18
Should a case of Jhooling occur amongst a number of camels, it should
be at once isolated from all the other camels. The remaining camels should be
divided up into lots and not allowed to mix. Should further cases be found
they should be at once isolated. The disease spreads very rapidly amongst
camels, and causes a great deal of trouble, so that every effort should be made to
prevent the disease from spreading. No camel should be bought if small hard
white spots are observed on the skin ; they are undoubtedly healed up old
Jhooling lesions.
RHEUMATISM.
45. Camels suffer a great deal from articular rheumatism. Though I
have seen hundreds of camels suffering from articular rheumatism I have not so
far observed any cases of muscular rheumatism.
Distribution,—Camels in all parts of the Punjab suffer from this
disease, though certain districts appear to be worse than others, e.g., Jullundur.
Etiology—Many hold the view that articular rheumatism is due to
bacterial invasion. I do not think we can consider bacterial invasion to be
cause of articular rheumatism in the camel ; were such the case, the disease
should be as prevalent in the hot weather as in the cold weather, this, however,
is not the case. Improper feeding, cold and damp, if not the real causes, are
certainly contributing causes of articular rheumatism in the camel. Camel-
men state that if camels are fed on shisham leaves for any length of time they
develop rheumatism. Undoubtedly camels kept in districts where shisham
abounds do suffer a great deal from rheumatism, but where shisham trees thrive
there is always a lot of water, and it is more than probable that the camels get
rheumatism from the clamp cold ground.
Symptoms.—The most prominent symptom is lameness. When the
camel suffering from rheumatism is made to get up and walk he suffers acute
pain and moves as if he was suffering from sore feet. After he gets " warmed
up" the symptoms pass off, except in cases of long standing. The joints of the
fore-legs appear to be more affected than those of the hind legs. The fetlock
joints are often inflamed and swollen.
Treatment.—There is no cure for rheumatism. A dose of Mag. Sulph.
1 to 2 lbs. followed by small doses of Sod. Bicarb, acts beneficially. Salicylates
do not appear to give any relief, probably the doses given have not been
sufficiently large. If several cases of rheumatism suddenly occur, the camp
should be removed to some other site and as dry a place as possible selected.
WALL.
46. This disease is common in the Bhakkar ilaqua, especially amongst
female camels, but it is very uncommon, if not altogether absent, in other parts
of the Punjab.
Etiology.—The cause of the disease I have been unable to determine.
It is probably due to grazing continually on lana. In the area, where this
disease is most prevalent, there is practically nothing but lana grazing. The
dachis are kept in this area, whereas the males go to different districts for
work and thus get a change of diet. Although cases of wail do occur amongst
males, the great majority of cases occur amongst females. These dachis have
their fore-legs always shackled ; this shackling of the fore-legs may be a contri-
buting cause.
Symptoms —The most prominent symptom is loss of control of the hind
legs with consequent difficulty in sitting down and getting up.
When walk-
ing, the hind quarters sway from side to side. The camel is usually in poor
condition especially if the disease is of long standing. When hand fed, the
camel eats well to within a few days of death. The temperature, pulse, breath-
ing and fæces show nothing abnormal. The eye is bright. In fact beyond the
loss of control of the hind legs the camel appears to be in normal health. The
symptoms resemble those of Kumree in horses. Examination of the blood
revealed nothing. Injection of blood into horses, camels, sheep, buffaloes, dogs,
rabbits and guinea pigs did not reproduce the disease.