REPORT OF THH VHTERINARIAN. 



By W. REIl) BLAIK, D.V.S. 



THE j^eneral healtli of the animals duriiii;- the past year has 

 been well maintained, and the death-rate kept well within 

 what we must consider the normal for our collections. There 

 have been the usual number of interesting medical and surgical 

 cases among- the animals during the year ; and two cases of rheu- 

 matism, owing to their severity, are worthy of special mention. 



Rheumatism. — The first case was that of the male African 

 rhinoceros, which early in April was noticed to be in ill-health. 

 He ceased to take any exercise and was found to be lying down 

 a great deal of die time, and when urged to move would do so 

 with slow, stiff and painful movements. The disease seemed to 

 be localized in the joints ; the knees and hocks being simultane- 

 ously attacked, and the suft'ering of the animal was intense. After 

 a few days' illness he would lie constantly on his side, and when 

 any attempt was made to disturb him he would groan with pain, 

 and could gain his feet only with great effort. Under pressure, 

 all the joints were very painful and much swollen. The skin 

 over and surrounding the articulations was red, dry and hard ; 

 the mucous membranes of the nostrils and mouth congested, and 

 the eyeballs greatly injected. 



This animal was given salol in one dram doses, twice daily, 

 for about a week, but without marked benefit. This drug was 

 then discontinued, and salicylate of sodium substituted, with the 

 result that the animal showed almost immediate relief from the 

 beginning. Improvement continued for three weeks, when entire 

 recovery had taken place. 



While this was a very striking case, still we have had equally 

 good results in other cases of rheumatism by the administration of 

 this drug. 



The Altai wapiti has had several attacks of rheumatism, usually 

 coming on in late fall or early winter. Two years ago salol 

 relieved this animal very promptly, but in the two last attacks it 

 was apparently of no benefit, while gradual relief was afforded by 

 the administration of the salicylate compounds. From our expe- 

 rience it appears that the secret of success with salicylate of 

 sodium, and the salicylate compounds generally, lies in the speedy 

 saturation of the system with the drug, rather than its moderate 



