138 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL S@CIETY 
and continuous administration. If the salicylate of sodium fails 
to relieve or give improvement after a few days’ use, there is 
good reason to believe that the case is not one of genuine rheu- 
matism. 
Osteomalacia or Cage Paralysis —Very few cases of this dis- 
ease have occurred in the Primate collection during the past 
year, although several animals received as gifts were found to be 
in the secondary stages of the disease, and, being unfit for exhibi- 
tion, were consequently destroyed. 
Rickets——While osteomalacia is a resoftening of the bones oi 
mature animals in consequence of absorption of the lime salts, 
rickets, on the contrary, arises from the bones of young ani- 
mals remaining soft owing to deficient calcification. Notwith- 
standing an extensive study of both these conditions, we are 
as yet unable to sufficiently clear up many of the puzzling charac- 
ters, and determine definitely the relationship between the two 
diseases. 
Rickets is seen among young lions, leopards, wolves, baboons, 
marmosets and other South American monkeys; and in many 
small mammals, as opossums, badgers and skunks. 
Probably the chief cause of the disease as seen among wild 
animals, is the deficiency. of lime and phosphorus in the food. 
The disease has recently been artificially produced in young dogs, 
pigs, goats and sheep, by continuously feeding them on food that 
was poor in lime salts, and these results are fully confirmed from 
clinical observation and practice. Finally, the fact that animals 
suffering from rickets are greatly improved or permanently 
cured by an increased supply of lime in the food, strengthens 
the theory that deficiency of lime is one of the chief causes of the 
disease. 
The development of rickets is a~slow process, requiring 
usually several months. While there does not seem to be an abso- 
lute constancy in the lesions, aside from the bone alterations, 
there is usually a period of ill-health and faulty nutrition before 
any changes in the bones can be recognized. 
Among young lion cubs one of the first symptoms observed 
is an awkward, painful gait. The body sways from side to side 
in walking, and the animal is easily wearied, or found lacking in 
endurance. It lies down most of the time, and may even per- 
sistently refuse to get up and exercise. The ends of the bones 
enlarge near the joints, and the animal walks on the outside of 
the foot-pad, owing to partial flexion of the joints. Later on the 
long bones show signs of bowing; and this is seen principally in 
the radius and ulna. The back deviates from a straight line. 
