70 WASTAGE OF ANIMALS IN WAR. 



necessitated. The weight of transport of these shackles, and 

 particularly the iron chains in the aggregate is enormous, and 

 represents an addition to loads either on the animal or m 

 carts which could easily be abolished. Even in peace, in 

 stables in India the system of Agari-pichari continues ; it 

 could stand modification with advantage. 



Lameness. The amount of lameness from sprains, bone 

 diseases — such as spavin, ringbone, and arthritis, during the 

 war in France and Belgium was extraordinarily small. The 

 Army was maintained as sound as possible ; any unserviceable 

 animals were either cast and sold to agriculturists or for food, 

 or were utilised for the slower and less arduous work on Lines 

 of Communication. The latter category was designated V.B. 

 (Veterinary Base). 



Mules as a rule are wonderfully sound, and it is surprising 

 how well they do without shoes. A Mountain Artillery 

 Commander would scoff at the very idea of his mules being 

 shod. Unshod they have sure foot-hold. The pack and 

 draught mules of Transport Corps work unshod, with splendid 

 results. Even ponies can do, at least, without hind shoes. 

 But it all depends on weather. In wet weather there is 

 greater maceration of horn, and so in France the draught 

 mules were shod. 



On the frontier in Waziristan, from work along the stony 

 river beds, camels have suffered considerably from sore feet, 

 and various protective expedients have been tried. Camels 

 parked on stony ground also suffer from bruises and wounds 

 of the chest pad, and unless care is exercised in the selection 

 of camping grounds a good deal of inefficiency and loss is 

 occasioned thereby, for such cases are difficult to cure. 



Piched-up Nail. A curious form of inefficiency which bulked 

 very largely in the returns of the B.E.F., France, was what 

 was termed " Picked-up-nail," and all sorts of expedients, amus- 

 ing and otherwise, were adopted for its prevention. Nails appear 

 to have a peculiar attraction for horses feet, and the nuisance 

 was not confined to nails, for an occasional live cartridge would 

 be found. There was no record of any bird's nests such as 

 rumour attached to the tails of certain horses purchased during 



