Diseased horses in Samoa

Images 1-4

These photos were included with a report on the condition of the horses sent to Samoa that was written by Captain A.M. Brodie of the New Zealand Veterinary Corps for Colonel C.J. Reakes, the Director of Veterinary Services and Remounts, in January 1916. 

The photos show horses suffering or recovering from ‘skin troubles’ and ‘tonas’. Brodie described skin trouble as a ‘desquamative dermatitis’ that usually affected ‘the back loins, quarters and flank, also the neck’. Tonas was ‘a chronic granuloma’ found ‘near the extremities, about the fetlock and coronets’ (foot joint and part of the hoof).

Main image: New hair was just showing through on this horse following skin trouble.

Image 1: The Veterinary Hospital at Vaimea. Brodie noted that ‘the photo does not convey the good points of the position’, which was the only one he could obtain. The site had formerly been used as a camp. This building is one of the military barracks; the bottom portion is being used as stables.

Images 2 & 3: This horse shows a later stage of skin trouble and a very bad case of tonas. Five tonas can be seen on the lower extremities (2) and one on the face just below the eye (3).

Image 4: This horse exemplifies the symptoms of skin trouble, especially on the quarter. Brodie rubbed a patch bare with his hand just before the photo was taken. He noted that this gelding was very weak and had been sold without even putting a saddle on it because they ‘were afraid that the horse would fall down if a man were put on his back’.