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eat it or not. These cases usually occur when the camels are on unemployed
pay, so it is difficult to make post-mortems.
31. Tumours of chest pad.—-Tumours of the chest pad are not rare
and sometimes develop to an enormous size. In one camel belonging to a
private owner I removed a tumour weighing 25 lbs. This camel when
brought to me was in a miserable condition, but after the operation put on
condition rapidly and was sold by the owner for Rs. 90, a few months
after the operation.
Procedure.—The camel should always be chloroformed for this opera-
tion. There is a good deal of haemorrhage but this can be controlled. The
wound should be dressed twice a day and covered with gauze and cotton wool,
the whole being kept in place by a piece of sacking tied by tape over the
back of the animal. If a large amount of tow and cotton wool have been
applied the camel is able to sit down without any inconvenience.
Sore feet—Camels suffer a good deal from sore feet, especially if worked
for any length of time on hard and stony roads. The feet should be periodi
cally examined. In one case met with a small stone about half inch square
was found imbedded in the sole this stone must have been picked up months
before I saw the camel.
Sometimes cases of acute lameness are met with. The camel is unable
to put the slightest weight on the foot. If the sole is examined a slight
swelling about an inch in diameter, which on pressure produces great pain,
will be observed. Treatment for this lameness is very simple. The sole should
be washed in a weak phenyle solution and a small opening about half inch
deep made in the swollen area, a serous fluid will escape. The sole is again
washed with phenyle solution and a little dry antiseptic dressing applied to
the wound. The foot is put into a "boot" made of sacking. After 24
hours the camel will walk sound, The " boot" can be removed after a couple
of days.
Colic. -If a camel is suffering from ordinary colic 2 lbs. of Mag.
sulph. dissoved in water should be at once given, followed by 3 ounces of
chlorodyne (containing 1 grain of morphia to the fluid ounce). If this does
not relieve the pain 3 ounces of chlrodyne may be given after few hours.
I have found this treatment gives very good results.
For tympanitis 1/4 ounce of pure carbolic acid, 3 ounces of turpentine
in 2 pints of linseed gives good results.
Stomach staggers.—The following symptoms are observed. The camel
may appear quite normal, when suddenly, if he is sitting down he gets up,
foams at the mouth and bolts, ultimately he falls down. After a number of
convulsive attacks he becomes comatose and as a rule dies from coma and
exhaustion.
Treatment.—If the case is seen in the early stages. The camel should
be bled 3-4 litres, a large dose of Epsom salt at once given, and cold water
applied to the head, chloral hydrate should be given till a sedative effect is
produced. If the case is not seen till there is great prostration, stimulants
should be given.
Wounds.-The sarwans' method of treating wounds consists of the
application of mud, the result being that there is no exit for the pus and it
burrows internally. The pyogenic bacteria are taken up by the circulation,
carried along by the blood stream and become lodged in the internal organs,
hence the reason why we find on post-mortems so many cases of abscesses
in the lungs. Suppuration of the glands (known as malli) is probably due
to the same cause.
When a camel develops a sore back he should be put off work at once
and the wound properly treated, and not until the veterinary duffadar
certifies that he is fit to work should he be worked.