11 



Dysentery or Mueeain whioli has been observed in Ceylon. 

 Tlie description of it is quoted by Slym as follows : — " The 

 disease is contagious and attacks old as well as young animals ; 

 the symptoms are of a most distressing nature ; want of appe- 

 tite, the eai-s drop do'\vnj and the hair stands on end, severe 

 griping pains of the stomach and bowels, the animal strikes its 

 head on the ground and rolls about with pain, the dmig is 

 mixed with blood and of a very offensive smell, 80 per cent, of 

 the animals die of those which are attacked by this disease." 

 This information is not sufficient to enable us to say positively 

 that the elephant suffers from Rinderpest or a disease patholo- 

 gically equivalent to it. We also are not yet in a position to 

 state whether or no that disease of the Elephant known aa 

 " Bloody Urine" is the disease which in the ox is known vul- 

 garly as "Red Water." 



Anthrax. This tei'rible and protean disease, so fennidable to 

 horses and cattle in India does not spare the elephant. From 

 time to time most serious outbreaks have been recorded but of 

 these, the most detailed has been given by Veterinary Surgeon 

 Frost, then of the R. A. (See Veterinary Journal, Vol. VII., 1879). 

 We venture to give the following summary of facts and ob- 

 servations recorded therein. 



V. S. Frost's paper. Post-mortem examination No. 1. — Gela- 

 tinous effusion in axillary areolar tissue ; anthracoid tumour (6 in. 

 to 8 in.) in region of left parotid; effusion in gastro-splenic 

 omentum ; spleen ecchymosed, weight 37^ lbs. (5 lbs. being the 

 normal) ; under surface of stomach, sub-lumbar and super-penial 

 areolar tissue laden with deposit; 34 to 40 oz. of serum in peri- 

 cardium, of the colour of diluted venous blood; coaguia in heart ; 

 gelatinous deposits and ecchymoais of heart. 



Symptoms. — 23rd. In morning lameness of left legs ; refused 

 food (?) ; no sleep. 



24th. Left side apparently better, having been fomented; 

 kept getting up and lying down ; refused all food ; sl^pt a little 

 that night. Given a cathartic, which acted slightly. 



25th. Worse ; a large swelling observed behind left ear. Sat 

 on haunches and bit the trunk. Died at 4-30 p.m. 



Post-mo^'tem examination No. 2. — Anthraxof bowels, and tumours 

 against penis; blood in vessels fluid; spleen 24 lbs. ; liver 61 J lbs. 



