7
During the time the camels are on unemployed pay it is impossible to
take temperatures except when they are periodically inspected by the com-
mandants, but when on employed pay there should be no difficulty if half
minute thermometers are used and a third veterinary duffadar is employed.
21. Prevention of surra.—For the spread of surra there must be firstly
the reservoir (i.e., an animal infected with surra, 2ndly the transmitters (i.e.,
blood-sucking insects). If we could eliminate one or other of these two factors
we could eradicate the disease. In a country like India destruction of all blood-
sucking flies is an impossibility, the destruction of all surra infected animals is
also an impossibility, but if we can reduce the number of government animals
infected with surra we can reduce the spread of the disease and thus limit
the losses entailed thereby In order to reduce the number of animals infected,
a reliable method for the detection of surra must be systematically carried out
and the temperature method already explained is relialble, quick and easy to
carry out. By this means any fresh case (infected from camels of private owners
with which government camels cannot avoid coming into contact with
under the present silladar system) is at once diagnosed and can be either
destroyed or isolated and submitted to treatment. That by early diagnosis the
spread of surra can be reduced is well exemplified in the case of the local
transport camels at Dera Ismail Khan Here the two factors for the spread
of surra are present. In 1912-13 out of about 250 camels 93 cases of surra
occured In 1913-14 the temperature method was systematically carried out
and the number of cases of surra reduced to 25 out of an average strength of
259—the reduction in the number of surra cases being thus 68, a very satisfac-
tory result.
Experiments have been started to determine whether camels can be pro-
tected from biting flies by spraying with emulsions of chirpine oil etc. ; a report
will be submitted to you when the experiments have been completed.
22. Compensation.—The object of paying compensation is to com-
pensate the owner for the loss of his camel destroyed on account of surra.
This policy is sound and just, provided the camel destroyed for surra is
in good condition. If on the other hand the camel is in very bad condition,
i.e, in the last stages of the disease, no compensation should be given as the
whole object in the destruction of the camel has been frustrated The object
of destroying a camel suffering from surra is to get rid of the reservoir of in-
fection, but if the camel is not destroyed till he is nothing but skin and bone
the camel to have reached this condition must have had surra for a long time,
and during the whole of this time he has been a source of infection to other
camels.
The payment of compensation is one which needs consideration. I would
however suggest that the compensation paid for a camel in poor condition should
be only ¼ or ½ the compensation paid for a camel in good condition.
In the silladar camel corps a camel found to be suffering from surra
is destroyed and compensation paid to the owner, whereas in the grantee
camel crops a camel suffering from surra is simply struck off the register and
his owner can do what he likes with him. This camel is a source of public
danger. The question whether a camel of the grantee camel crops which is
suffering from surra should be destroyed and compensation paid to the owner
is one for the military authorities to decide. To eradicate surra from the
silladar camel corps is very difficult, as for six months of the year they are on
unemployed pay and under no veterinary supervision, and during this time are
liable to become infected with surra from private camels. The question
whether the corps should be employed all the year round and a veterinary
officer from the A. V. C. put in veterinary charge of each corps, is a question
for the military authorities to decide.