4
Surra camels are sent from Rajputana to Batesar fair (in November) and thus
Surra acquired in Native States is brought on a large scale into the Punjab.
Some method of marking camels suffering from Surra so that they can be
recognised is required to prevent purchase into the Punjab either by private
camelmen or (through them) into Camel Corps ; it would also be a means of
bringing to the notice of the camelmen of the North and Central Punjab (who
do not by any means show the knowledge of the disease that the owners in the
South-east do) that branded camels and healthy ones should not be grazed
together in the fly-season. I think it would also aid the Military authorities
when preparing camel-transport for emergencies.
I believe that Punjab camelmen would be in favour of some such system for
they have been suffering heavy losses.
The system of branding which would be most suitable would be to mark
every camel found with Surra with the last two figures of the year in which it
is found (or if found before 1st June, with the last two figures of the previous
year). This would condemn the camel for 3 years only from the year of the
brand and so would not prevent the sale of recovered cases.
The same system could be applied to Surra camels cast from the Grantee
Corps ; although the ordinary casting brand probably acts as a deterrent to
purchasers ; and the system might be extended to all privately-owned Surra
camels that could be found.
The difficulty to be overcome is how to diagnose a large number of cases
with a small staff. Much could be done, however, by a small staff working at
the fairs themselvs but due notice would have to be given in Native States and
districts drained by the fairs.
Any Veterinary Surgeon or Commandant of a Camel Corps might be
empowered to thus brand all Surra camels (not belonging to Silladar Corps)
that he may come across at any time.
SURRA-ZONES AND NON-SURRA-ZONES.
23. The rainy season was spent in touring grazing grounds, in search of
Tabanus. In estimating its numbers in a given locality, the irregularity in
its daily occurrence was allowed for.
In the monsoon season, Tabanus seeks its victims for preference between
5 and 9 A.M.. and between 4 and 6 P.M. Unfortunately camels do not graze
well in the extreme heat of the day.
Camels seem to attract them rather better than horses.
Tabanus sometimes appears after showers in April, but is seldom found in
numbers for more than a few days then ; and at that season it bites chiefly in
the hotter part of the day.
The best time of all to search for Tabanus is when the sun comes out
after some hours' rain.
In some places which are not Surra-zones in the ordinary meaning of
the term, one does not find a total absence of Tabanus ; for they can sometimes
be found in very scanty numbers by remaining for an hour or so with a horse
or a camel near standing water.
On these occasions they are generally of the small species. It is possible
for an occasional case to become infected, for example when watering, in a
non-surra-zone, but it must be exceptional.
24. PESHAWAR DISTRICT.—When I was at Shabkadar in May 1909,
Tabanus was found in quantity outside the fort ; on three sides of this fort is
a large swamp which accounts for the presence of the fly in quantities even
in the dry part of the hot weather.
The camels employed on the Mohmand Expedition in May 1908 were
thus exposed to the spread of Surra as was suspected.
25. NORTH-WEST PORTION OF LAHORE DISTRICT AND THE BORDER OF
GUJRANWALLA DISTRICT. - There is still a good deal of grazing left in this area
for camels in the cold weather. In the rains however the majority of the