34 ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION. 



inefficient, and the old and worn out, are very frequent. A 

 general weeding out has to be made. It is an interesting fact 

 that during the last two years of the war, 11 per cent, of 

 a,nimals evacuated from the front for various ailments were 

 fifteen years old and over, and it was important in view of 

 disposal to keep a record of this situation. 



It was also very necessary to keep a close watch over animals 

 at liberty, whether in pastures or in corrals, on account of 

 contagious disease, especially glanders and mange, owing to the 

 greater liability to outbreaks of this class of disease in debilitated 

 animals, and the, danger of insidious spread when so much 

 individual attention is not admissible. In the dirty coats 

 during winter, lice and mange parasites find a fine shelter. 



Sand is apt to get foul with constant use of corrals, and it was 

 necessary to rest the corrals, clean them out, and replenish with 

 fresh sand from the dunes. Droppings were gathered up in 

 osier baskets, and it was a noticeable feature of both Veterinary 

 Hospitals and Convalescent Horse Depots that no dung was to 

 be seen anywhere in the lines. A certain amount of sand colic 

 was encountered, chiefly amongst new hungry arrivals and in 

 those animals with capricious or depraved appetites common to 

 ill-conditioned animals, but this was counteracted by a plentiful 

 ration and water, an admixture of salt in their food, and feeding 

 systematically and regularly out of mangers and hay racks. A 

 certain number of leather muzzles were also in use. The 

 advantages of a comfortable bed of sand for the weak and 

 worn-out far outweighed the disadvantages of occasional cases 

 of sand colic. It was a wonderful sight on a sunny day to see 

 scores of them lying prone on the sand resting like dogs, and 

 one of the first acts on being let loose from stables in the early 

 morning — particularly the mules, was to roll in the sand. 



As previously remarked, feeding was the essence of treatment. 

 Debility or poor conditioned animals must have chaffed food 

 and a good deal of it. The greater part of their hay and straw 

 ration was chaffed, and Depots were provided with machinery 

 that would chaff about two tons per hour. Grain was also 

 crushed. Bran and linseed cake were indispensable factors. 

 The sugary locust beans were also appreciated. 



