74 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
duced care should be taken to supply some artificial heat, and 
this can be done when the animal is small by placing the cage 
over or against a heater. 
The unfavorable signs of this disease are continual vomit- 
ing, especially if the vomited material has a coffee-like cr prune 
juice appearance, or a putrid odor, and when the animal reaches 
a comatose stage. If symptoms of pneumonia become manifest, 
a fatal termination is to be expected. 
The favorable signs to be looked for are, the cessation of 
vomiting, the animal beginning to notice its surroundings, the 
desire for food and the inclination to move about its cage. 
The post-mortem appearances of infectious toxic gastro- 
enteritis are fairly constant, and it is often only by such ex- 
amination that a differential diagonsis is made. 
In many instances when death takes place early the lesions 
indicate an acute hemorrhagic septicemia. The stomach and 
small intestine often contain a more or less thick, dark red or 
purple fluid, containing blood, mucus and bile, and resembling 
in appearance tar or prune juice. On washing or scraping the 
stomach, the purple color does not disappear. The mucous sur- 
face of the stomach is thrown up in rugae or folds, which ap- 
pear thick and swollen, often showing abrasions. In some in- 
stances the gastric mucosa is soft, black in color, and appears 
as a vast sheet of clotted blood. The lesions in the small intes- 
tines are generally confined to the duodenum, the walls of which 
are of an intense purplish color. 
With the exception of the lungs, spleen and kidneys, which 
are generally more or less congested, the abdominal organs 
rarely show any gross changes. 
Among the animals destroyed on account of general 
debility as a result of old age were—three buffaloes, four elk, 
lion Sultan, bearded gnu, and several antelopes. 
During the coming year, it is hoped that we shall be able 
to replace some of our African antelopes, many of which will die 
or will have to be destroyed on account of debility associated 
with old age. 
When an animal is a rare specimen it is often difficult to 
decide just when it has reached such a state of debility as to 
justify its removal from exhibition, or merciful destruction. 
