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CHAPTER XVI. 



CANKER IN SNAKES KEPT IN CAPTIVITY. 



Snakes kept in captivity usually remain free from 

 any disease if proper attention is paid to the selection 

 of the diet and scrupulous care taken in the cleansing 

 of their quarters. But in spite of the greatest care, it 

 sometimes happens that a curious condition of the 

 mouth, eyes, and head and neck appears and gener- 

 ally proves fatal. This disease is called " canker." 

 An excellent account of it was sent to me by Mr 

 B. J. Horton of Birmingham, who had a remarkable 

 series of cases of the disease in his own serpents. Mr 

 Horton in his description says : — 



" Canker is thought to be a form of tuberculosis, 

 and, as far as I know, there is no cure for it, although 

 a friend of mine, who has had considerable experience 

 in keeping snakes, says that a snake so affected may 

 recover if kept warm. This, I think, is doubtful. I 

 cannot give any reason for an outbreak of this disease 

 except the drinking-water which is supplied • to the 

 snakes. I always used to give my snakes hard un- 

 filtered water, and during two years I lost nine snakes 



