54 WASTAGE OF ANIMALS IN WAR. 



uneaten going for bedding. The policy of the British Army 

 was to ensure by chaffing that straw went into the belly of the 

 animal, not under it. We also used a considerable amount of 

 linseed and other cakes — ^100 tons per month, and locust beans, 

 both articles chiefly for the sick and debilitated animals on 

 Lines of Communication. Human'beings, and to wit prisoners 

 working in Veterinary Hospitals on Lines of Communication, 

 were quite partial to the sweet, sugary locust beans (pods.) 

 whenever they were available. 



Lastly I may mention the green crops that were grown for 

 animals in the vicinity of stationary units on Lines of 

 Communication in France. If the war had lasted another year, 

 the majority of Veterinary Hospitals would have been self- 

 supporting, by intensive cultivation, in green crops^rye, vetches, 

 Indian corn, etc., and roots — for more or less the whole year ; 

 arrangements having been made by some Hospitals to lease up 

 to as much as 100 acres for the purpose. ,, It was a good project 

 to meet the ravages of wastage in war. 



Clipping and Clothing. So much controversy has centred 

 round the subject of clipping in relation to wastage that I deem 

 it necessary to refer to it briefly. The controversy arose out of 

 the heavy losses occasioned during the Arras offensive of the 

 first fortnight of April 1917, the severity of the weather from 

 snow storms and cold being quite unprecedented for that time 

 of the year. In view of prevention of mange — that bugbear of 

 active service and scourge of winter — the policy of clipping had 

 been adopted and the Veterinary Service was greatly blamed 

 for its advocacy. In the storm of controversy it was lost sight 

 of, or was unknown to those who rose in condemnation, that 

 unfortunately a compulsory reduction of the grain ration for all 

 animals had been enforced for some time previousl}', and 

 continued even at the actual conflict of battle. If the hygiene 

 of the body in respect to cleanliness and freedom from mange 

 parasites could have been effected by strict attention to stable 

 duties there would have been no necessity for clipping, but 

 think of the mud of winter in Northern France, and the almost 

 impossible and heartbreaking task to keep animals clean that 

 are mired to the very neck! The official photographer in 



