A PECULIAR SKIN DISEASE IN AN ELEPHANT. 



Bx W. REIU BLAIR, D.V.S. 



IX \'IEW of the fact that diseases of the elephant have received 

 but scant mention in any Hterature with which we are famihar, 

 it has seemed advisable to make special mention of an infectious 

 disease of the skin which recently affected our small East African 

 elephant. '"Congo." 



ETIOLOGY. 



The condition may be described as a schorrhocic folliculitis, or 

 chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles, 

 produced by localized infection with a coccus known as staphylo- 

 coccus pyogenes. The fact that this organism is almost constantly 

 present on the surface and in the sebaceous glands of the body 

 accounts for the frequency with which it is found in surgical 

 infections. 



The occurrence of an injury, which may be trifling in extent, 

 develops a point of lessened resistance in which the organism may 

 find a suitable held for its development. If introduced into the 

 circulation in sufficient numbers, this pathogenic organism gives 

 rise to septicemia, or pyemia. It is of interest to note that this 

 same coccus is frequently present in the human, where it pro- 

 duces the pustules of aciic, and is concerned in the eruption of 

 smallpox. 



SYMPTOMS. 



In this particular case the disease was indicated by the appear- 

 ance of cutaneous pustules, which were painful on pressure, and 

 which involved the entire thickness of the skin. The swelling of 

 the skin gradually increased ; cracks and fissures were formed, 

 and the patches surrounding the pustules became necrotic. In 

 some places this was only superficial, while in other parts it was 

 very deep. In the former case, tough, tenacious scales were 

 formed upon the skin, and in the latter the whole skin shriveled 

 up right down to the subcutis, and was thrown off by suppura- 

 tion. This severe condition, of large sections of skin suppurating, 

 was particularly marked along the back and hips. Here numer- 



