SECRETARY’S REPORT 175 
COOPERATION 
At all times special efforts are made to maintain friendly contacts 
with other Federal and State agencies, private concerns and individ- 
uals, and scientific workers for mutual assistance. As a result the 
Zoo receives much help and advice and many valuable animals, and in 
turn it furnishes information and, whenever possible, animals it does 
not need. 
Special acknowledgment is due Howard Fyfe, United States Dis- 
patch Agent in New York City, and Stephen EK. Lato, Dispatch Agent 
in San Francisco. They are frequently called upon to clear shipments 
of animals coming from abroad, often at great personal inconvenience. 
The animals have been forwarded to Washington without the loss of a 
single individual. 
The food subsidies section, D.C. Department of Food Services, gave 
3,400 pounds of wheat flour not salvageabie for human consumption. 
The U.S. Soldiers Home gave 94 sacks of hard wheat flour and 30 
sacks of soft wheat flour. ‘The poultry division of the Department of 
Agriculture gave several thousand day-old chicks, which are good 
food for many young animals. The National Institutes of Health co- 
operated in many ways, helping with postmortems, giving valuable 
advice, and donating surplus laboratory animals, some of which were 
exhibited and some used as food. Laboratory animals that had served 
their purpose were also donated by the Army Medical Center and the 
Navy Medical Center. 
In August 1957, owing to an outbreak of botulism among the North 
American waterfowl, it became necessary to drain and clean the ponds. 
Both the District of Columbia Fire Department and the District Sani- 
tation Department cooperated in this task, lending the Zoo hoses and 
other equipment. 
Several times during the year the National Zoological Park has lent 
various small native animals to National Capital Park naturalists for 
exhibition at special programs. The Zoo has received aid and assist- 
ance in exhibition, and several species, from this organization. 
In December 1957 eight male deer were lent to the Christmas Pag- 
eant of Peace, held annually on the Ellipse grounds in Washington. 
VISITORS 
Attendance at the Zoo this year reached a total of 4,028,620. In 
general this figure is based on estimates rather than actual counts. 
