BALANTIDIUM COLI IN AN ORANG-UTAN.

A micro-photograph, magnification 850 diameters, showing the presence of the parasites in the muscular coat of the large intestine.

ations and from chronic irritation. Most of the glands were destroyed, but in those remaining the parasite was found, surrounded by many evidences of a chronic inflammatory process.

The last two cases show the great difficulty, perhaps the impossibility, of ridding the colon of this parasite. Undoubtedly all such cases will be subject to returns of the attack when any slight gastero-intestinal irritation is set up. This was proven to be the case with Sally, but, so far, careful watching and prompt treatment have kept her alive; but eternal vigilance will be the price of Sally.

It is of great importance to ascertain the origin of this infection, and the method of its introduction into the park.

First, we must consider the possibility of this parasite being a normal inhabitant of the colon of these animals, as in the pig and dog. But in the numerous examinations of fæces of monkeys made at the Park, as yet we have not found the organism except in the sick animals mentioned above.

Undoubtedly the disease first declared itself in the chimpanzee, and it is possible that the food or drink of the orang became contaminated by the fæces of this animal, or of some other animal in which the balantidium may occur normally. Very recently Mr. Ditmars and Mr. Deaken have found the living parasites plentifully in the fæces of the large land-turtles. Probably they are normal inhabitants of the intestine of these animals. For a time the orangs were quartered in an outdoor inclosure close to one tenanted by these turtles, and their infection may have taken place through this avenue. If this has been the mode of infection, I feel certain that it will not again happen after the very strict precautions to prevent such contamination that are now taken at the Park.

DISEASES OF THE LUNGS: TUBERCULOSIS.

Tuberculosis, which is usually the cause of a large per cent. of the deaths in colonies of either men or animals, has played a very unimportant part with us. A few minor animals have died with this disease, but as soon as it was detected they were either killed or otherwise placed beyond the possibility of infecting others. We point with great pride to the fact that, among the animals that have died from various other diseases, none were found to be also infected with tuberculosis.

This favorable state of affairs is undoubtedly due, first, to careful selection of healthy animals; second, to the thoroughly cleanly conditions under which the animals are kept, and the frequent use of disinfectants; third, the quarantining of sick animals, and the early and thoroughly scientific treatment. If our records are to show freedom of tuberculosis in the future, these same wise provisions must be followed. In this particular the recently established laboratory should greatly aid, since it presents the possibility of early and absolute diagnosis of this condition.

INFECTION.

We have been almost equally fortunate with other contagious infections. But quite recently a very fatal one has broken out among the quail. Bacteriological examination has shown the infective agent to be a member of the Proteus group of bacteria. Quarantining the sick birds and a thorough disinfection of their quarters will probably prevent the spread of this very common fowl • disease.

Some study has been put upon the subject of an infectious process affecting the gums and buccal mucosa of certain reptiles, causing the formation of a necrotic membrane, and the production of exuberant granulations about the fangs of these animals. The probable cause of the disease has been identified as a bacillus which occasionally becomes distributed throughout the blood, producing a septic condition with the formation of multiple infarctions. One of the large pythons died from this disease, and at post-mortem the gross lesions produced were found to resemble very closely those of tuberculosis. Careful bacteriological examination eliminated this possibility. In a recent number of a medical journal, a case of tuberculosis is reported in a python in Chicago. I question the possibility of a true tuberculosis in an animal of so low a normal temperature, and, unless microscopic and bacteriological examination corroborated this diagnosis, I should infer that the disease was identical with that studied by us.

PARASITES.

Naturally, diseased conditions produced by other parasites have been common, though as a rule rarely fatal, and this has been the subject of a good many observations, though the field has been by no means covered on account of an over-abundance of material.

The average animal which dies at the Park contains intestinal parasites, and sometimes several varieties are present in a single animal. The most common forms found are various tænia and nematodes. No particular study has been made upon these forms. Numerous examples of the strongyloides intestinalis were found in the diarrheal discharge of one of the buffalo, and in the opinion of Dr. Miller this parasite very likely acted as one of the etiological factors of the diarrhœa.

Other members of the strongylus group have been frequently found, particularly in the bronchi of members of the deer family. In one case, that of a mule deer, it is possible that this condition produced fatal broncho-pneumonia.

Cysticerci have been frequently found in various animals and invading nearly every viscus, but apparently they have not caused death in any case.

A rather extensive study has been made of an instance of the Mischerschen schleuche, which was found in the myocardium of an elk, where it clearly caused death-a rather unusual occurrence with this ordinarily innocent parasite. A communication concerning this study was presented before the New York Pathological Society. Pfeiffer concludes from his experiments with this sarcosporidien that animals will not become infected from eating muscle containing it, and Ostertag recommends that in the inspection of meat for human food, that flesh containing this parasite need not be rejected unless the muscle-tissue itself be secondarily diseased. This is a matter of great importance, since the parasite is very frequent in the muscles of sheep, deer, and other animals used for food. The parasite has been found in the human a few times (Kartulis, Barbaran, and St. Remey, Rosenberg, and Lindermann). It is probably more frequent in the human than these few examples indicate. In my opinion, meat which contains them should never be used either for animal or human food unless the meat be thoroughly cooked. The work of Theobald Smith, in the November (1901) number of the Journal of Experimental Medicine, bears me out in insisting on this precaution, for he has systematically infected mice by feeding them muscle containing this parasite.

Other forms of parasitic diseases have also occurred at the Park among the birds and carnivora, but these cases have not come under my personal observation.

SUGGESTIONS.

I have very little to offer at this time in the way of recommendations, for the reason that in the past such few suggestions as have been proposed by me have been so quickly and efficiently put into practice.

I am particularly desirous of seeing the Park animals put under as nearly perfect hygienic conditions as exist in human hospitals or barracks, and this condition now pertains to a large degree in the New York Zoological Park. There are, however, faults in the construction of quarters, particularly in temporary buildings, which render disinfection difficult and proper cleanliness impossible. It is useless to specify, for we are aware of these flaws, and in the building of future quarters they will not occur.

I ask a wider scope for the laboratory work in the Park. We must have further facilities for the examination of blood, fæces, and particularly of bacteriological cultures. We feel that these methods will yield just as valuable and practical results in the Zoological Park as they do in human hospitals, where we now recognize them as indispensable. We must have reagents and apparatus for the gross and microscopic examination of all diseased tissues, and we must preserve in a properly conducted museum such preparations as are of practical or scientific bearing on the study of the diseases of animals.

A library comprising the chief works on veterinary medicine, comparative anatomy, pathology, and bacteriology should be furnished, and the best journals on these subjects should be subscribed for in order that the curators, keepers, and all connected with the Park may become well informed on all branches pertaining to the care of the animals.

A system of preservation of the records of this department is now being perfected, and it is to be hoped that these, taken in conjunction with those of the other departments, may prove of real scientific as well as practical value not only to ourselves, but also to all interested in the study and care of animals.

In conclusion, I wish to thank the President and Board of Managers for their generosity in providing facilities for our work, and for their enthusiastic support. We are also indebted to Professor E. K. Dunham, of Carnegie Laboratory, and others for loaning us apparatus and material for our impromptu laboratory, which we hope to replace soon with a thoroughly equipped establishment, a permanent addition to the Park.

Finally, I wish to personally thank Director Hornaday for his interest in this department and for his thorough co-operation.

Respectfully submitted,

HARLOW BROOKS, M.D.,

Pathologist.