7 8 MAMMALIA. 



The evidence is pretty conclusive that the peculiar substance under 

 consideration is an efficacious remedy in certain spasmodic affections 

 of the air passages, such as asthma, hooping-cough, and spasmodic 

 croup. It certainly deserves more extended trial, but, unfortunately, 

 its offensive odor is a practical bar to its general employment. Still, 

 to my nostrils, it is not half so disagreeable as many less whole- 

 some smells. It is powerful, pungent, and penetrating, to be sure, 

 but is not one-tenth part so disgustingly nauseating as the secretion 

 from the corresponding glands of many other members of the Mus- 

 tcIid(E, and particularly of the mink and weasel. 



If any of this acrid liquid finds its way into the eye it produces m- 

 tense pain and sets up an acute conjunctivitis, which commonly runs 

 its course in a week or ten days. I have myself met with this mis- 

 fortune, but suffered no permanent injury therefrom. However, we 

 have reliable accounts ot the entire loss of vision from this cause, 

 and it is reasonable to suppose that attendant circumstances would 

 have much to do with the result. 



The scent glands of the Skunk may be removed, bodily, without 

 in any way affecting the health or happiness of the animal. 

 The gizzard-like mass of muscle in which they are imbedded com- 

 pletely surrounds the gut, just at the outlet of the pelvis, and is 

 attached to the tuberosities of the ischium. The chief danger 

 attending the operation is the liability of wounding the rectum, 

 or of creating so much irritation about it that the subsequent in- 

 flammation and cicatrization will result in stricture of that important 

 viscus. Care must also be exercised in order to avoid wounding the 

 genito-urinary passages. I have operated, with complete success, both 

 with and without antiseptic precautions. A much simpler operation, 

 where the end in view is merely to disarm the animal, is that per- 

 formed by Dr. J. M. Warren, of Boston, in the year 1849.* It consists 

 in making an incision through the skin, directly in front of the anus, 

 and in snipping the ducts of the glands, at the bases of the nipple-like 



* "Proceed. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. Ill, p. 175, 1849." 



