76 WASTAGE OF ANIMALS IN WAR. 



figures to guide me, the loss, no doubt, was heavy. The 

 only way to handle a situation of this kind is to get animals 

 into proper hygienic reception depots as soon as possible 

 after purchase, and to hold them there quietly for some 

 time prior to shipment from embarkation depots, to ensure 

 that they are over their sickness or free from it before 

 undertaking a sea voyage. Any sickness of this nature on 

 board ship is serious. 



I have had considerable experience in this particular duty 

 and I know no more difficult matter. 



In France in the winter of 1914-15 sickness and loss amongst 

 the class of heavy remounts was severe. The weather was 

 extremely wet, covered accommodation was difficult to find, 

 and depots took a considerable time to build. Fever, Catarrh 

 and Pneumonia prevailed. Later on, as conditions improved 

 and accommodation was ample, and after a policy of holding 

 animals in Remount Depots for as near three weeks as possible 

 was instituted, wastage from respiratory sickness became 

 negligible. Temperatures were taken on arrival from overseas; 

 and if fever was indicated, animals were immediately transferred 

 to Veterinary Service. Eespiratory Diseases at the Front 

 during the last two years of the war were practically nil, or at 

 all events were very infrequent. The suppression of these 

 maladies showed that the system of inspection and control by 

 Veterinary Service in Eemount Depots was efficient, both in 

 the United Kingdom and in France. 



Mange. I leave to the last our hardy annual, our bosom 

 friend and self-constituted ally. There never was a War with- 

 out him and never will be. He is permitted often to go about 

 an Army in a familiar " Old chap " sort of style, and he even 

 has the assurance to present himself at Armistice, and parti- 

 cipate in celebrations of victory even though he may be downed 

 in defeat. He is covered with Orders (Routine Orders) and 

 bears the scars and wound stripes of many campaigns and 

 conflicts. Unlike other Commanders in the Field, his best 

 operations are conducted in the Winter, the dirtier the condi- 

 tions the better ; and his leave season is in the Summer. The 

 rise and fall of his fortunes in France can be best and most 

 readily appreciated from a scrutiny of the accompanying charts. 



