IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 3 



Transport, — It may be necessary sometimes to transport an orang 

 from one place to another, and for this purpose a good strong cage must 

 be used. For a full-grown orang-outang the cage ought to be at leabt 

 5' x 4' x 5', made of well-seasoned planks with iron bars in front. 

 The bars should not be more than an inch and a half apart from each 

 other, as otherwise the animal is apt to thrust its arms through them — 

 a movement which is not only attended with danger to persons standing 

 near, but to the animal itself. There should be a broad shelf inside the 

 cage for the animal to sit upon, and a moveable tray underneath to 

 facilitate cleaning. The tray must be of sufficient depth to admit the 

 feeding and drinking vessels, which should all be removed soon after 

 the animal has fed and drunk. Either a thick canvas screen or a 

 removable shutter should be provided in front, so that in case of 

 bad weather the animal can be perfectly protected from draughts. 

 As a protection against extremes of heat and cold some mats and 

 blankets should be given, the former to protect the cage from the 

 heat of the sun, and the latter for the animal to wrap round itself 

 when cold. 



Treatment in sickness. 



The diseases to which orahgs have been found most subject 

 are diarrhoea, dysentery, bronchial catarrh (severe cold affecting the 

 chest), inflammation of the lungs, and paralysis. 



Diarrhoea and dysentery are common in young and newly-acquired 

 specimens, and, if not checked by timely remedies, prove fatal in the 

 majority of instances. 



Bael (JEyle marmelos) is very efficacious in checking diarrhoea 

 and dysentery if given at an early stage. There are several forms in 

 which it can be administered : — 



(a) Three to four chittacks of ripe pulp, freed from seeds and 



glutinous exudations, given twice or thrice daily. 



(b) Bael sherbet. — The following recipe can be recommended : 



Take one part of ripe pulp and eight parts of pure 

 water; crush the pulp so as to mix it thoroughly with 

 water ; strain through coarse linen, and sweeten with 

 sugar. Four or five ounces of the sherbet given three 

 times a day, for two or three days, ought to check the 

 diarrhoea or dysentery. In very obstinate cases 10 to 15 

 drops of tinct. kino may be added to each dose of sherbet 



(c) Bael fruit tablets. — Preserved bael fruit tablets are sold in 



the bazar, and can be had for four to six annas a pound. 

 Two or three of these tablets given in the food twice daily 

 should benefit the patient. 



(d) If the ripe bael is not available, the green fruit may be 



roasted and the softened pulp sweetened with sugar or 



made into sherbet and given in the same quantities as 



in (4). 



In the worst cases of dysentery 20 grains of ipecacuanha 



concealed in a bit of plantain or some other convenient edible may be 



given with advantage. But as this medicine generally induces nausea 



and vomiting, it will be found difficult to repeat the dose a second time. 



a 2 



