PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PC.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Cow Fulani living in this part of the province, at the interview with them which you had, and at which you asked me to be present, on the 14th instant and also from additional information gained from other sources.
The chief diseases to which cattle here are now subject, or have been subject in the past, appear to be as follows:-
1
(1) One known to the natives as Baiagero. This disease has frequently appeared at different places in the province in the past, and is now prevalent at Rigi (a village within two days' march of Sokoto, and situated to the cast of this latter town). The Fulani state that it was brought in from the east of Rigi from Katsena or Kano. The natives appear to realise that the disease is contagious, as when an animal belonging to them appears to be suffering from it, they at once take steps to isolate it from the rest of the herd; or if they think it is going to die, they at once kill it. (This not so much from any idea of protecting other cattle, &c., but so that they can sell the flesh as human food. The following are the prominent symptoms appearing during the course of the disease:-
The onset is insidious, the appetite gradually is lost, hair stands out and the coat becomes rough and loses its lustre. Sometimes there is a watery discharge from the eyes, and there is always a discharge from the nostrils which later on becomes turbid and viscid. The animal soon loses all desire for food, frequently tries to drink water, but only consumes a little at a time. Constipation is generally most pronounced. No reliable information is at hand as to whether there is any temperature. After a couple of days the breathing becomes laboured and the animal acquires a short dry cough during which its back is arched and head and neck extended. The animal rapidly gets worse and dies within five days or so.
According to native accounts the lungs of animals suffering from the disease are covered with a thick fluid "like okra soup," while they sometimes have small dark hard lumps all over them. I made an examination of the contents of the thorax of an animal which had died from the disease, and which were brought to me from Rigi. The lining membranes of the lungs and chest wall were much thickened and covered with a thick white semi-purulent exudation, which latter was also present.to a considerable amount in the chest cavity. On section the lungs were found to be greyish in colour, with here and there patches of a red colour, which, though they did actually float in water, were not as buoyant as the rest of the tissue. Again, in other parts appeared deep red or mottled patches, very resistent to the knife on section and which did not float on being placed in water. All the bronchioles were full of serous fluid, and the whole lung gave every appear- ance of the presence of an intense pneumonia. The heart was full of a firm tenacious clot, and the liver also showed parenchymatous changes. In my opinion the disease is contagious pleuro-pneumonia.
(2) The second disease which the Fulani placed most importance on was what they call Sanu. This has not occurred of late years, but it is stated that it visited Sokoto and all the surrounding neighbourhood about 1890, when a very heavy mor- tality occurred amongst the cattle, whole herds being swept right away. It is stated that this disease occurs as a very bad epidemic every 15-20 years or so. epidemic apparently was introduced from the east and north-east.
The last
The onset of the disease appears to be somewhat similar to the preceding, The hair becomes dull and erect and appetite is lost, the ears at first shiver a good deal and the animal's head shakes, but soon the ears drop on the side of the head, the shivering gets worse, all the muscles keep contracting and then relaxing again. Appetite is lost.
Sometimes a short cough is present. There is a copious discharge of tears." There is discharge from nose and mouth (and in the case of cows from the vulva, which becomes glairy and white later on). The animal gets very restless and sometimes appears to go mad." The mucous membrane of the mouth' soon becomes red and covered with small sores or ulcers, and the animal's mouth gets so painful that it can with difficulty be induced to open it. Sores also appear on the thighs and legs and in cows on the udders.
Sometimes the feet swell up, whilst violent purging sets in, and the animal dies in from 1-3 days. On opening it the natives say all the bowels inside are covered with blood. From the description given me I take this to be cattle plague.
(3) Another disease to which cattle are subject and which is called Tutulabe is that which the natives describe as caused by the cattle eating a small insect which
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is found on the grass during the rainy season. This then finds its way into the liver; large numbers of these are sometimes found in the liver and cause great enlargement of the organ and also of the gall bladder. One of these animals taken from bile duct was shown to me. It was a fasciola hepatica.
(4) Death is sometimes caused by cattle swallowing a small leech, which the natives call Musutseku. These leeches occur in very large numbers in the marshes in Sokoto.
These appear to be the principal diseases to which cattle are subject. I will try and obtain further specimens for examination and let you know if there is anything which appears worthy of reporting.
Sokoto,
August 18, 1906.
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No. 64.
I have, &c.,
M. F. ELLIS,
Medical Officer, Sokoto.
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA PROTECTORATE. COMMISSIONER SIR A. SHARPE to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received December 1, 1906.)
(No. 283.)
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Government Offices, Zomba, British Central Africa,
October 17, 1906. [Published as No. 6 in [Cd. 4472], January, 1909.]
No. 65.
SOUTH AFRICA.
HIGH COMMISSIONER THE EARL OF SELBORNE to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received December 1, 1906.)
(No. 996.)
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44672
MY LORD,
High Commissioner's Office, Johannesburg, November 12, 1906.
[Published as No. 7 in [Cd. 4472], January, 1909.]
No. 66.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received December 4, 1906.)
Foreign Office, December 3, 1906.
[ Published as No. 8 in [Cd. 4472], January, 1909.]
No. 67.
UGANDA.
COLONEL W. H. BROWN to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received December 4, 1906.)
Windham Club, St. James's Square, S.W., December 3, 1906.
I HAVE just seen the Blue Book* "Preservation of Wild Animals in Africa," November, 1906.
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[Cd. 3189].