24 PROF. OWEN ON THE BIRTH OF THE GIRAFFE 



to US and ask for food in his usual way. His countenance had much of its natural 

 expression. The flanks were not much disturbed ; but his muzzle was cold, and his 

 legs were getting icy cold. I set four of the keepers to work to rub him, who brought 

 back the warmth to his limbs, and in a great measure to his muzzle, and I gave him 

 some warm boiled milk with opium, catechu, chalk and ginger in it. We sent into 

 town for some good starch, and some of that was boiled in his milk, with more of the 

 same medicine which he had just taken ; but his strength gradually failed, and about 

 half past 10 o'clock he died." — Journal of the Medical Superintendent. 



At the post-mortem examination of the young Giraffe my attention was first directed 

 to the state of the stomach and intestinal canal : the first three cavities were empty ; the 

 rumen was not loaded with curdled milk, as I have seen it in calves which have died 

 young, and in which the milk has not passed, as it should do, directly into the fourth 

 stomach. The only deviation from the natural state was the acid reaction of the 

 mucus of the rumen, reticulum, and psalterium upon litmus paper, instead of the alkaline 

 character which the secretions of these three cavities present, at least in full-grown 

 Ruminants. 



The acid reaction was more strongly marked in the fourth stomach. The coagula of 

 milk in this cavity were evidently undergoing the natural process of solution : the di- 

 gestive function seemed not to have been interrupted : the mucous membrane was red 

 in several places from turgescence of the capillaries ; but this might have arisen from 

 the activity of the function being continued to near death, or from the action of the 

 stimulating medicine last administered. The mucous coat readily separated from the 

 submucous tissue ; but this was probably due to the continued action of the gastric 

 juice after death, and may be regarded as another proof that the healthy function of the 

 stomach had not been deranged. 



I could perceive no clear evidence that the disease, much less the death of the young 

 animal, was owing to derangement of this part of its organization. 



The mucous membrane of the small intestines presented increased vascularity as it 

 approached the colon, and the lining membrane of the commencement of this gut was 

 unduly congested ; but the cacum and termination of the colon and rectum presented 

 no unusual traces of vascularity. 



The other viscera of the abdomen and those of the chest were in a healthy state. 



The membranes of the brain were unduly injected. 



Considering these appearances, in connexion with the sudden access and symptoms 

 of the fatal malady, I am disposed to attribute the death of the young Giraffe to dis- 

 order of the nervous system. The source of this disorder may have lain in the con- 

 tinued though slight derangement of the functions of the intestinal canal, which was 

 probably caused by the unnatural food, which the indifference of the parent compelled 

 the keeper to resort to. It is not improbable that the disaffection of the young mother 

 to her offspring may have originated in the interference in the first instance with her 



