CHAPTER III.

Previous

The Mule. Description. Diseases. Treatment.

The mule has the advantage of the horse in better withstanding neglect, bad treatment, poor feed, and hard usage.

The pack-mule should be active, short-coupled, short-legged, small-boned, square-built, with manifest powers of endurance, and should weigh from 800 to 1000 pounds. Army Regulations state that "mules purchased for the army by the Quartermaster's Department should conform to the following conditions: They should be strong, stout, compact, sound, and kind; free from defects in every particular; from four to nine years old; from 850 to 1200 pounds in weight; from 14 to 16 hands high, and suitable in all respects for the transportation service of the army. If for draught purposes, they are to be well broken to harness; if for pack purposes, they need not be broken, and the standard of height may be reduced to 13½ hands, if the animal be in other respects suitable.

"Every animal will be branded with the letters U. S. on the left fore shoulder on the day he is received. A complete descriptive list will be made of each animal at the time of purchase, which will accompany him wherever he may be transferred."

Under ordinary circumstances none but gentle, well-broken mules from four to eight years old should be purchased.

New mules should be handled with the greatest patience, care, and kindness until they become thoroughly accustomed to the new service required of them. All violence must be avoided, for mules are naturally timid and easily startled, and for this reason men of good temper should be employed in breaking them; any rough treatment is sure to lead to delay in the training and may cause irretrievable harm.

Age.—Ordinary limit 15 to 16 years; many live to 20, some to 30, years. From 8 to 12 he is in his prime.

Age is told by teeth, as with horses.

Sex.—Females are generally to be preferred to males for mountain-batteries, being, as a rule, more docile and better shaped.

Pace.—A battery-mule can walk four miles an hour. The average transport-mule walks a little over three miles an hour. A mule's pace is slow down but quick up hill. Mules show fatigue in their gait by drooping the head; the neck becomes horizontal and the ears droop back; the ordinary carriage of the latter is erect and forward; when the mule begins to fan them, he is probably tired.

Condition.—They should be kept in hard condition—not fat.

Watering.—They will ordinarily refuse hard or bad water; and sometimes decline to drink merely from fancy, and will water from a bucket when not from the stream. By throwing a handful of grass into the bucket of water, they may generally be induced to drink. They may be watered on the march, even when hot, if kept in motion afterward. Where there are leeches in a stream, be careful not to water too close to the bank.

Feeding.—The government allowance for a mule is 14 pounds of hay and 9 pounds of oats, corn, or barley per day. In special cases of hard service or exposure the Quartermaster-General may authorize the grain ration to be increased not to exceed 3 pounds when recommended by the Chief Quartermaster of the Department or of an army in the field. One hundred pounds of straw per month is allowed for bedding.

It is a mistake to suppose that all mules require the same amount of food. The officer should notice each animal, and determine the increase or decrease in the regular ration to keep him in proper condition. A mule will eat as much as a horse of the same size; he will eat almost anything to keep from starving.

Salt, in a lump, or ground with feed, should be given whenever it can be had. It is obtained on requisition (Form 41) from the Subsistence Department, each animal being allowed 2 ounces per week; or 12 ounces per month if deemed necessary by the commanding officer.

Vinegar is similarly obtained for sanitary purposes, at the rate of 2 gallons per week per 100 animals.

Soft Food, bran-mashes, should be given at least once a week if possible.

Animals should be grazed whenever the opportunity occurs.

Care.—Grooming should be carried out as with horses, but need not be so elaborate. Manes are usually hogged; tails are cut, but not in hot weather during the fly season. The hair on the mule's heels should never be cut; nor should the mud, in the winter season, be washed off, but allowed to dry on the animal's legs, and then rubbed off with hay or straw.

Feet.—Keep in the natural state as nearly as possible. Mules suffer from standing on wet ground; but in dry climates, or in stables with modern floors, care should be taken that their feet get sufficient moisture, by wetting them or standing the animal a short time where this result will be obtained.

Shoeing.—The hot shoe must never be applied to the foot under any circumstances. Give the ground-surface a level bearing. Let the frog come to the ground; if it projects beyond the shoe, so much the better; never under any circumstances cut it away. Never put a knife to the sole of the foot. Let the shoes be as light as possible, without calks if avoidable, exactly the shape of the animal's foot; secure with two nails on each side, an inch apart, and one in the toe.

The Putnam hot-forged nail is excellent.

Harnessing.—Meddle as little as possible with a mule's ears, as they are exceedingly sensitive. With care the mule can be easily bridled; but once struck on the head or pulled by the ear, there will be trouble ever after.

Pit the bridle carefully; see that the crown-piece is not too tight; that the bit fits easily in the mouth; that the corners of the mouth are not drawn up: otherwise the animal's mouth will become sore. The throat-latch must be loose.

See that the other parts of the harness fit properly and do not rub or gall the animal.

To harness a vicious mule, put the noose of a lariat over his head, taking care that it does not choke him; place him on the near side of a wagon; carry the end of the lariat between the spokes and around the felloe of the front wheel; walk back with it to the hind wheel, keeping it taut; pass the end between the spokes and around the felloe of that wheel, and pull the mule close to the wagon.

Take care to have the lariat as high as the mule's breast in front and the flank in rear.

Breaking.—Gentleness and patience are essential.

First let the animal smell the saddle, etc. (an old one if possible). Then saddle carefully, girthing up gradually; when the mule will walk quietly about saddled, the rest of the harness may be added by degrees, particular care being taken in first putting on the crupper. When quite used to harness, accustom the mule to the sight of the load—at first bags of sand, about 80 pounds each. Load with these, the weight being increased if necessary.

Battery-mules should follow the battery, barebacked, from their first arrival, and get used to the sights and sounds; and when broken to saddle and load, should go laden. They should be trained first on easy and then on difficult ground; also to cross shallow ditches and obstacles without hesitation, at first saddled, afterwards loaded. In leading a mule the rein should always be loose. A trained mule should lead. Avoid using the whip.

VETERINARY TREATMENT.

This treatment is about the same as for horses; common ailments are strangles, cold, sore mouth, poll-evil, fistulous withers, galls and sitfasts, thrush, colic, cramp, mange, grease. Where backs show the least sign of softness it is well to rub in salt and water. The same precaution should be taken with young mules about the part where the crupper is liable to chafe the dock, daily for a week before working.

Strangles.—This is a specific fever of young animals, usually attended with swellings and inflammations; an abscess generally forms between the bones of the lower jaw or elsewhere in groups of lymphatic glands; there are cough, difficulty of swallowing, discharge at the nostrils, and general prostration.

Treatment.—Give light bran-mashes, plenty of common salt, and keep the animal in a warm dry stable, with plenty of pure air. Encourage the ulcer; apply Gombault's balsam, if at hand, three times a day to induce suppuration, or, when it has come sufficiently to a head and appears soft enough to lance, do so, being careful to avoid the glands and veins. Tonics, three times a day, such as 20 grains of quinine, or 1 ounce ground gentian, or a teaspoonful powdered sulphate of iron.

Cold.—This disease seldom attacks mature mules in camp. Young stock on first being stabled, or stock out of hot, badly ventilated stables, on exposure may contract colds. The animal appears out of condition, with slight fever, eyes dull, cough and nasal discharge.

Treatment.—Remove to airy box-stall; clothe and bandage; apply ammonia liniment to the throat if there be a cough; steam the nostrils. Open the bowels by injection of tepid soap-suds, or give one third of a dose of oil; feed soft food; give quinine 10-grain doses.

Sore Mouth.—There are few diseases to which the mule's teeth are subject after the permanent teeth are developed. If the gums are swollen from the cutting of teeth, a light stroke of the lancet over the gums at a point where the teeth are forcing their way through, and a little regard to the animal's diet, will be all that is necessary. Mules suffer from injury to the tongue and sore mouth, caused by bad treatment. With a sponge apply to the sore parts a light decoction of white-oak bark; give nourishing gruels or bran-mashes; keep the bit out of the mouth until healed.

The Eye.—Occasionally mules' eyes become inflamed and sore. Apply warm or, if not obtainable, cold water and remove the cause. (See Ophthalmia, Vet. Notes.)

Poll-evil.—Mules are quite subject to this disease. It begins with an ulcer or sore at the junction of the head and neck, and from its position, more than from any other cause, it is difficult to heal.

Treatment.—When the swelling first appears, use hot fomentations. If these are not at hand, use cold water frequently, and keep the bridle and halter from the parts. If ulceration nevertheless takes place, the seton must be skilfully applied.

Fistula.—Fistula of withers is due to bruises, bad-fitting saddle or harness, or rolling on hard substances. It generally first appears as a swelling, then inflammation sets in and a tumor begins to form.

Treatment.—The fistula in its first stages may be driven away by frequent applications of cold water. Should the swelling continue, use warm fomentations, poultices, and stimulating embrocations. When in proper condition it should be opened, and kept so until all of the matter has escaped and the wound shows signs of healing.

The bowels should be opened by means of a cathartic of aloes.

Galls and Sitfasts.—One of the best remedies for saddle-gall is to remove the saddle pressure as much as possible, and bathe the back frequently with salt and cold water.

If this does not succeed the trouble will continue, and a root will form at the centre of the gall, the edges of which will be clear, the sitfast holding only by the root. In this case take a pair of pincers and pull it out. This done, bathe frequently with cold water. A little soothing oil, or grease free from salt, may be rubbed lightly on the parts as they begin to heal. One of the best remedies for galls is to cleanse the wound and blow into it a mixture of one part of iodoform to three parts of sulphur: if it be necessary to use the animal, cover the part with old-fashioned sticking-plaster.

Thrush.Treatment.—Cut away the parts of the frog that seem to be destroyed; cleanse daily with castile soap, and apply muriatic acid, or a little tar mixed with salt on oakum or tow.

Colic.—The mule is quite subject to this complaint. Too much cold water or changes of grain will produce it.

The animal swells up, pants, looks around at his sides, paws, sweats above the eyes and on the flanks, becomes very restless, lying down and suddenly springing to his feet, lies down again, etc.

Treatment.—Drench with one ounce of chloral-hydrate in a half pint of water or two ounces of sulphuric ether and two ounces of tincture of opium in half pint of linseed oil, repeating the dose an hour afterwards if not relieved; or 2 oz. oil of turpentine, 1 oz. tinct. opium given in 12 oz. linseed oil or a pint of thick gruel. The belly should be well hand-rubbed and the animal walked about. Inject warm soap-suds.

Cramp.Treatment.—A good hand-rubbing.

Mange.Treatment.—Rub the animal with a mixture of hog's lard and sulphur, two pints of the latter to one pint of the former; cover with blanket; two days later wash clean with soft soap and water; blanket for a few days to avoid cold. Feed bran-mashes, plenty of salt and water.

Grease.—This is a diseased state of the skin of the legs, and more especially the hind ones. In the early stages it consists of an inflammation of the sweat-glands, followed by an offensive oily discharge. The principal cause is uncleanliness, or by washing the legs with cold water and not properly drying them afterwards.

Treatment.—Without cleanliness medical remedies are worthless. Apply poultices; leave them on half a day. Boiled turnips, carrots, bread and milk, or bran and hot water are all good. Apply Gombault's balsam, one part to four parts of glycerine, once every two days in chronic cases. Or clean the parts well with castile soap and warm water, and use an ointment made of powdered charcoal two ounces, lard or tallow four ounces, sulphur two ounces, mix thoroughly and rub in well by hand. Or gunpowder and lard or tallow, equal parts, is good; or dress with carbolized oil or oxide of zinc ointment.

Glanders.—A highly infectious and contagious disease of the lungs; incurable, and communicable to man.

The three characteristic signs are: 1. A peculiar transparent, glutinous, and continuous discharge, usually from one nostril, which discharge, moreover, accumulates and entangles all kinds of filth, so that it is unlikely to escape observation. 2. Ulceration of the mucous membranes of the nostril: the process of ulceration much resembles the erosion of metals, there being first an oxidation and afterwards a breach of the surface, the patch having irregular margins and showing no disposition to heal, but, on the contrary, to spread. 3. An enlargement of the submaxillary gland in the channel formed between the lower jaw-bones, such enlargement being firmly attached to the bone and immovable. It further manifests no disposition to suppurate and form an abscess, but, on the contrary, remains unaltered so long as the animal is allowed to live.

Treatment.—On any one of the above-enumerated symptoms being reported, at once isolate the animal; have bedding destroyed, and carefully remove all clothing, stable utensils, etc., from the vicinity of other animals pending decision of a veterinary surgeon. Place a steady man in charge, and warn him of personal risk.

When assured an animal has glanders, have it shot at once, and burn all bedding, clothing, etc.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Clyx.com


Top of Page
Top of Page