DISPOSAL FOR BY-PRODUCTS. 171 



Chaptee V. 

 DISPOSAL FOE BY-PEODUCTS. 



In the first few months of the War a certain amount of 

 difficulty was experienced in the disposal of dead animals. 

 Horse slaughterers, owing to mobilisation or requisition of their 

 horses, were difficult to procure, and either a charge for 

 removal was demanded or no payment for the carcase could be 

 obtained. Later on, fifteen francs per carcase was obtainable, 

 the Contractor creating a dump and a powerful smell at the 

 same time. At a still later period, when casualties were very 

 heavy, the veterinary personnel of Hospitals and in Army areas, 

 whenever possible, undertook the flaying of carcases, the hides 

 being salted and the remains buried in pits. There are now 

 some very valuable animal pits in Prance the contents of 

 which will represent considerable wealth to the owner in 

 manure specially suitable for vineyards. 



At last, however, perfection was reached in the matter of 

 disposal both from a hygienic and economic point of view. 

 Machinery was obtained for the rendering down of carcases, 

 and the average yield per carcase so treated amounted to 

 about ^4 0:— 



Hide £10 



Plesh (dried) 19 3 



Pat 15 



Bones and hoofs 5 



Hair 9 



£4 



Seven installations were arranged on Lines of Communi- 

 cations, each with a personnel of fourteen men and capable of 

 dealing with thirty carcases daily if necessary or as the 

 situation demanded. These installations were termed " Horse 

 Carcase Economisers" and were numbered serially as self- 

 contained imits. Pour functioned at high pressure, and in 

 view of final disposal on demobilisation it was thought that 



