Document Zn8doEjpVVbepM37n0nwxB7aY

'/ *! too ms VEIFRINAKY RH ORf) JANUARY 22m}. 19/2 Scientific Letters The Relationship of Serum Calcium to Prolapsed wtgina and JUngwomb Sir,--We were interested to read the paper by Mr. D, P. Stubb/ngt on the Relationship of Serum Calcium to Prolapsed Vagina and Ringwomb in Sheep (Vet. Rcc.\ 1971). 89, 296-300). ] A survey was carried out by ourselves through the Veterinary Cluiical Observation Unit, info the aetiology of prolapsed vagina in sheep. The results of this survey, covering several hundred cases, indi cated about as roany suggested aetiolugical factors as there were replies to the questionnaire. /As no conclusions could be reached, no resulti were published. \ [ In one of our earlier papers (Vet. Rec. (1062). 74, 363*370) investigatingUhe aetiology of true angwomb in sheep, we reported that tbe levels jbf serum calcium wero within \he normal range in affected animals. It is doubtfyl whether the variations of factor responsible for a herd calving ipdex dropping from 375 days lb over 400 days. / Acknowledgments--We wish tg/ncknou ledge the help Of tbe followme in our continuing investigation: Dr. Saba of the Central VriYrinary Laboratory for oestrogen assays. dX Tarr 6f Exeter University for identification of cultiye$, Mr. P. G. Hlgnett, Dr. Jean Renton of Glasgow University Veterinary School for feeding trials, and the Commonwealth Plant Bureau for ,tfcferegce cultures of Fusarium graminaerum. / \ January 10th. 1972. * Yours faithfully, / v J. C. H1NDSON. Risdons. Hatnerley, Devon. / TURNER. Lapfordy^rediton, Devon. Reference Antt/M Revitw of Phytopathology (1966). 4, 171-194. serum calcium noted fy Mr. Stubbiags/ure physio logically significant, except at the extrerafe lower Limit of normality, when a cervical non-dilatation would be a reflection of myotnelrial inertia and not. as Mr. Stubbing* suggests, due to lack hi tone of the smooth muscle of the cerVix. If smooth muscle tone of the cervix was decreased, this would lead to an accelerated dilatation of \the cervix, since such dilatation is the result oi prolonged rayornctrial activity and not a sphincterxelaxation. It seems likely that true pOn-dilatation of the cervix can result from the\ intake of exogenous oestrogen! Of these, theta are two probable sources:-- A 1. Red clover. In several blocks of sheep, showing a high incidence of non-dilatation, it can be shown that they grazed a pasture/rich In red clover in mid pregnancy. /l 2. Some fungi found/in herbage end grain ore rich in oestrogens. / \ Fusarium grami/tuerdm is one luch fungus in this Persistence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Milk of Exposed Cows Sir,--Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), white com mercially available for the past 40 years, were not identified as environmental contaminants until about five years ago. In 1966 Jensen reported on the occur rence of PCB in fish and wildlife. Subesequent re ports confirmed tbeir presence in terrestrial and aquatic life forms in Europe (Holmes, Simmons & Tatton. 1967; Jensen, Johnels. Olsson & Otterlind. 1969; Koeman, Ten Nocver Dc Brauw and De Vos, 1969; Press!, Jefferies A Moore, 1970) and North America (Bagley, Retchel St Cromartie, 1970; Duke. Lowe Sc Wilson, 1970; Riscbrough, Reichs, Peakall, Herman Sc jfCirvea, 1968). Polychlorinated biphenyls have recently been detected in a large number of foodstuffs and in human milk (WestoO, Noren & Anderson. 1970), hair, and adipose tissue (Gustafson. 1970) . While human milk samples contained up to area, which by oestrogen assay, we have shown to j.O mg. per kg. fat. as much as 14,000 mg. per kg. be oestrogenic, lips fungus aperies has been could be detected in some wildlife samples (Gustaf incriminated in a Vomiting syndrome, and vulval son. 1970). Platonow, Saschenbreckcr Sc Funnell. and mammary hypertrophy in pir- *u- ,,CA 1971) reported on tbe occurrence of PCB residues in (Ann. Rev. Phyt.,n966). ' the milk and some tissues of bovines exposed to en In a feeding irial carried out Vit the Glasgow vironmental contamination. Veterinary School using Fusarium vraminaerum of Polychlorinated biphenyls exhibit a number of known oestrog/nic activity, two cases of vaginal physical, chemical and pharmacological slmiliaritie** prolapse and one case of non-dilatation of the cervix to the DDT pesticide group, originating with the fact were recoidcd'in the experimental group of 10 ewes. that they share with chlorinated hydrocarbon pesti One case of nrolopscd vagina occurred in the control cides strong lipophilic properties, which result in group. / \ their accumulation in the animal's lipid denots and Thisfun/oid growth is particularly common where untreated barley is stored in sealed pdlythene bags in the op/n air. This growth appears a! a pale pink discoloration, usually on the upper stlface of the bug contents and close to any puncture! in the bag. The feeding of such contaminated grAn to breed consequent concentration along the ecological food chain (Jensen. Johnels. Olsson St Otterlond. 1969>. Chronic toxicity of PCB appears to be of greater significance than acute toxicity. Recent invita tions indicate that the hopntotoxic action of PCI*, if considered to be primary cRcct. is ia i*s plnrm.i- ing caftlc has a potential risk. In one case, the cologicnl significance surpassed by a number of ftvdiiip of a grain affected with fungus of oestrogen secondary but highly nlanning effects, such as tin; activity of 2 g. per 100 g. was the only detectable induction of a microsomal enzyme activity Jc.idi.t.: MONS 035429 THC VF.VHIUNAKY RECORD JANUARY 2?.nd, 1V72 J.Jil/ Table I. The Levels (in /ic./o. Wkt Weight) of Polvchlominatfr* Biphenvls in the Milk, Urine and Fafcls of Cows Given JO mo./ko. (Cow A) and I00mu./ko. (Cow B) of POLVCHLORJNATED BlPHFNVlS, R6SPCCTIVELV, AKU COL LECTED for Seven Consecutive Davs. Xjw FlO. --Chromatograms of Aroclor 1Z54 ttanda.nl (upper tradng) and of the tame oompouod recovered from the urine of one of the experimental animals (lower tracing). Day of collet- lion Milk 1 6.27 2 5.48 3 2.15 4 1.57 J 1.17 6 1.04 7 1.06 Cow A Faeces Urine 0.69 0.0035 0.53 0.0034 0.45 0.0036 0.42 0.0035 0.35 0.0032 0.36 0 0035 0.32 0.0034 Milk 74.45 42.69 15.97 12.34 10.28 8.82 7.80 Cow B Faeces 7.52 5.35 4.43 4.09 3.60 3.64 3.24 chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, described by Saschenbrecker & Ecobichon (1968). Gas chromatographic detection of PCB in both standard and tissue samples by means of a Ni-63 electron capture source revealed a total of 16 distinct peaks which we chose to label in accordance with the number code of Reynolds (1969). The top trac ing (Pig. 1.) was obtained with a column load of 5 ng. of the PCB compound in heptane, while the lower tracing represents 1 ng. of the same compound re covered from bovine liver. The peaks shown here in days fio. 2.--The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in milk after the administration of I0mg./kg. (A) and 100 mg. /kg. (B), respectively. ascending numerical order represent various stages of polychlorination of the biphenyl skeleton reaching a quantitatively chlorinated model in decachlorobiphenyl. One day after the administration of the PCB, the to an accelerated metabolism of drugs, insecticides and other foreign substances. In addition, PCB causes the activation of some organopbosphatc pesti cides to more potent enzyme inhibitors and finally as recent evidence suggests, PCB may bring about steroid degradation, which can lead to altered endo crine relationships (Gustafson, 1970). Unlike other substrates PCB is not converted to a water-soluble form upon enzyme activation and thus is not readily eliminated from the system. The enzyme induction activity of PCB is therefore present for a relatively long time. In view of the aformentioned lipophilic character of PCB. the excreted levels in die milk of lactatiog cows as a logical route of elimination were investigated and compared with similarly obtained parameters for urine ana faeces. . Two actively lactating Jersey cows, weighing 360 and 390 kg., were given orally 10 and 100 mg. of PCB per kg. of bodyweight. respectively. Tbe PCB were given as a technical grade compound* dissolved in a small amount of olive oil and mixed with dairy concentrate. Milk was collected for up to SO days after Ihe PCB administration. Total urine, obtained by means of permanently installed catheters, two animals showed concentrations of PCB in milk of 6.27 and 74.45 ppm. These levels were reduced to less than half within three days post administration, whereafter the milk levels decreased slowly and persisted beyond 50 days. These data are shown in Fig. 2. The low levels of PCB detected in faeces are indictive of their good absorption from the gastro intestinal tract. The percentages of the PCB excreted via various routes indicate that by far the major route of ex cretion of PCB in lactating cows appears to be milk. Indeed, total collection for seven consecutive days of urine, faeces and milk accounted for 9.42 per cent, and 6.06 per oeot. of PCB in animals givert 10 and 100 mg. per kg., respectively. Polychlorinated biphenyls excreted in milk during seven days accoun ted for 7.35 per cent, and 4.76 per-cent, of the totat dose in animals given 10 and 100 mg. per kg. respec tively. In both animals urinary excretion of PCB was insignificant, less than one hundredth of 1 per cent, in both animals. The PCB detected in faeces collected for seven days accounted for 2.07 per cent, and 1.30 per cent., which represent 3.5 and 3.6 times less than in the milk of the respective animal. and faeces were collected for two days prior to and seven days after the administration of the PCB. Polychlorinated biphenyls were extracted from samples and analysed according to a method for Acknowledgments.-- The authors wish to thank Mrs. N. Y. Chen and Mr. P. J. Kscnych for their technical assistance. This investigation was supported by a grunt to N. Platonow from the Ontario Department Atoctor 1254, Monsanto Canada Ltd., Toronto. Ontario. of Health (No. 605-7-674). Animal facilities were MONS UB5430 102 rnr-: vci primary rp.cord JANUARY 22nd, 1^72 kindly provided by (he Ontario Department of Agri culture and Food. July 9th, 1971. Yours faithfully, P. W. SASCHENBRECKER. Canada Department of Agriculture, Animal Patho logy Laboratory, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. H. S. FUNNELL. ' N. S. PLATONOW. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. References Bagley. G. E., Reichel, W. L., A Cromartie, E. (1970). JsA.O A.C. 53. 251. Duke. T. W., I-owe. J. I.. A Wilson, A. I. (1970). Bull. Environ. Coniam. Toxicol. 5. 17). Olstafson, C. O. (1970). Environm. Sci. Technol. 4. IJ4. Holmes, D. C.. Simmons, J H, A Tatto.n. J. O. (I9fi7) Nature Loud. 2IS. 227. Jensen, S. (1966). New Scient. 32. 612. ---------. Johnlls, A. G., Olsson, M., A OlTERlINO. G. (1969). Nature Lorui. 224. 247. Kofman, J. FI., Ten Norvtn De BraUW, M. C. & D* Vos R. H. (1969). Ibid. 221. 1126. * Platonov, N., Saschenbrecker, P. \V.. A Funnfll. Ft S (1971). Can. vet. J. 12. 115. Presst, I., jEVFFRir s. D. J., A Moore. N. W. (1970). Cn^on. Pollution. 1. 3. Reynolds, L. M. (1969). Bull. Environ. Contain. Toxicol. 4. 128. Risebrough, R. W.. Reichf, P., Pfaicali. D. D., Hcrmsn S. G., A Kirvln, M. N. (1968). Nature. Lorui. 22o! 1098. Saschenbreker, P. W., A Ecobichon, D. J. (1967). Airiculr. Food Chem. 15. 168. WeTM,. G, Noren, K., A Anoersson. M. (1970). Varfoda. Farming Abstracts Wait Till the Thumbscrews Are On Many farmers now suffering hardships from the Brucellosis Incentives Scheme should never have gone into it, some veterinary experts claim. Some farmers are continually losing cows after tests and find themselves operating depleted herds, since they are not allowed to buy-in replacements until accredita tion. If a farmer calculates that it would cost him more to go into the Incentives Scheme than the incentives offer him. he should wait for compulsory eradication, or clean up bit by bit first and apply to the Incentives Scheme later. Farmers Weekly. January 14th, 1972. Chemical Shearing Further research has been carried out in the U.S.A. on cyclophosphamide. This chemical, given orally to sheep, constricts the wool fibre at the point of formation and as the wool grows the constricted fibres come to the surface and the entire fleece can then be easily removed. The experiments proved that the fleece should not be left on too long after dosing with cyclophosphamide, since it soon begins to fall off, but, on the other hand, the sheep need some protection from the weather; research is now being concentrated on a way to leave the fleece on until the 21st day after dosing, thereby allowing the sheep to have a protective covering of its own wool. The drug was also shown to be safe for in-lamb ewes nnd does not affect the quality of the wool. The Scottish Fanner. January 15th, 1972. THE VETERINARY SCENE "It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet" It must have been 3 a m. before I reluctantly switched off the light and saved a few chapters for tomorrow. My usual habit of reading in bed had backfired and instead of inducing drowsiness had left me wide awake, reading avidly, quite oblivious of the passage of time. The opening pages of James Herriot's new book it Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (Michael Joseph, 2), arc sufficient to conjure up ft very real picture of the delightful Yorkshire setting, if only by the un obtrusive use of dialect. Subsequent descriptions of the Dales nre so vivid that anyone unfamiliar with this of the. country can hardly fail to appreciate sonic of its appeal, whether it is mellowed b> sunshine, or making a reasonable attempt to be a Siberian winter. A"ainU this background \vc are imioduccd to nn astonishing variety of characters. Janies, the young vet, cwuhciiiiil but well aware of his own short comings takes us with him on the rounds in his battered, but stalwart little Austin, the survivor of a series of dreadful mishaps. With only a year of experience behind him, James is at the mercy of clients and patients alike. The sometimes vague and exasperating yet paternal figure Of Siegfried Farnon. his employer, hovers reassuringly in Skeldale House offering words of aid. comfort, and advice. Tristan. Siegfried's younger brother, steps jauntily from the pages undaunted and unscathed by repeated attempts to destroy anything on wheels! Times have obviously changed since James's early days in practice, but animals remain the same. They emerge with a clarity that can only result from genuine interest and long observation. The farmers arc magnificent. There can be few country vets who huve not aheady met similar characters, under different names., in other parts of the country. Whether oi not they can utl match the North country imperturbability and genius for understatement, is perhaps debatable. Mr. Clayton certainly deserves um Oscar for his nonchalant performance when Janice MONS 085431