234 THE CAMEL 



latter the upper portions as well from getting 

 chapped and swollen. The simpler its construction 

 the better, allowing plenty of ventilation and free play 

 to the foot. It deserves attention, and need only be 

 used when employing camels in extreme cases. It is 

 worthy of note that our old friend Aristotle mentions 

 that the soldiers when in military expeditions put shoes 

 on their camels' feet, because they were fleshy, in other 

 words tender. 



Zahar- 22. Zoharbahad is a kind of dropsy, or poorness 



and thinness of the blood, produced by overwork and 

 absence of proper food. I have seen some cases in 

 Egypt, but I believe I have more than once confounded 

 this with the swelling brought on by moisture. V.-S. 

 Steel, speaking of it, says : ' A dropsical affection (Zahar- 

 bahd), I am informed, is a frequent result of the debility 

 produced by hardship and exposure, and was particu- 

 larly prevalent during the siege of Delhi ; but I can safely 

 assert that it was not a prominent malady in Afghanistan.' 

 Rupture 23. Rupture and disjointed hips. This occurs when 



feinted" tnev g et on to wet ? slippery, or soft marshy ground, 

 hlps and often down a steep, slimy slope. If they are over- 

 weighted and in a weak state, as they invariably are on 

 service, an accident of this nature is nearly sure to hap- 

 pen. The extreme length of their hind legs and the weak- 

 ness of their hind quarters no doubt accentuate the risk. 

 24. Dislocation of the shoulder. This I have seen 

 happen to riding camels in rough broken ground 

 stepping suddenly and awkwardly on a stone, or by 

 making a false step, and frequently was due to care- 

 lessness and recklessness on the part of the riders in 

 not guiding them properly. At other times it was 



