116 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
lence of pneumonia, particularly in the cases of the sea-lions 
at the Zoological Park, and is perhaps best shown in the case 
of the West Indian seal who died recently at the Aquarium. 
In such cases the pneumonia may be looked upon as a terminal 
disease, like the senile pneumonia of man, which Osler aptly says 
is a natural end of old age. The condition also predisposes to 
gastro-enteritis; note the frequency of this disease among our 
native ruminants, and it of course predisposes to acute nephritis, 
from which five of our cases died, while nephritis also almost 
always complicates gastro-enteritis. 
The correction of these conditions among wild animals in cap- 
tivity presents a problem more easily delineated than accom- 
plished. In brief, the factors tending to do away with this 
“premature old age” would be careful selection of foods; limita- 
tion of the amount, and immediate control of both food and drink 
by competent men. Every means possible should be devised to - 
make the animals exercise. 
CAGE PARALYSIS. 
One of the most serious results of captivity seems to be the 
development of the so-called “cage paralysis.” In so far as I 
can learn no scientific descriptions of this disease have been pub- 
lished, and it is the hope of Dr. Miller and myself to eventually 
make a careful study of it. As yet sufficient material is wanting. 
The disease is characterized by partial sensory and motor pa- 
ralysis of the hind extremities, accompanied by more or less mus- 
cular atrophy. In so far as I have examined cases the tendon 
reflexes seem to be present even in quite late stages of the disease, 
but the animal eventually loses control of the hind quarters, and 
moves about by dragging the extremities after it. The animals 
may live for a considerable time in this condition. The chief 
symptoms of the disease are but briefly outlined in this report, 
since Dr. Miller will later consider the clinical characteristics at 
some considerable length. 
One case of paralysis came to autopsy. The case was that of 
a bear which arrived at the Park in this condition, and which 
exhibited several symptoms not characteristic of the disease, 
hence we are in doubt as to identity of this particular case with 
the ordinary cage paralysis. This bear exhibited most marked 
symptoms of most intense parasthesias for a considerable time 
before it was thought best to kill him. Indeed, the sensory dis- 
turbances in this particular case apparently exceeded the motor 
derangements, and in so far as we can learn muscular atrophy 
