admission to the Institute, is returned to the contractor, who is paid Re. 1 as compensation. The disease which gives by far the most trouble is foot-and-mouth disease. When this ailment breaks out in a batch of calves, while they are in quarantine, it is usually necessary to return the entire batch to the contractor, as it is very infectious. Calves are kept in quarantine for 15 days and carefully examined on a table dailv. When passed healthy, they are removed to the waiting stables where they are well-fed and carefully washed and groomed for a period, varying from 4 to 6 weeks, according to the demand for lymph and season of the year. They are passed through the dip every week. Batches of calves are selected for vaccination a fortnight before they are required, and these get special food and attention and their temperatures are taken daily, up to the time of vaccination. When selected, they are not further dipped. Any calf showing signs of illness is isolated and treated, and, if it does not recover in a few days, it is returned to the contractor. The cost, of feeding, per head, is Rs. 5-11-10 per mensem. Extensive grounds are available for grazing and exercise. Rock-salt is provided for the calves to lick. The selected calves are shaved, on the day previous to vaccination, and a large area of the belly and inner sides of the thighs is carefully denuded of hair. After shaving, the shaved area is dried and glycerine is applied. This tends to keep the skin in good condition. The average vaccinating surface, provided per calf, is 225 square inches. The calves are vaccinated in the cool of the morning, and, after vaccination, are kept in the inoculated calves' stable for 5 days when they are taken for the collection of pulp. After collection of the pulp, they are well dusted with powder and at once returned to the contractor ; in this way no risk is taken of these calves infecting waiting calves with vaccinia.

Buffalo calves have been used for lymph production, from time to time, but their use has been given up. The lymph obtained from buffalo calves is very impure and difficult to free from extraneous organisms. The lymph, further, has not proved so reliable as calf lymph. Buffalo calves cannot be obtained on hire in Belgaum.

The calf having boon placed on the tilting operation table, the shaved area is thoroughly washed with soap and warm water, finishing off with