IIG NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Icnce of pneumonia, particularly in the cases of the sea-lions 

 at the Zoological Park, and is perhaps best shown in the case 

 of the West Indian seal who died recently at the Aquarium. 

 In such cases the pneumonia may be looked upon as a terminal 

 disease, like the senile pneumonia of man, which Osier aptly says 

 is a natural end of old age. The condition also predisposes to 

 gastro-enteritis ; note the frequency of this disease among our 

 native ruminants, and it of course predisposes to acute nephritis, 

 from which five of our cases died, while nephritis also almost 

 always complicates gastro-enteritis. 



The correction of these conditions among wild animals in cap- 

 tivity presents a problem more easily delineated than accom- 

 plished. In brief, the factors tending to do away with this 

 "premature old age" would be careful selection of foods ; limita- 

 tion of the amount, and immediate control of both food and drink 

 by competent men. Every means possible should be devised to 

 make the animals exercise. 



CAGE PARALYSIS. 



One of the most serious results of captivity seems to be the 

 development of the so-called "cage paralysis." In so far as I 

 can learn no scientific descriptions of this disease have been pub- 

 lished, and it is the hope of Dr. Miller and myself to eventually 

 make a careful study of it. As yet sufficient material is wanting. 

 The disease is characterized by partial sensory and motor pa- 

 ralysis of the hind extremities, accompanied by more or less mus- 

 cular atrophy. In so far as I have examined cases the tendon 

 reflexes seem to be present even in quite late stages of the disease, 

 but the animal eventually loses control of the hind quarters, and 

 moves about by dragging the extremities after it. The animals 

 may live for a considerable time in this condition. The chief 

 symptoms of the disease are but briefly outlined in this report, 

 since Dr. Miller will later consider the clinical characteristics at 

 some considerable length. 



One case of paralysis came to autopsy. The case was that of 

 a bear which arrived at the Park in this condition, and which 

 exhibited several symptoms not characteristic of the disease, 

 hence we are in doubt as to identity of this particular case with 

 the ordinary cage paralysis. This bear exhibited most marked 

 symptoms of most intense parasthesias for a considerable time 

 before it was thought best to kill him. Indeed, the sensory dis- 

 turbances in this particular case apparently exceeded the motor 

 derangements, and in so far as w^e can learn muscular atrophy 



