140 THE FUR SKALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



It was early noticed that the ronjuuctiv:i> -vrere suftused and injertod -uitli blood. This ^avp tlie 

 eyes a disagreeable appearauce [p. 6S]. The animal at times chattcicd or rattled liis teeth together iu 

 a very remarl<al)]e anil noisy manner. This last habit, however, was put down to temper, or as a 

 sign of liunger; the sangnineous efi'usion to a cold received dnring transport. 



Aftei the lapse of a few weeks it would seem tliat the body and limbs acquired more vigor; for 

 the gait became altered; so that in walking on all fonrs, sea-bear fashion, the abdomen and chest 

 •were raised from the ground, whereas at lirst the animal ratlier trailed or draggled along than walked. 

 This showed that the animal was giowing .stronger in body, an equivalent in some measure to improve- 

 ment in health. It was noticed all tlie while that it remained emaciated and did not increase in 

 stoutness or otheiwise become fatter, although the quantity of food it consumed was enormous. The 

 ravenousness of its appetite was something extraordinary, and many thought that the animal was 

 underfed. 



The walrus thus was considered by every one who saw it to have had apparently uninterrupted 

 health till Monday the 10th of Decemb<'r. On that day the keeper lirst began seriously to apprehend 

 that the auimal was out of order — as he thought — constipated, but meanwhile it did not refuse food. 



On Mr. Bartlett being consulted, ho proposed to give it some oily substance which might act as a 

 purgative. One pound and a half of horse fat, cut in strips, was therefore given the afternoon I'ollow- 

 ing. The next moruing there were copious alvine evacuations. What passed at first was hard, l)lack, 

 and fetid, but the excretions became moistcr, though still very dark colored. 



When this occurred it was thought relief was obtained and that the animal would go on well. It 

 did not seem, however, to rally, but died rathei- suddenly on Thursday the 19th. 



The body was examined by me a day afterwards and disclosed unusual conditions. 



Not a particle of subcutaneous fat was present, and the mesentery and other abdomin.al ]>arts 

 usually cimtaining fatty substances were etiually destitute of snch. 



The viscera of the thorax and abdomen, with the cxcei)tion of the interioi- of the stomach, 

 ai>]»e.ared quite sound. The brain was also normal in structure.' 



[09.] On opening the stomach, which was of moderate size, I was much surprised to iind that it 

 contained small, round worms, a species of .Iscaris, in snch quantities that, when these wi're turned 

 out, there was altogetht^r about half a pailful. They occupied the entire interior of the viscus, but 

 were iu greatest abundance at the bend of the ]>0(uliar siphon-like stomach. 



Tlie entozoa swarmed between the rugiie, and in many cases were firmly attached to the mem- 

 brane. The mucous inembrane lining the interior was of an intense red hue; but hero and there were 

 somew hat paler patclu's. More rigid examination showed that these last were extensive ulcerations, 

 the nnicous meud)rane being entirely ero<led, and only the muscular and a, very thin lining of submu- 

 cous tissue remained, preventing perforation of the walls of the stomach. The chief ulcerations wore 

 some four in nnniber, and varied in size and situation. 



One, nearly circular, three-fourths of an inch iu diameter, occupied the anterior wall at a dis- 

 tance of between .5 and inches from the canliac (Mid. Another, somewhat diamond-shaix-d, 2^ 

 inches by l.i at widest, also existed on th(5 anterior wall of the viscus and about its middle. In the 

 ulcerated erosion, the mucous coat was in some parts so excavated underneath as to leave one-half 

 inch of an overhanging lappet of membrane. Ou a section being made vertically, the submucous 

 tissue was seen to be absent, the muscular and serous coats alone preventing perforation of the wall. 

 At this part of the wall the stomach had a thickness of only 0.1 of an inch, although it seemed as if 

 the muscular libers were slightly incrc^ased in numbers here, pcssibly from the effects of the irritation 



'When the brain was taken out, its general appearance and firmness of texture, as implied above, 

 was that of health. As it was desired for anatomical investigation, it was not then cut into or inter- 

 fered with further than cursory examination permitted. At one point it was noticed that unusual 

 vascularity existed ; but as the diseased condition of the stomach was thought sufficient of itself to 

 account for death, no great attentiou was then ]).aid to this superficial cerebellar congestion. Subse- 

 quent examinations showed, howevcj-, that upon the upper surface of the cerebellum (between the 

 posterior cerebral lobes) and underneath the injected piar mater an abscess hail begun to be formed. 

 The brain surface immediately underneath was very slightly softened, but around it was quite firm. 

 The morbid deposit and infiltration had chielly implicated the pia mater over the superior vermiform 

 process. Whether this lesion was tlii^ nioio iinuKMliate cause of death, and not the ulcerated condi- 

 tion of the stomach, is an open question. Some of the symptoms during life might, indeed, be 

 referred to it. 



