In the days of yore, horses and
elephants were used not only as mounts but also as weapons during wars. During World
War I, Glanders Disease, a disease of horses and donkeys, was used as a biological
weapon to bring enemy to its knees. The disease’s bacteria was introduced to
the enemy’s camp through these animals.
After World War II, many nations had
learned to control the disease, but even today it claims the lives of several
horses, mules and donkeys. This incurable disease doesn’t only kill the
afflicted animal, but also humans coming in their contact. To avoid infection,
the infected animal is shot immediately.
Dr Praveen Mallik, the Animal
Husbandry Commissioner of the Central Fisheries, Dairy and Animal Husbandry Department,
has written in detail about the practices of using these animals as biological
weapons during wars in his research paper. He had mentioned how German agents
had used it upon the horses and donkeys of the eastern front.
Glanders is a zoonotic disease which
afflicts horse, mules and donkeys mostly. The diseased animal then needs to be
killed. If an animal farmer comes in contact with the affected animal this
disease gets spread also to humans. The disease being incurable, the diseased
animal is given euthanasia due to which it moves to the eternal sleep within
minutes.
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In July 2006, a case of the disease
was reported in India wherein 20 horses and three mules samples from
Maharashtra showed positive results. Thereafter in December 2006, 70 positive
sample were found in Uttar Pradesh, which included 40 horses, eight ponies, 16
donkeys and six mules. In 2007, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh reported
such cases. In October 2009, cases were reported from Chhattisgarh and in 2010,
2011, cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh.
The Animal Census, in its six-yearly
report, mentioned the rapid fall in the population of horse, donkeys and
mules in the country. As per the 20th Animal Census, in the past
seven years (2012-19) their population has registered a decrease of six lakhs.
Due to mechanization, modern vehicles
and lack of work at the brick kilns, people have given up rearing them. Some
specialists are of the opinion that the fall in the donkey population in India
can be attributed to the rapid rise in the demand for donkey’s skin in China. They
believe that the traditional Chinese medicine system uses donkey’s skin to slow
aging and increase vitality. As per the Animal Census 2019, India has 5,40,000
equines (horses, ponies, donkeys and mules) whereas in 2012 they were
11,40,000. This means there has been a 51.9 per cent fall of six lakh equines.
As per the Journal of Bio-terrorism
and Bio-defense published in 2017, during the first World War, types of
diseases were used as weapons to weaken the enemy’s forces. Anthrax, plague and
glanders infected animals and people were sent to the enemy camps. Being
bacterial infections, these diseases use to spread like wildfire. Presence of
glanders disease was affirmed during WWII.
Under the the Glanders and Farcy Act, provisions were made for mercy killing of the infected animal
For the past several years, Brooke
India has been working to defend horses, donkeys and mules from glanders
disease. Its veterinary officer, Dr Manish Rai informed, “This disease has been
afflicting horses, mules and donkeys since ages and its bacteria was also used
to win the world wars.”
He added: “We all know that
traditionally the wars were fought upon horses so some country used the
bacteria as biological weapon by infecting with it the horses of the enemy
forces thereby killing horses and people.”
Although primarily affecting horses,
this disease gets spread even to humans upon contact. Telling about its
symptoms, Dr Manish said: “This disease spreads from the animals to the humans
and so is called zoonotic. It produces varied symptoms in horses, mules and
donkeys. The disease manifests itself as swollen lymph nodes and respiratory
issues in case of mules and donkeys. Breathing becomes laboured and the ulcerations
are formed in the mucous membrane which bleed.”
The mules and donkeys succumb to the
disease within a span of one week to 10 days whereas the horses can survive for
months. When antibiotics are administered, the bacteria lessons the severity of the symptoms, which may appear as if the animal has recovered, but as soon as the
antibiotics are stopped within, a fortnight the symptoms resurface. So, this is
how the affected horses can survive for months.
Although primarily affecting horses, this disease gets spread even to humans upon contact.
After its presence was confirmed
during WWII, the British took the disease very seriously and passed the Glanders
and Farcy Act in 1899. Under the act, provisions were made for mercy killing of
the infected animal and Rs 50 be given to its owner as compensation. This
provision was followed for a long time. In 2016-17, the Central and the state
governments prepared an action plan to combat the disease.
Dr Sharad Agarwal, joint director
Animal Husbandry Department, Uttar Pradesh informed, “The institutions had
stressed upon increasing the compensation post mercy killing. So, Rs 25,000 for
the horses and Rs 16,000 are given for the mules to the owners now as
compensation. Out of this, 50 per cent is given by the Center whereas 50 per cent
is provided by the state government.”
Dr Agarwal said: “249 samples in
2017-18, 229 in 2018-19 and in 2019-20, 85 samples tested positive. An action
plan has been prepared to finish off with this disease. Under this, blood
samples of horses, donkeys and mules are gathered and sent at regular intervals
to National Equine Research Centre. If confirmed positive, the animal is then
given mercy death. Due to higher incidences of the disease, the labs would soon
be opened in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, Agra and Lucknow so that the samples
can be examined sooner.”
