DISEASE IN CATTLE

688quoting her recent work which indicates that the typeof pneumococcus present in pneumonia affecting infantsunder one year are those normally found in the upperrespiratory tract. Housing and nutrition are alsoimportant aspects of the problem. She also stressedthe need for special convalescence of young childrenrecovering from pneumonia. Such children should bemoved from acute wards after two to three weeks andtreated on sanatorium lines with skilled nursing. Dr. V.Saunders-Jacobs also emphasised the value of con-

valescence for the catarrhal child and she indicated themagnitude of the problem by saying that examinationof 9777 toddlers had revealed bronchitis in 2918. The

prevention, postponement or modification of measlesand whooping-cough was discussed by several speakers.Dr. A. Sigmy spoke of this as a " sad story," for scientificresearch made measures available as far back as 1929 butlittle official encouragement has been received. Dr.Wattie told how placental globulin has been successfullyused in institutions in Glasgow to produce attenuatedattacks of measles and Dr. Saunders-Jacobs stressed theimportance of getting the measles child to bed beforethe rash appears. As regards whooping-cough themodern vaccines in adequate dosage seemed definitelyof value. Dr. Wattie explained that combined vaccina-tion with pertussis vaccine and diphtheria prophylacticis insisted on as a condition of admission to war-timenurseries in Glasgow. The practical difficulty with

regard to more widespread use of pertussis vaccineappears to be that mortality and lung complications arehighest in the infant and, to affect these, vaccines mustbe given probably at three months of age. The anti-

diphtheria campaign has got the idea of prophylaxis atone year into the minds of mothers and the change toan earlier age, with more chance of some reaction inthe infant, may be difficult. Speakers from both theclinical and the public-health standpoint urged theneed for closer cooperation between the paediatrician andthe welfare-clinic medical officer to secure adequateinvestigation of the child with chronic lung disease inits early phases. Tuberculin patch test, radiologicalexamination, iodised oil and bronchoscopy were saidby Dr. Alan Monerieff in his opening remarks to bean essential programme in all children with persistentpulmonary disease. Too much reliance on relativelypassive measures-fresh air, rest, improved nutrition-often means valuable time lost and permanent lungdisease, curable only by radical surgery, is the tragic result.

DISEASE IN CATTLE

1HE loss ot mI1.lr trom tour common cliseases ot dairycattle-mastitis, contagious abortion, sterility andJohne’s disease-has been assessed by the NationalVeterinary Medical Association at about 200 milliongallons a year in this country alone, the equivalent of15 million. The average milking life of a cow is onlyhalf what it might be, and 58% of cows passing out ofherds are disposed of on account of disease. A surveycommitteel of the association has emphasised that

preventive veterinary medicine should include testingfor and immunisation against disease when possible, andadvice on feeding and nutrition which would help tobuild up resistant stock. The committee are primarilyinterested in improving animal health, but naturally anyincrease in quality and quantity of dairy products musthave a bearing on human well-being, especially now whenwe cannot afford to maintain animals of low productionwho are a menace to healthy stock. A scheme for thecontrol of disease in cattle has been under considerationby the association for nearly two years and has beendiscussed with representatives of the Ministry of

Agriculture (animal health division), the National. Farmers Union and the Agricultural Research Council.

All seem willing to cooperate, and a voluntary scheme,s1. Vet. Rec. 1942, 53, 3. 2. Ibid, 1942, 54, 193.

based on a contract between the veterinary practitionerand the farmer, came into action on June 1. It is ashort-term policy designed to meet the immediatedemand for milk production, but a long-term policy is

being devised too and will be kept in mind. To reducestreptococcal mastitis, the association advise routine

quarterly examinations of all dairy cows by a veterinarian,treatment with sulphonamides, and irrigation of theudder ; work in progress indicates that the appropriatespecific toxoid may be useful in mastitis caused by theCorynebacterium pyogenes or by a staphylococcus.Contagious abortion is likely to be reduced, as we notedrecently,3 by the use of the live vaccine sanctioned bythe Ministry of Agriculture. The committee recommendthat facilities for blood testing of cattle should bemaintained and extended, that living vaccines should begiven to non-pregnant cows and to young heifers betweenthe ages of 4 and -8 months, and that these heifers shouldbe kept apart from the main herd until they calve. Anextensive field trial should be made with the vaccine onherds kept under controlled conditions. Stock ownersshould keep records of sterility in their cattle and theveterinarian should examine breeding animals periodicallyand advise on treatment. Herds should be tested withjohnin for Johne’s disease, and positively reacting cattleshould be segregated; those clinically infected should beslaughtered, and young stock should be reared apartfrom adult cattle, and use separate pastures; con-

taminated pastures should not be grazed for 12 months.The Ministry is cooperating in the new scheme by

providing laboratory services and contagious abortionvaccine free, and sulphonamides at a much reducedcharge. Bovine tuberculosis is not covered by thescheme because it is already being- dealt with officially.The long-term policy of the committee aims at

disseminating veterinary knowledge, and applying it aspart of a continuous agricultural plan.

MEMO ON BURNSTHE committee on burns appointed by the Department

of Health for Scotland, with Sir John Fraser as chair-man, has followed its memo of last year on first-aid treat-ment of burns with one on their treatment in hospital 4In his foreword Professor Fraser remarks that thenatural desire to explore alternative methods of treatingburns, though admirable, has led to confusion, and thepresent memo is intended to help the general reader inthe choice of treatment by presenting him with a

" com-

munity " opinion reached by a group who includebacteriologists and a pharmacologist as well as plasticand general surgeons. Much of the text has been draftedby Prof. W. C. Wilson, and the memo has been edited byMr. A. W. Wilkinson F.R.C.S. After comparing theclassifications employed, ranging from Dupuytren’s sixdegrees to the Scottish two-superficial and deep-thememo gives a detailed account of the local and generalpathology of burns and of their clinical course. The main

part of the memo, on treatment, has a section on burnsin special situations, Dr. A. H. H. Sinclair writing onburns of the eyes. The memo ends with appendices ofprescriptions and dosage, and designs for hand-baths,an improvised heated tent for use where a " shock-room " is not available, and a bacterial filter for the hair-dryer used in coagulation treatment.

Sir HENRY DALE, president of the Royal Society, willretire from the post of director of the National Institutefor Medical Research on Sept. 30. To succeed him theMedical Research Council have appointed Prof. C. R.Harington, F.R.S., who is at present professor ofchemical pathology in the University of London anddirector of the Graham Medical Research Laboratoriesin University College Hospital medical school.3. See Lancet, 1942, i, 622.4. Hospital Treatment of Burns. EMS Memo No. 8. Edinburgh:

H.M. Stationery Office. Pp. 39. 9d.