85 



Chapter X.— THE NERVOUS APPARATUS. 



The nervous system is said to be more liiglily developocl in 

 the camel than in the ox, and to closely resemble that of the 

 horse. The brain is remarkably long, and the basal ganglia are 

 heavy ; in these respects the camel predominates over the horse, 

 in other respects he generally occupies a median position 

 between equines and bovines. All the evidence tends to show 

 that derangements of the central nervous system are frequent in 

 the camel ; how far this depends on the length of the neck as 

 an anatomical feature is uncertain. 



We have already commented on the peculiar genetic furor of 

 the male. Oliphant has described as Mer/rims a kind of stomach 

 staggers denoted by a state of semi-coma succeeding a period of 

 excitement. The animal falls and remains struggling about on 

 the ground, salivating profusely, and having his mucous mem- 

 branes of a dark blue colour. This condition yields to purgation 

 and extraction of blood eitlier from the jugular or the palate. 

 AVallon noted that vertigo was frequent, and was preceded by 

 the animal becoming furious and rushing about recklessly. 

 Tassy records that cerebral congestion results in the camel from 

 isolation. The above-mentioned conditions are probably the 

 same as that described by Leach as Tiqj Surga, which the 

 camelmen attribute to the influence of a certain wind. This is 

 denoted by the animal shivering all over, falling to the ground, 

 and dying very soon, or else reviving after two or three hours 

 and recovering thoroughly in a few days. Camels liable to this 

 are branded with three lines on each tiank and on the head, 

 jaiful or gar is considered good for medicinal treatment. Gil- 

 christ describes as due to exposure to severe weather, either cold 

 or excessively hot, the state which is known to the natives as 

 Moorghee ka murz, because the camel shows symptoms supposed 

 to be like those of a fowl similarly affected. Not uncommonly 

 an animal apparently healthy commences to give an occasional 

 guttural roar and to walk restlessly round its picket ; it then 

 falls, the neck is bent round on itself and drawn backwards, the 

 limbs move convulsively, the animal rolls from side to side, and 

 roars almost continuously. Several of these fits may occur at 



12 



