Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-01-09

Trip on Trnnsports-spread of the
Disease Would Seriously Affect
British Forces In south Africa.
When the New York Suns CORE
spondent cabled 10 London from Frere
camp in Natal the other day that
there was lone case of horse sickness
in camp. il may not have seemed a
very serious statement AS a matter
of fact il was. and those few cabled
words contained more serious news
than many messages describing the
loss of human life. That one sick
horse in Frere camp has already caus-
ed more anxiety in the British camp
than would the sudden appearance of
a commando of 5000 Beers. Already
the lack of horses has over and over
again prevented the British troops
from following up initial success. 1t
was so a Belmont. at GraS Pan and-at
the Modder river. 1t is hampering
Gatacre at northern Cape Colony. and,
with the exception perhaps of Glands
laagte, it has been the case in nearly
every engagement of note in Natal.
In addition to the lack of horses
there is the further detriment that the
English horses are evidently very unfit
for their work. British cavalrymen
are extensively mounted. and their
horses are of an excellent type, but in
the piping times of peace they are
chiefly employed in eating their heads
of" aud though they are in fine horse
show condition and grOomed to perfec-
ZION. making n noble show on parade.
they are too tender for sudden cam
paigning in a country such as South
Africa.
A correspondent at Cape Town ca
bled some time ago that whereas the
Australian horses landed there in good
serviceable condition the English
horses arrived with their joints swOl-
len and stiff. This is partly due to
their tenderness" and partly. no doubt,
to the long voyage of 1000 miles.
When the transports first began TO
leave England. il was freely prophe-
sled that the horses would suffer more
than was necessary. inasmuch as they
We're too cramped, and 'slings' had
not been provided in their stalls. Thus
the horse would be obliged TO support
his entire weight on his legs through
out the long journey of IL or IS days,
in some cases indeed for nearly
month. The sling. otherwise a band
passed under the horses body TO take
some of his weight off his legs. was
objected 10 on the ground that in rough
weather IL made the horse helpless TO
Withstand the motion of the boat,
which would consequently buffet him
from side TO side of his narrow stall.
1t was pointed out that there was no
need for the horses TO be ''slung" the
whole time and that the amount of
rest given by means OF sings when
the sea was moderate would be of
great value. However, sings were
not used. and, he the reason what it
may, it is certain that the cavalry
horses sent to South Africa are not
only far too few, but in very poor con-
dition, 10 rectify which there is no
time to spare.
Thus. If horse sickness on a large
scale be added to these two evils, it is
evident how serious the result may be,
and this is why / venture TO suggest
that the sick horse of Frere camp gives
more cause for perturbation than even
4 message bringing the sad news of
some brave mems death: for on the
horses and mules in South Africa de-
pend the lives of many men. The
more efficient the transport service and
the cavalry are the sooner will the
war be over and the fewer the lives
sacrificed on either side.
In most parts of South Africa the
dangerous season for horse sickness
extends from January till early in
May. but in some seasons the disease
NJ lx- har
and December. Low lying areas and
valleys are the dangerous places. High
plateaus have such immunity that it is
a common practice to send horses from
a low country to Craze on these areas
during the summer months. An uneX-
planned popularity of the disease is
that. although it appears every year in
one or more districts. il only in certain
seasons becomes general over large
areas. Seven serious epizoOtic out
breaks have occurred in South Africa
since the first historical one in 1853.
On one occasion 10000 horses and
mules, worth over 100000, died. Its
exceptionally early appearance has
been reported among the Boer horses
near Ladysmith. but all horses, mules |
and donkeyS in South Africa are liable
TO it. with the exception of the COM
paratively few specimens of sailed
animals which have recovered from |
two attacks of the malady. Probably |
% per cent of the horses affected die |
and of mules almost as many. while |
donkeys. being subject to n milder |
form of the disease. do not suffer Sc
verely. Their taking il. however. would |
render them unserVicea Bile for the |
present campaign.
Mr.. Robert Wallace. professor of ag- |
riculture at the University of Edin- |
burgh and the author of Farming In |
dustries of Cape Colony" writes 10 the |
London Times the following particu-
lars OF the disease:
Horse sickness (Edema mycosis) is a
malarial fever which is produced by 4 /