EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT. 107 



devoted ourselves to the consideration, from this standpoint, of 

 the contagious diseases. Chief among these is tuberculosis, and 

 in the last year's report I dealt rather extensively with this mat- 

 ter, recommending that a most rigid quarantine and isolation sys- 

 tem be put in force with special regard to tubercular animals. 

 Dr. Blair has shown us, as stated in last year's report, the manner 

 by which this disease is transmitted, and we have put our ob- 

 servations to practical test with the gratifying result that but 

 9 deaths from this disease have occurred this year, and 4 of these 

 cases entered the Park in a hopelessly infected condition. So at 

 the outside but 5 cases can have developed in our compounds dur- 

 ing the past year; this as against 39 deaths from tuberculosis 

 among the Primates alone last year. Further observations but con- 

 firm our ideas as regards the infection, course and lesions of the 

 disease, as expressed in last year's report. Our successful meth- 

 ods of dealing with this contagion may be expressed briefly as fol- 

 lows : Rigid quarantine of all infected or suspected animals ; isola- 

 tion as soon as the disease develops, special diet, hygiene, and 

 proper medication with thorough disinfection of the quarters of 

 infected stock before healthy animals are placed in the same cages. 

 With the other chief contagious diseases similar methods have 

 given us very like results, and for the sake of comparison we 

 have grouped them with my last year's incomplete records. 



1902. 1903. 

 Actinomycosis 5 o 



(It is important to note here that one case of actinomycosis 

 was sent to the Park, but in the routine of the quarantine of in- 

 coming animals the case was detected by Dr. Blair and at once 

 isolated, thus doubtless preventing a repetition of the calamity 

 of last year. It is also interesting to note that Dr. Blair is ap- 

 parently achieving some result in the treatment of this animal, 

 though it is very doubtful if it will be safe to place it with 

 healthy stock; still, it is of great interest to stock raisers as 

 well as to animal men, if some reliable treatment for this very 

 refractory and serious disease can be discovered.) 



1902. 1903. 



Distemper 10 o 



Anthrax o o 



Rabies 1 o 



Unclassified o o 



