1912] Blair: Diseases Among Primates. 183 



Some are natural gluttons and on gaining access to food, will rapidly 

 overload the stomach. The food is literaly bolted whole, with no 

 admixture of saliva, and no facility for admixture of the gastric 

 juices, even if the overloading had left the stomach capable of 

 secreting the latter. 



Symptoms of Indigestion: — Uneasiness, pain, abdominal dis- 

 tension, labored breathing due to the distended stomach pressing 

 hard against the diaphragm. 



Treatment: — The diet is usually the first matter to be considered, 

 and if it is rich and stimulating, should be replaced by easily digested 

 materials. 



In many of these cases we have found that special dieting or 

 positive abstinence from food for a time, proves most serviceable. 

 A little warm milk with one-fourth of lime-water has a marked cor- 

 rective effect in these cases. If there is much distension of the ab- 

 domen, aromatic spirits of ammonia with subnitrate of bismuth 

 should be given. Gentle hand-rubbing of the abdomen with warm 

 cocoanut oil, and warm- water; rectal injections are useful, if con- 

 stipation is also present. 



Gastritis, Enteritis and Dysentery. 



Among primates the most important diseases of the digestive 

 system are gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach; enteritis, or 

 inflammation of the small intestine; dysentery, or inflammation of the 

 large intestine. 



Instead of giving 4a systematic description of each of these 

 affections, we propose to direct our remarks as to how to discriminate 

 between them, and with special reference to treatment. 



The common causes are generally unsuitable food; either too 

 coarse and bulky, too stimulating, or too hot or too cold. Food that 

 has soured by lying over night in the cage and then eaten by the 

 animal is very prone to set up gastric disturbances. 



Symptoms: — The symptoms of these affections are much the 

 same, and may also be conveniently grouped. One of the marked 

 symptoms of these disorders in the domestic animals is vomiting. 

 Among primates vomiting, except on rare occasions, seldom occurs. 

 It is most difficult for a monkey to relieve its stomach by vomiting. 

 When vomiting is observed in these animals, the presence of some irri- 

 tating food or poison should be suspected. Large round worms in the 



