17
Remarks.— Until the cause of the disease is determined, all that can be
done is to treat the symptoms. A dose of Epsom salts 1 to 2 lbs. (according to
the size of the animal) should be at once given. Fomentations may be applied
to the throat and green fodder placed in front of the animal. The animal
should be placed in the shade and left alone. On no account should the camel
be worried by allowing the camelmen to force food down its throat.
Camelmen fire the throat and maintain that if this is not done, the
animal in every case dies ; but if the throat is fired a number of cases recover.
JHOOLING OR JHOOLAK.
44. A brief account, as far as my investigations go, regarding this di-
sease may be given.
Jhooling is a contagious disease of camels manifesting itself in the
formation of local tumours—hot and painful, of a fibrous character and ter-
minating in suppuration and raw patches.
Distribution.—The disease is widely distributed throughout the Punjab,
it is not so common in the Lahore District as in the Jhelum and Rawalpindi
Districts. It usually occurs in the cold weather.
Etiology.—The causal organism I have been unable to isolate, though
probably it is a fungus.
Pathogenicity.—Horses, cattle, buffaloes, dogs, guinea pigs and rabbits
appear to be immune. Inoculations of parts of the Jhooling lesion into the
above animals does not produce the disease. When portions of the lesions are
rubbed on the skin, whether the skin be scarified or not, no Jhooling lesion is
produced in any of the above animals. Horses, buffaloes and cattle kept in
contact with camels suffering from Jhooling did not contract the disease, but
many healthy camels kept in contract with the camels suffering from Jhooling
contracted the disease. When portions of Jhooling lesions are rubbed on the
scarified skin of a healthy camel the disease develops after a few days. In
only one case did the disease develop when a portion of the Jhooling lesion was
rubbed on the unscarified skin of a healthy camel.
Symptoms.—The first symptom of the disease is a hot, hard and painful
swelling varying from 1 to 3 inches in diameter usually on the neck or hind-
quarters or on the testicle, though the lesion may occur in almost any part of
the body. After a few days the swelling becomes very irritating, and if it is
situated in any part of the body that the camel can reach with his teeth, he will
gnaw at it, leaving a raw wound. In all cases, after the lapse of some time,
suppuration takes place, and finally the wound heals, leaving a small white
spot, which lasts for several months. As a rule several lesions are found on
every camel suffering from the disease and the camel loses condition.
Treatment.—I—The lesion may be excised; pure phenyle or carbolic
acid applied, and the wound then treated as any ordinary wound, or
II—A blister of red iodide of mercury may be applied (this hastens
the formation of pus)—the lesion should be opened up, pure phenyle or carbolic
acid applied, and the wound then dressed with " black wash." The lesion
often takes a considerable time to heal ; " black wash " I have found gives good
results when ordinary wound dressings fail. When the lesion has been opened
up and thoroughly cleansed Socin's plaster often gives good results.
Anatomicl Changes —The tumour consists of fibrous tissue, finally
undergoing suppuration. Examination of the pus reveals streptococci no
staphylococci have been observed. I have had no opportunity of making a
post-mortem on camels suffering from Jhooling, so am unable to state whether
lesions occur in the internal organs.
Prevention.—Camelmen are well aware of the contagious nature of this
disease. If they have a camel suffering from Jhooling lesions in the neck, this
camel is always placed first in the string of camels ; whereas if the lesions are
On the hind quarters the camel is tied last