89 



II. Tie following Trauslatiou of a pawsago from Book VIII of 

 Aristotle's Ilistoria Jnimalium is here inserted as oue of tlio 

 earliest notices of Diseases of Elephiints, probably the first in 

 occidental literature : — 



Elephants are said to be free from other maladies but to he trou- 

 bled with flatulency * * * *. Elephants suffer from flatulent 

 disorders, whence it happens that they can neither expel the moist 

 excrement or urine nor that of the belly ; and if they have eateu 

 earth, they become diseased, unless they have been constantly in 

 the habit of doing this, in which ease they are not injured. Some- 

 times also they devour stones and are attacked with Diarrhcea, 

 of which thoy are cured by warm water being given them to drink, 

 with hay to eat steeped in honey; both of these remedies 

 arrest the disease. When they are wearied from want of repose, 

 a cure is effected by rubbing the shoulders with oil and warm 

 water, but if the shoulders are in pain roasted pig's flesh is 

 applied with relief. Some elephants do not drink oil, but others 

 do, and such it is said have the power of ejecting any iron- 

 weapon that has been plunged into the body ; but to those who do 

 not drink it they give roots cooked with oil." 



Ill: MADRAS ACT No. I OF 1872 

 An Act to prevent the indiscrimlnale deslriiction of wild chjihaiits. 

 Whereas it is expedient to make provision to prevent the in- 

 discriminate destruction of wild elephants within the Presidency 

 of Madras ; it is hereby enacted as follows : — 



1. This Act extends to the Territories for the time being sub- 

 ject to the Government of the Presidency of Fort St. George ; 

 and it shall come into force on the first day of October 1873. 



2. From and after the said day, the destruction of wild ele- 

 phants is prohibited, except as hereinafter provided. 



3. Whoever shoots at, orintentionallydestroys, or abets, within 

 the meaning of the Indian Penal Code, the shooting at, or des- 

 truction of, any wild female elephant upon waste or forest land, 

 whether such land be the property of Government, or otherwise, 

 shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred Rupees, 

 and in default of payment, to simple or rigorous imprisonment 

 for a period not exceeding three months. 



Any person convicted under this Act of an offence committed 



