82 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



at that work the only casualties I can remember were, one 

 camel having a sore back, one dying, completely worn out, at 

 about the age of thirty, and one becoming useless from an 

 accident. 



Management on Maech of Camels. 



The only precautions as to their management that I ever 

 took were, to engage them with their old saddles, to load 

 them moderately, and to let them start at such an hour that 

 they could finish their day's march early enough to go into 

 the jungle and have a full feed before dark. 



Ages of Camels. 



A camel is not full-grown until quite eight years of age, 

 by which time he has the fall complement of eight incisor 

 teeth and four canines, two in each jaw. At six years there 

 are four incisors, and at seven years six. He will work up 

 to the age of twenty-five or thirty. 



Selecting Camels. 



When selecting camels for work a most important point is 

 to see that the elbows are not close to the ribs. If they are, 

 they will be sure to gall the sides when the animal is walking, 

 with a load. Hind-legs very much bent, like those of sidkle- 

 hocked horses, are also disadvantageous for carrying heavy 

 weights. Each animal should be made to kneel in order that 

 his back may be examined to find whether it has been badly 

 galled, the owners often being careless upon this point. One 

 with the hump much wasted away should not be taken, for 

 it shows either that the animal is old, or has been starved, 

 or is exhausted by hard work or disease. Short-legged 

 camels of moderate size are the best for long-continued hard 

 work. 



Diseases of Camels. 



Many of the diseases of camels are extremely puzzling to 

 veterinary surgeons. It is often difficult to see by any 



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