CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 81 



Contagious Diseases Animals' Act to suit the necessities of the 

 country, but such is not the case, and animal life continues to 

 be wasted. It is not for me to criticise policy, but I am all out 

 to assist in the grading up of animal efficiency and in the re- 

 duction of wanton, unnecessary animal wastage and suffering. 

 It is a duty that is put upon me. I am, however, now pleased 

 to say that a simple Diseases of Animals' Act, India, with 

 Orders in respect to the various Contagious Diseases is to be 

 considered. The very fact of such an Act and Orders being in 

 existence in the land of " Hukm" in itself will be productive of 

 great good, and its application can easily be made adaptable to 

 the circumstances and the needs of the country, generally and 

 locally, and to the susceptibilities and customs of the inhabi- 

 tants. 



It is quite certain that no Commander in the Field using 

 Bullock Transport — Government or Hired — can get very far 

 without being faced with outbreaks of Rinderpest and Foot-and- 

 Mouth Disease in these animals. It is our experience on all 

 Frontier Expeditions, examples of which I will presently give. 

 The bullock is much more suited to the quiet life of cantonment 

 work in peace, where he can rest from his easy labour under a 

 tree in the heat of the day, and combine rumination with nice 

 thoughts of his Valhalla, than to the hardships of a campaign 

 which, unless care is exercised as to his locale of duty, would 

 be a perfect hell to him. Southern bullocks, e.g., the Mysore 

 breeds, and Sindhi, coming to Northern climes, are much more 

 susceptible to Einderpest and Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and 

 they are attacked in more virulent form. 



In slaughter cattle, goats, and sheep, it is also quite impossible 

 to avoid outbreaks of these two diseases unless there is a better 

 system of organised Veterinary control of inspection, purchase 

 and movement, and even then the situation is difficult. Judging 

 from losses from disease and from exhaustion and inanition 

 entailed by marching meat on hoof, it would be more economi- 

 cal in the long run to adopt a cold storage policy. And in 

 connection with the supply of meat on hoof I may relate a 

 circumstance that occurred in France. Most of the sheep for 

 consumption by Indian Troops were purchased in Algeria, were 

 landed in Marseilles and held in various Communes in Vacluse 



