A NEW THEORY

Shannon News, 14 September 1928, Page 3

A NEW THEORY

PULPY KIDNEY IN LAMBS.

At the annual conference of the New Zealand Veterinary Association held in Wellington last month Mr. D. A. Gill, M.8.C.V.5., of the Wallaecville laboratory,"'advanced a new theory regard ing the "pulpy-kidney" disease which causes considerable "mortality among young fat lambs, states the Journal of Agriculture. Briefly, he stated that while still regarding the primary cause as nutritional—the overfat lambs being exposed to

the attacks of intestinal bacteria —he

had formed the opinion that certain • .bacteria, normally present in the largo intestine, might be responsible for setting up the toxic Condition which cans e<l death. Ho had found these bacteria in the small intestine of affected lambs.

ami when located there they would be in good position to exert adverse chemical changes on the passing food,

and the products resulting from those changes would be far more easily ab aorbed than from the large intestine. Assuming that such products were.'of a particular kind—and this was very likely the case—then all the post-mor-tem lesions usually found in this disease, and all such ante-mortem symptoms as were sometimes observed, eould be readily accounted for. Mr. Gill's theory was well received by the conference, and, - while some friendly criticism was offered, the view was expressed that it was well worth continued investigation.