94 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



and, especially in cases of severe and prolonged vomiting, it may 

 contain more or less pure bile. 



As a rule, there is great thirst, and the consequent increased 

 consumption of water gives rise to renewed vomiting. There is 

 little or no appetite, and any food which is taken is generally 

 vomited up within ten to fifteen minutes. 



If the intestines be the chief seat of the disease, vomiting 

 will generally be absent; the appetite is more or less impaired, 

 and the most noteworthy symptom is diarrhoea, which is always 

 present, owing to the shortness of the intestinal canal of car- 

 nivores. 



In mild cases the feces have a pasty consistency, but in 

 severe attacks they are watery, mucoid or slimy, sometimes 

 tinged with blood, occasionally very frothy, and usually having 

 an offensive smell. 



Treatment. — Purely dietetic treatment suffices in many 

 cases, and may consist in depriving the patient of food and drink 

 for some time ; but above all things try and prevent the immoder- 

 ate consumption of water. In cases of impaction of the stomach, 

 and in those of gastric catarrh caused by the presence of harm- 

 ful food in the stomach, it is best to empty the stomach as soon 

 as possible by an emetic. This procedure relieves the gastric 

 catarrh, and prevents the occurrence of intestinal catarrh, which 

 might otherwise follow as a consequence of the further advance 

 of the irritating substance. As emetics, ipecacuanha, and hy- 

 drochlorate of apomorphine, the latter injected sub-cutaneously, 

 are to be preferred for carnivora. 



For diarrhoea, rice-water, whites of eggs in milk, port wine 

 or blackberry brandy, in tablespoonful doses, may be given in a 

 little milk or gruel ; Tr. opium or Dover's Powder may be given 

 in obstinate cases. 



Subnitrate of bismuth, with equal parts of xeroform and 

 pepsin, may be given in ten to fifteen grain doses, repeated three 

 times daily. 



After recovery, the mucous membrane of the stomach and 

 intestines should be protected for some time from irritation, by 

 the avoidance of bulky food, which is difficult to digest. The 

 best food is raw meat, given often and in small quantities. 



Convulsions, Fits or Epilepsy in Carnivores. — Convulsions 

 among the Carnivores are frequently seen. The animals most 

 often affected are wolves, foxes, coyotes, wild dogs, and the 

 numerous species of South American cats. 



