6
native officer and the fact that they have remained healthy although in close
proximity to surra areas shows what can be done by direct supervision of the
movements of camels in the surra season.
34. 55 th (Montgomery) Camel Corps.—This corps also went to the frontier
in May 1908.
35. In the twelve months under report, 63 surra cases, have been diagnosed
as against 51 in the previous twelve months. One-third of the losses again have
been surra cases confirmed by microscope.
36. The total mortality has increased by 4 % ; but considering the campaign
on the frontier and the heavy rains of 1908 this is not very excessive ; and would
doubtless have been much worse had not so much surra been got rid of last year.
37. Filariasis has been picked up on the frontier and effects a considerable
proportion of the camels, exercising in some cases a slow debilitating effect which
has an influence on the mortality.
38. 56th (Montgomery) Camel Corps.—Although this corps was not employ-
ed on the frontier expedition in May 1908, its mortality has increased enormously,
The increase is due undoubtedly to surra of which 68 cases have been proved as
against 14 last year. Rakh Mirdad is reported to have contained many biting
flies in September, and a number of cases of surra were also found in camels
which had been marched up from Khushab to Montgomery in September.
39. Vigorous stamping out measures were adopted, but great difficulty is now-
being experienced in remounting the corps, the Commandant having to go very
far afield for purchasing.
40. Cases of Anthrax have been found in the corps but the outbreaks were,
as far as is known, confined to one animal each time.
41. Filariasis is found in some Trans-Indus purchases but only the minority
of cases in which the embryos are found are seriously, diseased ; camels can carry
small numbers of filarial embryos in the blood for 2 years and probably much
longer.
42. Thal bred camels are not purchased but 4 troops of camels. live in the
Thal area; when they remain there for the whole surra season they appear to be safe
from surra as observations have shown, but the monotony of the grazing, and its
scarcity when the rains fail as they did in 1907, makes it difficult to keep the
camels in good condition during the rest period , and they cannot get to other
open grazing grounds without crossing surra-zones.
43. As regards camels of the two Montgomery Corps which graze in Montgo-
mery district in the surra season, the outlook is not hopeful. It is possible that a
careful survey of the best grazing grounds still left might reveal areas in which
camels could safely be kept and bred ; but as the canals are coming, the camel
is doomed over large areas of Montgomery and I have thought it best to tackle
the grazing question first in other parts of the Punjab where there seems to be
greater hope of success.
44. In both corps, I think the microscope should be used in purchasing to a
still greater extent; it is true that by a one-day's examination of the blood it is not
possible to show that a camel is free from surra; but it is better than nothing and
in many cases will prevent purchasing latent surra. Owing to the high prices it
is becoming difficult to insist on microscopical examination of the blood at time
of purchase, or even to insist on first-class condition which is to a certain extent
some guarantee against disease. This is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs,
and can be met only by encouraging breeding, and reserving suitable surra-free
grazing for the purpose.
45. The Shahpur troops of the 56th should not be required to march through
the irrigated parts of Shahpur before about 15th October; their rest period
might be adjusted more nearly to coincide with the surra season, if military
requirements will allow; say from 30th June to 30th September, or 10th July