ELEVENTH AXXUAL REPORT. 129 



Unusual Parasites. — Two different species of abdominal filaripe 

 have been found in South America monkeys, both of which are 

 apparently new to science. Several types of encysted parasites 

 have been found in the intestinal walls of a number of Asiatic 

 animals. A black ape, (Cynopifhecus niger), from Celebes, died 

 as a result of a hemorrhagic dysentery caused by the irritation and 

 erosion of a great number of encysted worms, which had buried 

 themselves in the mucosa of the large bowel. A more detailed 

 examination will be made of these parasites at some future time. 



Quarantine. — While it is to be expected that from time to time 

 infected animals will creep into our collection, despite the most 

 careful supervision, we are happy to say that no serious outbreak 

 of infectious or contagious disease has occurred during the past 

 year. 



Distemper. — Three cases of this disease occurred during 1906. 

 The introduction of the disease can be traced directly to several 

 domestic dogs which were captured within the confines of the 

 Park, and were temporarily confined in one of our hospital cages, 

 awaiting the arrival of the S. P. C. A. wagon. The Eskimo dog 

 "Bridge" contracted the disease, but after a prolonged illness 

 finally recovered. The two cases, which resulted fatally, were 

 among the coyotes which had been moved to the hospital cages 

 while their dens were being painted, and were thus exposed to 

 the contagion. 



Distemper is a highly contagious disorder, and one with which 

 medical treatment is often very unsatisfactory. The method which 

 we endeavor to follow in regard to this disease, is to closely 

 inspect those animals which are subject to the disease, when they 

 first reach the Park, and to immediately quarantine sick animals 

 upon the first suspicious symptoms of the malady. Unless the 

 animal is particularly valuable, it has always seemed to us best 

 to destroy it at once, and thoroughly disinfect the cage in which 

 it has been confined. Owing to the large number of animals in 

 our collection, which are directly susceptible to the contagion 

 of distemper, no precautions, however stringent, could be con- 

 sidered unjustifiable. So long as such measures are strictly en- 

 forced we may feel reasonably safe from an epidemic of dis- 

 temper. 



Tuberculosis. — This disease has been confined almost exclu- 

 sively to the animals in the Primates collection, the single excep- 

 tion being that of a binturong or "bear cat," {Arctictis binturong), 

 which showed on autopsy an extensive pulmonary and lymphatic 

 tuberculosis. This animal was in the collection onlv a few weeks. 



