82 WASTAGE OF ANIMALS IN WAR. 



and Bouche du Ehone before being sent by train to the troops 

 in the North of France. Sheep Pox (French Clavelee) is enzootic 

 in Algeria, and French law necessitates clavelisation or inocu- 

 lation against the disease on importation, The hand of control 

 as I have previously explained is apt to be relaxed during war, 

 some loophole exists (e.g. introduction of Babies into England 

 in 1918) and disease escapes. Sheep pox broke out amongst 

 the sheep held in Vacluse for Indian Troops, and Officers 

 E.A.V.C. in conjunction with French Communal Veterinary 

 Officers were called in to clavelise the whole of the herd of 

 10,000 sheep. I mention this as an instance of the danger of 

 moving slaughter stock on hoof, and I must say that, in the 

 face of such danger, the French Ministry of Agriculture were 

 extraordinarily good in raising no objection to the procedure, 

 and in its kind consideration of our Indian Troops. 



Binderpest. India is the home of rinderpest. The country 

 is full of this disease, and thousands of cattle are lost annually 

 from it. It was introduced into England in 1863, and cost 

 that country millions of pounds. It also spread through the 

 whole of Africa from North to South some twenty-five years 

 ago, and occasioned very heavy mortality. Though the virus 

 or organism is so small that it is ultra-visible to the highest 

 power of a microscope, and can pass through the closest 

 grained porcelain filter, still we know that it perishes outside 

 the animal's body in from forty-eight hours to four daySj and 

 this factor greatly assists us in control. Moreover, a serum 

 confers an immunity to cover the purposes of an outbreak 

 and a further dual inoculation with such serum and virulent 

 blood will confer a permanent immunity. So that I am 

 sanguine by the latter method we can render all animals in 

 military employ durably immune, and reduce our trouble and 

 loss. This is now in operation in the Army. It cannot be 

 carried into practice in Civil Districts, as it is really conferring 

 the disease, though in mild form. 



Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The disease is very common in 

 cattle all over the World, and constantly crops up in India. It 

 is extremely contagious and unfortunately one attack confers 

 immunity only for about five months. No one has yet 



