270 THE CAMEL 



Special Men ought to be specially selected for their know- 



of order- ledge of the animal, and of its ailments and their treat- 

 ment, and they should be told off as special orderlies, 

 their sole duty being to look after the sick. The 

 camels ought not to be mixed up, but kept together by 

 sections and divisions, and a proportion of orderlies 

 from each of these should doctor their own animals. A 

 smart headman should be placed over them, who would 

 be indirectly responsible for the drugs and medicines ; 

 but with Orientals it is wiser to keep certain of these 

 such as opium, for instance under lock and key, or 

 Supervi- they will make away with it. Sectional and divisional 

 officers officers would naturally superintend their own animals, 

 but the whole should be under the immediate super- 

 vision of the officer commanding the company. 

 Selection As a rule, only animals that are unfit to carry loads 



of sick J J 



and saddles should be sent over to the sick lines, and 

 such camels, besides medical treatment, ought, as a 

 matter of fact, to be placed on special diet, as pointed 

 out in chapter x. 



Manner of In reality, however, what a sick camel one, I mean, 

 camel that is totally incapacitated from carrying a load owing 

 to galls or sickness wants more than anything else is 

 complete rest, and as soon as he is growing conva- 

 lescent entire freedom and good grazing. Nature is the 

 best doctor, and effects a sounder and speedier cure, 

 provided that you do not leave it to her when it is too 

 late. As soon as the animal is in a convalescent state 

 he should be turned out for days, weeks, or months, 

 according to circumstances and the severity of his 

 illness, until he thoroughly recovers and regains his 

 strength. 



