35
regain a little strength and to exhibit less regular visitations by the parasite than
usual. I think that I have noted the same result after the regular administration
of white arsenic in six-grain doses daily. All I can say of these agents is that, in so
far as my experiments go, they are the ones from which most hopes of good result
have been obtained. I thought on one occasion that the action of ammonia in dilute
solution sufficed to kill the parasites; it seemed to do so when an ammoniacal
solution of carmine was added to a drop of blood in which the parasites were numerous
and active, but subsequent results did not confirm this. When I administered ammonia
to a patient, the case proved acute and promptly fatal. Dilution of a drop of blood
with water lessens the distinctive movement of the parasites, but does not, at any rate
immediately, destroy them.
34. If we look through the list of causes, we shall see that they almost all admit
of counteraction. Thus I am able to draw up a list of suggestions as to measures
which should be adopted with a view to avoidance of future outbreaks. The mules
selected for service in Burma should be of moderate size and age, those most like
donkeys being the best, and animals of gray or white color specially avoided. But
the mule transport should be as limited as possible ; animals indigenous to the country
such as elephants, ponies, and especially Burma bullocks, being mainly relied on for
military transport. Although I do not recommend any change at present, I think that
a gradual alteration in distribution of the various animals of transport would be an
advantage from a veterinary point of view, the mules being sent up-country as much
as possible, especially to Thayetmyo, and the bullock-cart transport and use of ponies
being expanded at Rangoon. Tonghoo does not seem to be a healthy place for
mules or ponies, but it ought to be for elephants and is for bullocks; and we must
remember that at this place the mules have not had an opportunity of showing how
they would be if their food were good and sufficient and their stables in a healthy
situation. Experience seems to indicate that the collection of a couple of hundred
mules in one place in Lower Burma is not advisable; that their stables should be in
blocks well apart from one another and in places where they will get lots of fresh air
and be well above the level of neighbouring marsh land. It also indicates that the
plan of hiring out Government mules and ponies is a very excellent one in British
Burma; it secures individual care and attention for the animals while rendering
available, in emergency, a number of useful transport beasts which are kept in condition
at little cost to Government. Although exposure to weather cannot be avoided on a
campaign, it can be generally avoided in peace, and its ill effects can in either case be
much lessened by careful selection of camping grounds and of water for drinking
purposes as well as systematic feeding of the animals. Every march into the jungle,
every despatch of batches of transport animals from one station to another, and every
season when communications are kept up between a central station and outposts
(as between Tonghoo and Thandoun) ought to be made an opportunity for enforcement
and practice of animal management in such manner as should be resorted to on active
service and as might, to an extent, be if it were more generally practised. This is a
matter which I feel assured might be managed much better than at present with
benefit to the mules and with less serious results from their marches up-country than
are now sometimes experienced. There are some stables which, as we have seen,
seem to be local centres of the disease ; they are probably too much shut in and liable
to stagnation of air in them, and possibly also to stagnation of water in their drainage
cisterns and in the soil around. It would be very beneficial if stable A in the
Somersetshire lines at Rangoon were removed from its present position and thereby
aggregation of. animals on the sub-plateau, where it is situated, be lessened and a freer
supply of air allowed to stable C. It should be removed to a more airy and open
position. Failing this, something may yet be done in the way of removal of the
drainage cisterns and the substitution of paved surface drains down the side of the hill
and the adoption of the dry-earth system of managing the stable-flooring. The drivers'
latrine should be at once removed to below the hill, and the brick drains against the
gram-shed and hospital latrine should be deepened so as not to allow of overflow by
the side of the pathway into A stable. The supply of movable jhamps for one side
of each block of stables to be used for the exclusion of driving mist and heavy rain
under the discretion of the officers in charge would be an improvement. In excep-