Science and Empire: East Coast Fever in Rhodesia and the TransvaalEast Coast fever is a lethal disease of cattle caused by a parasite. It affects and distorts lymph cells and causes them to behave like cells in leukemia and lymphoma. The disease was unknown to Western science or to veterinary practice until it was introduced into Rhodesia in 1901. It devastated the cattle-raising and ox-cart dependent transport systems of Rhodesia and South Africa and was not fully brought under control for some fifty years. It remains a serious problem in East and Central Africa. The book describes the social and economic impact of the outbreak, the scientific investigations into it, and the effort to control it. The scientific study of the disease was done in part by the famous bacteriologist, Robert Koch, whose many early errors retarded later investigations, which were far more sound. Much of the text is accessible to the nonspecialist reader and one chapter deals with the present-day understanding of the basic nature of the disease. |
Contents
The places and the players | 7 |
A new disease? | 22 |
The search for an expert | 52 |
Robert Koch in Bulawayo | 87 |
Joseph Chamberlain | 121 |
Arnold Theiler Charles Lounsbury and Duncan Hutcheon | 137 |
The fight against East Coast fever | 181 |
Other editions - View all
Science and Empire: East Coast Fever in Rhodesia and the Transvaal Paul F. Cranefield No preview available - 1991 |
Common terms and phrases
African Coast Fever African-owned cattle Agricultural Journal appeared Arnold Theiler asked Australian cattle bacteriologist Beira blue tick Boer British South Africa brown tick Bruce Bulawayo Cape Colony Cape Town cattle disease Chamberlain Chartered Company Colonial Office Commissioner Dar-es-Salaam December died dipping Duncan Hutcheon East Coast fever expert farmers farms fencing form of redwater Gray and Robertson herds immune infected areas inoculation investigation Jameson raid July juvenile form Koch's Kotzé larvae later Laveran letter Lignières London Lounsbury lymphocytes Malaria Committee McFadyean Milner Milton Natal Native Nocard November October ordinary redwater Orpen outbreak parasite parasite that causes pear-shaped parasite Piroplasma bigeminum post-mortem redwater reply Rhodes Rhodesia Rhodesian Redwater Rhodesian Tick Fever rinderpest Robert Koch Royal Society Salisbury sent sickness small parasites Smith and Kilborne South Africa South Africa Company spread Stockman telegram Texas fever Theileria parva transmit the disease Transvaal Umtali Veterinary Surgeon virulent Watkins-Pitchford Zimbabwe
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