Abstract
A goat inoculated with fixed virus of rabies was examined with various clinical tests and electrophoresis on serum protein. In this experiment changes and shifts in the results of these examinations were studid in connection with the development of disease in the goat. The following findings have been obtained.
1. When a goat was inoculated intracerebrally with fixed virus of rabies (Nishigahara strain); it became feverish after an incubation period of 2 to 3 days, the fever reaching its maximum in 3 to 4 days. In this stage, its respiration and pulse rates showed a remarkable increase in parallel to the elevation of body temperature. When the animal fell into collapse passing through the paralytic stage, there was a decrease in the respiration and pulse rates.
2. In blood tests, red blood corpuscles decreased in number in general. An increase in white blood cell count was noticed at the same time with onset of disease. In differential white blood cell counts, neutrophiles showed an increase in number, while lymphocytes decreased.
3. The total amount of serum protein increased gradually after the inoculation with fixed virus, reaching its maximum value at the peak of the febrile stage, but showed a little decrease when the animal fell in collapse after the paralytic stage.
When changes were observed in the fractions of serum protein by means of electrophoresis, albumin decreased and alpha- and beta-globulin increased in the final stage of disease. Gamma-globulin showed no definite tenency in its changes, although it decreased a little in the final stage of disease.
When these fractions were compared with regard to relative mobility, changes were noticed in and around the febrile stage. The electrophoretic distance began to increase a little in the febrile stage and was inclined to decrease gradually in the final stage of disease in alpha-globulin. It increased slightly only in the final stage of disease in beta-globulin. No marked changes were recognized in gammaglobulin throughout the course of disease.
