1-24: NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



like distemper, and being at least an enfeebling element, always 

 to be reckoned with along with the very plain fact that this 

 disease is universally prevalent throughout the world, and is sel- 

 dom absent for any great length of time from the channels of 

 animal transportation and exchange, and endangers the life of 

 primates as well as carnivora. 



TUBERCULOSIS. 



Tuberculosis, the disease of second importance of the past 

 year, has been mainly, but not exclusively, confined to the in- 

 mates of the Primates' House. 



Despite the comparative absence of open evidences of tuber- 

 culosis among the monkeys during the preceding year, the 

 earlier part of the past summer was marked by numerous deaths 

 occurring in rapid succession among those animals. 



Since ever}^ reasonable precaution as regards housing, feeding, 

 disinfection of their quarters, etc., had been systematically fol- 

 lowed out, I am inclined to the opinion that the rather endemic 

 condition at this time was not entirely disassociated from the 

 general weakening of these animals consequent upon closer con- 

 finement incidental to wintering outside their natural habitat. 



Incidental to routine practice among these animals there has 

 been made and recorded at the suggestion of the Pathologist, Dr. 

 Harlow Brooks, and myself, by Dr. W. R. Blair, numerous in- 

 vestigations along with microscopical examinations of secretions 

 from the mouth and throat of healthy and diseased individuals 

 which prove extremely interesting. 



While there is little to be feared from tuberculosis of the 

 monkey outside his immediate family, the extremely insidious 

 nature of the disease and difficulty in controlling it in him would, 

 I am certain, warrant me in suggesting to you the desirability 

 of setting apart a suitable appropriation to be expended under 

 the direction of the pathologist in order that a systematic study 

 of this disease in monkeys may be made at his discretion, either 

 in or outside the Park during the next year or two. That case 

 after case of acute pulmonary tuberculosis can, and as a matter 

 of fact frequently does exist among these animals without the 

 individual showing any visible illness, want of appetite, or even 

 cough, or noticeable loss of flesh up to within one week or less 

 of its death, being at all times extremely dangerous to others 

 (as their bronchial secretions have fully shown microscopically) 

 should form a very potent argum.ent for moving vigorously along 



