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Mahout neglects to spread the guddce on the ground to protect 

 the elbows when the animal assumes the recumhent position to 

 receive the load. Consequently tumours, resembling those so 

 familiar to us as occurring in the horse, form on the points of 

 the elbows. They are liable, if neglected, to form obstinate 

 ulcers which render the animal almost useless for a time as being 

 unable to lie down and receive his load. Prevention is much 

 better than cure but such cases must be taken early and will, 

 with proper care, then cause only temporary inconvenience. 



Harness galls are either surface abrasions or abscesses. The 

 former may result from excessive friction when the harness does 

 not fit well or its leather parts have not been properly softened 

 with grease or oil. They are of minor importance, and are most 

 liable to occur at the breast piece, under the tail, or from the 

 trace links. They do not generally throw the animal out of 

 work, careful adjustment and care of the harness with a view to 

 removal of the cause, together with applications of astringent 

 lotions, suffice to effect a cure. 



Saddle oe Pad galls are much more serious, because they, 

 generally assume the form of abscesses and temporarily incapa- 

 citate the animal for work. Their principal and most frequent 

 causes are : — I. The saddle fitting badly or not being firmly fasten- 

 ed on ; its stuffing being rotten, unevenly distributed, or dis- 

 placed by wear; its fastenings not being tight, so that they 

 admit of movement of the saddle on the back. II. The load being 

 unevenly distributed or liable to shift in consequence of imper- 

 fect fastening. III. Malicious -practices on the part of the 

 Mahout, whether application of caustics to the back or the 

 insertion of a stone or some other irritant between the saddle 

 and the back. Paihology. Either an open wound, or a serous 

 abscess, or an accumulation of deepseated pus has to be dealt 

 with ; the most frequent seat being a little behind the tips of the 

 shoulder blades. Treatment — Differs in no way from that required 

 for ordinary wounds and abscesses (which see). V. S. Nunn, in 

 recording his Afghan experiences, alludes to the case of an 

 Elephant with a sore back, the ulcer being two feet in circum- 

 ference, to which he applied as a poultice a flour sack filled with 

 bran ! It must not be forgotten that the Mahout is to be (under 

 Para. 1726, Comt. Code) fined for negligence in most of these 



