THE DEER IN RICHMOND PARK 



IN the winter of 1886 the deer in Richmond Park 

 were seen to be suffering from some strange disorder. 

 Several of them died ; but it was not until January 

 1887 that the disease was proved to be rabies. I find 

 the following notes made at the time of the results of 

 several visits of inquiry. " The keepers have been 

 doing their best to stamp out the infection, but with 

 little success. For a while there are no fresh cases ; 

 then several animals are found to be infected at the 

 same time, and have to be destroyed. At least 150 

 fallow-deer have already been killed, though the red 

 deer seem so far to have escaped the contagion. 



u When the disease was pronounced to be rabies the 

 keepers were somewhat incredulous ; but to any one 

 well acquainted with the symptoms, the condition of 

 the poor animals which were netted and brought for 

 inspection could not be matter for doubt. Even when 

 the fact was proved by experiment it was difficult to 

 understand how the infection was communicated. Deer, 

 it was said, do not bite when fighting, but use their 

 horns. It was observed, however, that the rabid deer 



