174 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1958 
salt (NaCl) to their diet. Apparently these birds secrete sodium 
chloride in amounts that require heavy dietary supplementation. In 
reviewing the Zoo’s cases it was noted that the symptoms were con- 
sistent with salt depletion. 
The Zoo’s pair of gorillas developed an intestinal malady caused 
by a heavy infestation with Balantidiwm coli. Fortunately this con- 
dition was quickly checked by daily oral administration of carbasone. 
Of the 12 Adelie penguins received in February, 4 remain and 
seem to be in good health. Deaths in this group were caused by 
aspergillosis as in the past. The cooperative aspergillosis research 
program with these birds conducted by Dr. William Sladen of Johns 
Hopkins University and Dr. C. Herman of Fish and Wildlife Service 
continued. A new antifungal drug was tried this year for the first 
time with some degree of success. 
The pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) received in February from 
Formosa died in mid-June from grossly undetermined causes. Micro- 
scopic findings have not been reported as yet. 
Pigeons caught in the Park were sent to Major Thompson at the 
Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver, Colo., for a toxoplasmosis 
incidence survey, results of which indicate small probability of a res- 
ervoir in these birds. 
Mechanical injury to the tail of the male cheetah necessitated sur- 
gical removal of the terminal 3 inches of the appendage. The com- 
bination of ataraxics and short-acting barbiturates proved a desirable 
anesthetic in this case, and long-acting antibiotics obtained a favor- 
able outcome. 
Bacteriological isolations, over 260 in all, were performed by Dr. 
Francis R. Lucas of Centreville, Md. Dr. Lucas also assisted with 
histopathological sections, blood analyses, and virus isolation 
attempts. 
Dr. Thomas Peery of the George Washington University has as- 
sisted the Zoo with histopathological slides and pathological inter- 
pretations. Identification of endoparasites was supplied by Mr. 
McIntosh and Mrs. Chitwood of the Department of Agriculture. 
Following are the statistics for the mortality rates during the past 
fiscal year and a table of comparison with the past 6 years: 
Mortality, fiscal year 1958 Total mortality, past 6 fiscal years 
Deaths) (2 Attrition UO hoa eee eee eee ee 672 
Mammal sas 22s 22a 102 14 lO 54a ees a os ee 648 
Birds = oes ene ase i81 34 1OSDE Ea eck oe ee 735 
Reptiles= =. ee eee 142 77 OSG Heese ee 618 
S| 19 Seek ee een tee 549 
Total J. aveer le 425 125 OSS eee! oboe eee 550 
1 Attrition is term used for those losses due mainly to the trauma of shipment and handling after accession 
at the Zoo, or before an animal can adapt to cage habitation within the collection. 
