CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 85 



mation, but incidentally will save a large amount of loss to 

 the State. Personally, I am very sanguine as to the successful 

 issue of measures vs^hich have been instituted, and under them 

 I am very optimistic as to the future of the camel of India. 

 If there is co-operation between the Civil and Military 

 Authorities In the closing of the fountains of the disease as 

 circumstances of disease dictate, if ways and means of 

 destruction or avoidance of the prime factor or inoculator can 

 be adopted, and better care be taken of the susceptible creature, 

 there can be no fear of any other issue than success. 



For generations the camel has been shrouded in mystery — 

 a mystery " Ship of the Desert," and his management 

 surrounded with the grossest ignorance and empiricism which 

 in certain localities still does not rise beyond the level of 

 smelling or tasting his urine when he is sick, and covering his 

 sores with filthy dung. Poor creature of Dirt, no other wonder 

 he is "rotten"! Yet he is a domesticated animal required 

 for work, and as such he must be treated if he is to take a 

 permanent place as an Army animal for the hard work of 

 Frontier warfare. And it is the duty of enlightened people to 

 remove him fom a lot that threatens his very existence. It 

 grieves me very much to quote statistics of wastage from 

 Surra during the past few years, but they will serve to show 

 the urgent necessity for action on the one hand, and the 

 remarkable result of altered policy in respect to the manage- 

 ment and feeding of camels on the other. 



In the year 1917-18 (ending 31st March) there were 9262 

 cases of Surra amongst animals in Military employ, of which 

 4181 died or were destroyed; 89 were horses and ponies, 26 

 were mules, 2 were buffaloes, and the rest camels. The total 

 number of camels employed was 16,189. ' 



In the year ending 31st March 1919 there were 2106 cases 

 of Surra admitted, 2143 deaths and destructions, including a 

 few remaining from the previous year, of which 44 were horses 

 and ponies, 13 mules, and the remainder camels. The total 

 strength of camels was 18,743. 



In last year, ending 31st March 1920, there were 984 

 admissions for Surra, of which 971 were camels, with 550 

 deaths and destructions, of which 537 were camels. 29,097 



