2
of them coming through Sohawa in December ; but as most of the Surra ani-
mals amongst them are new cases, a consecutive daily examination of blood for
8 or 10 days (practicable I think in the case of these two Corps) should nearly
always prevent the purchase of Surra into the Corps from this source, provided
that the camels purchased are found on manual examination of the hump to be
in good condition.
11. The 52nd (Jhelum) Corps in which Surra was so thoroughly searched
for last year is now reaping the benefit. Instead of a mortality of 20 and 30
per cent., the figure has dropped to 11 per cent., and the Corps has in one year
gone from the last place to the first.
Unfortunately even now, enough Salt-Range grazing in the rains has only
been granted for one-third of the camels.
Routine examination of blood has been carried out throughout the year.
12. The 53rd (Sargodha) Corps.—In this corps a vigorous sustained routine
search for the disease is required and thorough precautions in purchase are
especially important. This Corps is in a state similar to that of the Jhelum
Corps in 1907, and to clear it of Surra would take 12 months' vigorous routine
work at great expense to Government. The present spasmodic methods are
useless.
13. The 54th (Lahore) Camel Corps is suffering from the effects of the
disastrous year 1908, at which time so few of the Surra cases were weeded out
leaving many to spread the disease in 1909. This year, however, it appears that
the measures are being well carried out which, judging from experience in
other Corps, is likely to have a beneficial effect in 1910-11. The mortality for
1909-10 is about 27 per cent.
14. The 55th (Montgomery) Camel Corps is reaping the benefit of the
previous two years' continued precautions against Surra, and the mortality for
this year is about 16 per cent.
Unfortunately these precautions have fallen off this year.
15. The 56th (Montgomery) Corps.—The mortality is a little less than last
year and is due to a variety of causes, amongst which must be placed the diffi-
culty in obtaining Surra-free remounts ; the prevalence of a disease in the rains
which I have provisionally called Specific Peritonitis ; and the Commandant
mentions neglect by the Serwans of the small Baluch camels (a large number of
which have been used for remounts of late) which have been unpopular owing
to their inability to carry heavy loads on unemployed pay. Known Surra-free
grazing ground was used by most of the Corps last monsoon, however, and
an improvement is likely especially if the same precautions are taken in
1910.
16. The 57th (Multan) Camel Corps suffered from a severe outbreak of
Surra chiefly confined to one or two troops ; this has sent the mortality up, but
the effects are not likely to be carried into next year's figures owing to the
promptness with which the outbreak was dealt.
17. There has been no opportunity to visit Government camels on the
Frontier.
In January 1910, the 60th and 61st Grantee Corps were examined at
Kamalia ; a very large proportion of the camels had been east just previously
to my visit by the Commandant as unfit and consequently the remainder was in
a comparatively fit state, though, with a proportion of Surra which may be
cautiously estimated as not less than 13 per cent. Of these two Corps, many
of the camels were stated by their Serwans to be grazed outside the colonies in
the Surra season. It is intended to spend part of the monsoon season of 1910
in the canal Colonies to obtain more information.
18. PROPHYLAXIS.—Under this head, no excuse need be made for repeating
a good deal of what has been said in former reports.
The first thing required is Surra-free grazing in the monsoon season for
Corps' camels ; having secured that, which would lessen the mortality and
consequently lessen the demand for remounts, Surra-free grazing is required
for camel-breeding.