REPORT OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. 



THE Medical Department of the New York Zoological Soci- 

 ety consists of Dr. Harlow Brooks, Pathologist, and Dr. W. 

 Reid Blair, Veterinarian. The next Annual Report of this Society 

 will contain a history of the Department, and tabulated statements 

 of results achieved during the five years of its existence, by the 

 Pathologist. 



The results achieved by the work of this department during the 

 past year have been more gratifying than ever before, and we 

 have every reason to believe that with our constantly increasing 

 knowledge of the diseases of wild animals still greater benefits 

 will accrue from our efforts in the future. 



NUMBER OF SICK ANIMALS. 



Compared with former years sick animals have been fewer in 

 number, and generally the diseases met with were of a less seri- 

 ous nature. While no complete records are kept relative to the 

 treatment of many of the trivial ailments, in the more important 

 cases the sick reports are carefully recorded and filed, so that we 

 have already collected considerable data concerning the diseases 

 of wild animals in captivity, which is of much value both prac- 

 tically and scientifically. 



Operative Diseases. — To those humanely interested in the care 

 of animals it will be of special interest to learn that our surgical 

 work has been carried on under anaesthesia wherever it was pos- 

 sible to do so ; for in addition to the humane sentiments involved, 

 the perfect control of the animals is an essential in aseptic or 

 antiseptic surgery in securing the safety of the operator and his 

 assistants. 



Chloroform and Squibbs ether are the general anaesthetics used, 

 but when the operation is a minor one, and the animal can be 

 easily controlled, local anaesthesia is induced by cocaine injections. 



Operative diseases have been comparatively few in number and 

 unimportant. Of injuries caused by cage or corral mates we 

 have had a considerable number. The most serious ones during 

 the year were those aft'ecting the Altai wapiti, serval, Eskimo 

 dog, " Bridge " ; Florida deer, and the Russian brown bear. 



