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Animals in Iraq
188
THE VETERINARY JOURNAL
Animals in Iraq. THE R.S .P.C.A. is frequently approached by inquirers desiring to know wha t is done for the protection of a nimals in Iraq. The occasion of the appointment of the new High Commissioner, Sir Fran cis Humphreys, was seized b y the Society fo r the purpose of making representation s to His Excellency about one cf the important problems for which this country accepted responsibility when it undertook a mandate for Iraq. An exceedingly sympa thetic reply has been received , reflecting the greatest credit not only on the High Commissioner personally but on those who form his secre taria t and who appear to be fully alive to the position . Anyon e who knows this territory cannot but be struck with the fact that an imals occupy a very lowly place in the esteem of some of the inhabitants. Th ere is much t houghtless and even deliberate cruelty. Th e High Commission er, with a courage born of a d esire for better things, frankly admits tha t cruelty is as extensive as it is in most Oriental coun tries. The Police and Veterinary Departments, which have oth er duties to attend to, do not possess sufficient resources to deal with th e question as effectively as they would wish. It is true tha t these bodies make every effort to prosecute individuals responsible for th e maltreatment of animals and to cure those anima ls that have suffered b y such cruelty. Under the Baghdad Penal Code, promulgated in November , 1918, cruelty to animals is an offence punishable by fin es or impri sonment. When arrests are m ade for infractions of this law, the animals concerned are taken to the nearest veterinary hospita l, wh ere they are examin ed and reported upon by the Veterina ry Officer in cha rge. Injured animals are d etain ed and treated at the owner 's expense, but, the unfortunate fact remains that accommodation ·in these hospita ls is often so restricted that it is frequently necessary to refuse admission to cases for that reason alone. The Iraq Governm ent are by no means satisfi ed with the present state of affairs but they consider, in the present stage of development of th a t country, measures fo r th e protection of animals can b est be carried out by the Police and the Veterinary Authorities. They have ha d the foresight t o see that the inhabitants can be brought to a better under standing of animals' needs by the vital educating factor of veterinary hospitals, the work of which is of much more benefit to the inhumane owners of th e patients than one often im agines. T o help in this very pressing need the High Commissioner will gladly accept financial support from anyone interested and all such monies would be administered by the Director of Veterinary Ser vices who would devote them to such objects as the provision of special dressers for cruelty
OBSTRUCTION OF THE CESOPHAGUS
189
cases in the principal t owns and for the supply of medicines.-(The Animal W orld, April, 1930.) •
Obstruction of the ffisophagus in a Mare.* By MESSIEURS BAQUE . AND LAMARQUE. A MARE in ex cellent condition was bought by the Remount Committee of T arbes. When just put in the stable she got hold of a wisp of hay and swall-owed it without m asticating. Soon she tried to vomit, broke her halter, turned round in the stall and was greatly upset. Immediat ely notified, we fo und her stiff on all four legs and the fron t ones wide apart , the head extended on the neck and the face drawri. There was ptyalism, profuse sweating, muscular tremors, laboured b reathing and violent efforts at regurgitation . The muscles of the neck were cont racted , the resophagus showed undulations, the animal shook her head and threw out frothy saliva from the mouth an d nostrils. On palpation the pharynx and resophagus were hard and tense ; their explora tion caused violent resophageal spasms, on a uscultation valvular n oises. The mare obstinately refused wat er, t emperature normal, pulse quickened. To calm resophagisums two inj ections of atropine sulphate were given in the afternoon. The spasms declined, the disturbing symptoms lessened gradually; the mare was left at liberty in a box watched by a military attendant. Next morning animal dejected and refused all food and water ; temperature normal, pulse · regular. Pharynx and resophagus still sensitive but palpation caused no spasms. Frothy saliva still corning from the nose. It was not possible to reveal the wisp of hay on account of pharyngisurns and resophagisums. During the day she improved and in the afternoon t ook some water and a little warm mucilaginous mash. Next d ay very little nasal discharge. The following day normal. The treatment by sulphate of a tropine gave an ·excellent result .
Eleventh International Veterinary Congress., London, 1930. THE I nternation al Veterinary Congress to be held at the Central Hall, Westminster, London , S.W.l , from the 4th to the 9th August, 1930, is receiving support from foreign governments in all parts of the
* Recueil de M ed. Vet.
THE VETERINARY JOURNAL
Animals in Iraq. THE R.S .P.C.A. is frequently approached by inquirers desiring to know wha t is done for the protection of a nimals in Iraq. The occasion of the appointment of the new High Commissioner, Sir Fran cis Humphreys, was seized b y the Society fo r the purpose of making representation s to His Excellency about one cf the important problems for which this country accepted responsibility when it undertook a mandate for Iraq. An exceedingly sympa thetic reply has been received , reflecting the greatest credit not only on the High Commissioner personally but on those who form his secre taria t and who appear to be fully alive to the position . Anyon e who knows this territory cannot but be struck with the fact that an imals occupy a very lowly place in the esteem of some of the inhabitants. Th ere is much t houghtless and even deliberate cruelty. Th e High Commission er, with a courage born of a d esire for better things, frankly admits tha t cruelty is as extensive as it is in most Oriental coun tries. The Police and Veterinary Departments, which have oth er duties to attend to, do not possess sufficient resources to deal with th e question as effectively as they would wish. It is true tha t these bodies make every effort to prosecute individuals responsible for th e maltreatment of animals and to cure those anima ls that have suffered b y such cruelty. Under the Baghdad Penal Code, promulgated in November , 1918, cruelty to animals is an offence punishable by fin es or impri sonment. When arrests are m ade for infractions of this law, the animals concerned are taken to the nearest veterinary hospita l, wh ere they are examin ed and reported upon by the Veterina ry Officer in cha rge. Injured animals are d etain ed and treated at the owner 's expense, but, the unfortunate fact remains that accommodation ·in these hospita ls is often so restricted that it is frequently necessary to refuse admission to cases for that reason alone. The Iraq Governm ent are by no means satisfi ed with the present state of affairs but they consider, in the present stage of development of th a t country, measures fo r th e protection of animals can b est be carried out by the Police and the Veterinary Authorities. They have ha d the foresight t o see that the inhabitants can be brought to a better under standing of animals' needs by the vital educating factor of veterinary hospitals, the work of which is of much more benefit to the inhumane owners of th e patients than one often im agines. T o help in this very pressing need the High Commissioner will gladly accept financial support from anyone interested and all such monies would be administered by the Director of Veterinary Ser vices who would devote them to such objects as the provision of special dressers for cruelty
OBSTRUCTION OF THE CESOPHAGUS
189
cases in the principal t owns and for the supply of medicines.-(The Animal W orld, April, 1930.) •
Obstruction of the ffisophagus in a Mare.* By MESSIEURS BAQUE . AND LAMARQUE. A MARE in ex cellent condition was bought by the Remount Committee of T arbes. When just put in the stable she got hold of a wisp of hay and swall-owed it without m asticating. Soon she tried to vomit, broke her halter, turned round in the stall and was greatly upset. Immediat ely notified, we fo und her stiff on all four legs and the fron t ones wide apart , the head extended on the neck and the face drawri. There was ptyalism, profuse sweating, muscular tremors, laboured b reathing and violent efforts at regurgitation . The muscles of the neck were cont racted , the resophagus showed undulations, the animal shook her head and threw out frothy saliva from the mouth an d nostrils. On palpation the pharynx and resophagus were hard and tense ; their explora tion caused violent resophageal spasms, on a uscultation valvular n oises. The mare obstinately refused wat er, t emperature normal, pulse quickened. To calm resophagisums two inj ections of atropine sulphate were given in the afternoon. The spasms declined, the disturbing symptoms lessened gradually; the mare was left at liberty in a box watched by a military attendant. Next morning animal dejected and refused all food and water ; temperature normal, pulse · regular. Pharynx and resophagus still sensitive but palpation caused no spasms. Frothy saliva still corning from the nose. It was not possible to reveal the wisp of hay on account of pharyngisurns and resophagisums. During the day she improved and in the afternoon t ook some water and a little warm mucilaginous mash. Next d ay very little nasal discharge. The following day normal. The treatment by sulphate of a tropine gave an ·excellent result .
Eleventh International Veterinary Congress., London, 1930. THE I nternation al Veterinary Congress to be held at the Central Hall, Westminster, London , S.W.l , from the 4th to the 9th August, 1930, is receiving support from foreign governments in all parts of the
* Recueil de M ed. Vet.