124 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL (SOCIEDY. 
like distemper, and being at least an enfeebling element, always 
to be reckoned with along with the very plain fact that this 
disease is universally prevalent throughout the world, and is sel- 
dom absent for any great length of time from the channels of 
animal transportation and exchange, and endangers the life of 
primates as well as carnivora. 
TUBERCULOSIS. 
Tuberculosis, the disease of second importance of the past 
year, has been mainly, but not exclusively, confined to the in- 
mates of the Primates’ House. 
Despite the comparative absence of open evidences of tuber- 
culosis among the monkeys during the preceding year, the 
earlier part of the past summer was marked by numerous deaths 
occurring in rapid succession among those animals. 
Since every reasonable precaution as regards housing, feeding,” 
disinfection of their quarters, etc., had been systematically fol- 
lowed out, I am inclined to the opinion that the rather endemic 
condition at this time was not entirely disassociated from the 
general weakening of these animals consequent upon closer con- 
finement incidental to wintering outside their natural habitat. 
Incidental to routine practice among these animals there has 
been made and recorded at the suggestion of the Pathologist, Dr. 
Harlow Brooks, and myself, by Dr. W. R. Blair, numerous in- 
vestigations along with microscopical examinations of secretions 
from the mouth and throat of healthy and diseased individuals 
which prove extremely interesting. 
While there is little to be feared from tuberculosis of the 
monkey outside his immediate family, the extremely insidious 
nature of the disease and difficulty in controlling it in him would, 
I am certain, warrant me in suggesting to you the desirability 
of setting apart a suitable appropriation to be expended under 
the direction of the pathologist in order that a systematic study 
of this disease in monkeys may be made at his discretion, either 
in or outside the Park during the next year or two. That case 
after case of acute pulmonary tuberculosis can, and as a matter 
of fact frequently does exist among these animals without the 
individual showing any visible illness, want of appetite, or even 
cough, or noticeable loss of flesh up to within one week or less 
of its death, being at all times extremely dangerous to others 
(as their bronchial secretions have fully shown microscopically) 
should form a very potent argument for moving vigorously along 
