19
Tabanidæ were found was 15th November when one Tabanus was caught on
a buffaloe in the compound of this office. A full sized larva was found in
Topi Rakh, Rawalpindi, on 18th March. Between the 20th May and 20th
July Tabanidæ were numerous in the jungle close to the road at Ghora Gully.
On the 16th June several Tabanidæ were caught on a camel at the Tonga
terminus, Murree.
69. Surra in the 50th, 51st, 52nd arid 53rd Silladar Camel Corps.—
During the hot weather of 1913, I examined the camels of these corps for
surra and found 43 cases; besides these, 54 cases were diagnosed by the staffs
of the respective corps during the year, making a total of 97 cases. All these
surra cases were at once destroyed or sent to Sohawa for treatment. This
year only 26 cases of surra have been diagnosed. The mortality of these
corps in 1913 was 11.7 per cent., 15.1 per cent., 12.9 per cent. and 11.2 per
cent., respectively, whereas this year the mortality is 7.9 per cent., 8.7 per cent.,
13.3 per cent. and 8.4 per cent. The decrease this year in the number of cases
of surra is noteworthy, and is due, I consider, to the fact that the reservoirs, i.e.,
surra infected camels, were got rid of during 1913. There is no doubt that by
early diagnosis and destruction, or isolating and submitting to treatment those
camels found suffering from surra, the spread of the disease can be prevented
and the general mortality of the corps reduced. Although the mortality of
52nd is slightly higher than last year it must be taken into consideration that
this corps went on active service.
70. Chenab Colony Tour.—A tour was made through the Chennb Canal
Colony. A large number of villages were visited, and the blood of 355 camels
was examined for surra. In 23 cases the trypanosome of surra was present in
the blood, but from the appearance of the camels seen I am of the opinion that
a large percentage were surra infected. Earlier in the year I made a one
day's examination of the camels of the 59th, 60th, 6lst and 62nd Grantee Camel
Corps, and found 16, 2, 1 and 4 cases of surra respectively in these corps
(vide paragraph 37 of this report). It might be argued from these figures that
surra cannot be very prevalent in the area ; but I would point out that when
I examined these corps 100 camels were absent from the 59th Corps, 58
camels were absent from the 60th Corps, 92 camels absent from the 61st Corps
and 29 were absent from the 62nd. The camelmen being well acquainted
With surra, it is not unreasonable to conclude that in all probability the absent
camels were in poor condition and probably surra infected, and for this reason
were not presented for examination. Total number of cases diagnosed during
the year by the staff of the Grantee Corps were—
28 in the 59th Corps.
11 in the 60th Corps.
22 in the 61st Corps.
21 in the 62nd Corps.
From these figures it may be argued that surra cannot be very prevalent
in the area, but when it is remembered that these figures represent the
number of cases of surra diagnosed as the result of 3 or 4 inspections only
during the year, how many cases of surra would be found if the blood were
more frequently examined ? Many of the camels of these corps are in good con-
dition, but this is no criterion that they are not surra infected, as many of the
camels of these corps are never worked, and it is well-known that in many
cases, although a camel be surra infected, if not worked and well fed he wiil
not lose his condition rapidly.
71. In the Silladar Camel Corps the Military authorities are attempting
to eradicate the disease from the corps by destruction of surra infected camels.
and paying compensation to the owner, but in the Grantee Camel Corps the
Commandant has no power to order the surra infected camel to- be destroyed,
all he can do it to strike the camel off the register. The owner of the rejected
surra camel can do what he likes with the camel, and either works him till he
dies or sells him as quickly as possible. Thus this camel becomes a source of