Annual medical and sanitary report / Uganda Protectorate.

  • Uganda Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Uganda Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/46 (page 43)
    2. The first case was brought to my notice by Mr. K. R. Kanade, Sub-Assistant Surgeon, on November 21st, the patient being a woman with the pustule on the cheek. Two days later a girl from the same bouse was brought to the hospital with the pustule on the breast. Both these cases were typical and anthrax bacilli were found in smears. Cultures were made on potato but were unsatisfactory. A stab culture in gelatine however was more or less characteristic, liquified the gelatine and showed both anthrax and staphylococci on examination. Enquiries were made at neighbouring houses and three further cases were brought to the hospital: one with a typical pustule on the chin, the other a less typical one on the forehead and one on the back. Smears of all showed anthrax bacilli. 3. The sixth case, which ended fatally, was carried into hospital on the evening of December 4th. The patient complained of great pain in the abdomen which was tense and hard. The abdominal wall was diffusely inflamed and swollen with a small pustule in the centre of the inflamed area. There was also an oblong fluid swelling about \ inch in breadth and extending about 4 inches round the base of the neck. There was no temperature. During the night the patient died. After death the swelling on the neck was not obvious, but smears taken from the abdominal pustule were full of anthrax bacilli. A vein opened contained dark fluid blood also full of bacilli. No further examination was considered necessary. On enquiry it was found that the man had eaten meat of a cow that had died about three weeks previously, but had only complained of illness for one day. 4. On further questioning, all the previous five cases of malignant pustule referred to above now admitted they had eaten the same meat. They had previously withheld this information. 5. The seventh case came for treatment on December 8th. This patient had a large pustule 3J inches in diameter over the right scapula where the raw meat from the same cow had been slung to carry home. 6. The cases of uncomplicated pustule were treated by the application at intervals of pure carbolic acid and exposure to the hot sun for as long as possible. No dressings were used and all six cases made a quick recovery. 7. On November 5th a cow of the same herd (belonging to an Indian) was reported to have died, and I immediately visited the kraal to find the carcase cut up and the meat prepared for sale. I examined all the parts remaining but beyond a small ulcer and inflammation on the hide no naked-eye changes were obvious to me. Smears taken from the ulcer and of blood from different parts of the body were, however, full of anthrax bacilli. I ordered destruction of the meat by burning also of several hides (among which was the one of the previous case) stored in the hut at the kraal. 8. On November 7th a cow of another herd of twenty belonging to natives died of anthrax. This cow is said to have been ill for some days with pain in the abdomen. No sign of any anthrax pustule could be seen on the body externally, but there were several scars where hot irons had been applied to the abdomen. On opening the body the obvious changes were :— (a) Haemorrhages, very large, on the external peritoneum also some scars and ulcers chiefly caused by the hot iron. (b) Heart full of dark fluid blood. (c) Spleen enlarged, soft, pulpy and friable. (d) Lung very anaemic. Smears taken of the blood and different parts of the body all contained bacilli similar to anthrax. 9. Cultures (plate) from cow II liquified gelatine, but were too much contam¬ inated with moulds and other organisms to be of diagnostic value. Stab cultures, owing to cooler weather and no artificial heat being available, took a long time to grow, but eventually showed typical anthrax. 10. The District Commissioner received authority from the Chief Veterinary Officer to prohibit the slaughter of cattle and sale of meat within five miles of the township except in the Government market after inspection. The following procedure has now been adopted :— (ft) Cattle, goats and sheep to be killed next day are brought to the hospital in the afternoon.