'REPORT on the Working of the Line of Communication AND ON THE Withdrawal of the British Military Mission IN EAST PERSIA, 1919-20. GENERAL STAFF INDIA. [‎36v] (79/168)

53
XII.— Veterinary.
In April 1920 the Veterinary personnel on the Line of Communications
consisted of the following :—
Maior W. H. Walker, D. S. O. . Deputy Assistant Director, Veterinary Serv-
£ J J ices, Line of Communications, also responsible
for the supervision of the Malmiss Force ;
Captain K. S. Simpson, R. A. V. C. Veterinary Officer, Malmiss Force, and i a
charge of Line of Communications details,
Meshed ;
Nine Veterinary Assistants . . (Four Regular Indian Veterinary Corps,
three Indian Civil Department (Temporary),
Indian Veterinary Corps, and two Supply and
Transport; and
One Indian Clerk . . . On loan to the Veterinary Service at Head
quarters at Birjand ;
the establishment being short of one British Veterinary officer and two
Veterinary Assistants.
The Veterinary Assistants were distributed as follows :—-
One each at
f Meshed;
Turbat;
Kain;
Biriand :
1 Ship;
Hurmuk ;
iSistan ;
^ Duzdap;
this arrangement allowing for one being on furlough.
The policy has been to place Veterinary Assistants in veterinary charge
of all Government animals at stations, and at the same time to act as Veteri
nary advisers to Administrative Commandants through whom all reports have
been rendered. No definite orders had previously been published defining the
duties of Veterinary Assistants, and it therefore seemed advisable to issue such
orders [vide appendix (1) ].
The system of treating sick animals in unit sick lines by unit personnel,
particularly in large units like Camel Corps, is unsatisfactory, but was unavoid
able as no veterinary personnel for Veterinary Hospitals were provided. If
A eterinary Hospitals bad been established at the larger stations I am convinced
that the number of inefficient animals would have been greatly reduced.
General State of Animals on Line of Communications in April 1920.
*
. condition of horses and mules was on the whole good, the exception
being in the case of horses of some of the small units in which the manage
ment left much to be desired through inexperience. Mules in the maiority of
cases had done very little work, were well fed but rather too fat. The shoeing
o horses was indifferent, particularly in small units, due to shortage of
sioemg smiths. The majority of shoeing smiths required more training.
Mules as a general rule were unshod. With the exception of isolated cases of
mange, no cases of specific disease had occurred, and the health of horses and
mules was good.
Government Camels.
P v t p^, A f Prilthe T diti ?. n ?l th ?, carn . e,8asaivhole was fair, considering t
i n * mange (practically all being affected), the season of the year, t
the lift f e tn Perl ? Ce ° f the staff > the ex P osul 'e they had undergone duri
of sick