SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 47 
SCIENTIFIC WORK AND PUBLICATIONS 
Of chief scientific interest is the establishment on a permanent 
basis, we trust, of our Medical Department. The object of this 
service is by systematic observation and record, and by experi- 
mental treatment, to extend our knowledge of the care and health 
of wild animals in captivity, the causes of various diseases, and 
the means which should be taken for their prevention. This is 
both humane and part of an economic administration. An animal 
properly housed and well cared for, as it may be by our admirable 
curatorial service, also needs scientific medical attention, because 
all animals in confinement are peculiarly liable to certain kinds of 
diseases. We feel that very substantial progress has already been 
made by our Medical Department. We are fortunate in having 
enlisted the enthusiasm and interest of Dr. Harlow Brooks,a well- 
known medical pathologist. Dr. Miller, a trained veterinarian, 
has been in charge of the surgical and medicinal treatment of the 
animals, while the laboratory for the microscopic investigation 
and preparation of various pathological cultures has been ably 
conducted by Dr. W. Reid Blair. The results of their work are 
summarized in reports of the Medical Department in this volume. 
The Chairman has proposed to collect all the observations of 
our curators and keepers, as well asethe observations made by 
the members of our medical staff, and to issue from time to time 
papers on the care of certain kinds of animals in the Park. These 
will be collected and finally published in book form, as a com- 
prehensive work on the care and treatment of animals in captivity, 
a work which is very much needed. The Society in doing this 
will take the initiative, as in many other directions. It is a sur- 
prising fact that no such work showing the experience gained 
from zoological park management has ever been published. 
Publications. During the year 1902 the Sixth Annual Report 
of the Society has been published; also an official guide, chiefly 
prepared by Director Hornaday, and Bulletin No. 7. Bulletin 
No. 8 was published during January, 1903, and was widely dis- 
tributed throughout the city, with the object of increasing interest 
in the work of the Society and enlisting new members. A special 
investigation has been made by Mr. Madison Grant of the geo- 
graphical distribution of the various races and species of caribou 
in different parts of the northern hemisphere. The results of this 
investigation constitute the special scientific feature of our Annual 
Report this year. Of the very valuable series of illustrations 
appearing with this paper, many have been furnished by the 
