CAUSES OF WASTAGE. 61 



mules, ponies, donkeys, camels and oxen, and found that 2326 

 or 40 per cent, were physically unfit for the work required of 

 them, the majority being either under four years, or too old, 

 pointing to the necessity for exercise of more care in selection. 

 He characterises the camel as an utter failure on two campaigns, 

 but speaks well of the mule, alluding specially to his marvellous 

 digestive powers. 



I am sorry to allude to that Eeport, but it shows what bad 

 organisation and arrangements lead to. The records of 

 subsequent frontier compaigns in India, excepting in the matter 

 of contagious and specific disease, are much pleasanter reading, 

 and the grading up of an organised system is gradually 

 producing good results. Much, however, still remains to be 

 done in matters of supervision and rational care. I quite 

 disagree with the Inspecting Veterinary Officer of the Kurram 

 and Kyber of 1879-80 with regard to the camel being an utter 

 failure. With enlightened ideas of his management and better 

 control of his diseases, both of which are now in progress, he is 

 going to prove a most useful member of our Indian Transport. 

 Under a system of stall-feeding he has merited great praise 

 during the recent Waziristan Expedition. Why should any 

 animal on service be expected to forage for itself ? Surely it is 

 adding insult to injury. The basis of camel feeding in India up 

 to recently was grazing, with stall feeding in lieu. The policy 

 has been reversed, and thousands of camels will be saved by the 

 reversion. I will have more to say on the camel later. 



In Wazaristan during the recent expedition our inefficiency 

 stood at : — 



Horses and ponies per cent. 7'5 Camels ll'O 



Mules 2-6 Bullocks 2-4 



But for the unfortunate Mange which is so prevalent in 



camels in India, and another disease, by name Jhooling, the 



camel inefficiency would have been less ; but conditions are 



being gradually improved. 



Considerable loss from debility has been experienced in 

 camels in Eastern Persia, and inefficiency ran at 25 per cent. 

 Apart from hard work and long distances, without question a 

 deficient food supply and defective management were the real 

 reasons for the loss. 



