IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 



129 



accustomed to its use some time before, as it may refuse to enter 

 he box at the last moment ; a little enclosure may be built m some 

 convenient place on deck, or it may be simply kept picketed ; it soon 

 becomes tame enough to be a general favourite with all hands on board. 

 Such an animal should be habituated to dry food, such as hay, paddy 

 straw, and compressed fodder ; a liberal allowance of flour, rice, salt, 

 and goor being also provided. Large elephants should be placed in 

 the hold of the ship on a flooring made of sand or shingles. 



Treatment in sickness. 



The following are the chief causes of disease* :— 

 " Want of shelter from extreme heat and cold ; excessive rain and storms 

 of wind and rain; want of sleep; violence in the use of the "ankus '' (driving 

 hook), which induces a running of the eyes, turning into sore eyes ; heating 

 fodder, which also produces sore eyes ; bark and leaves covered with bird's 

 dung, which produce spasms ; the giving of gram when they are suffering from 

 worms ; exposure to the sun, which causes " sarza," in which a tremor comes 

 over the animal and he expires ; neglect of elephant attendants as to food, 

 which should be clean, wholesome, and sufficient ; not being bathed daily during 

 the hot season ; overwork and bad driving. 



" Elephants require but little sleep. When one has had enough to eat, and 

 is not prevented by noise, want of room, or uneven ground, he will lie down 

 before midnight ; sleep for a couple of hours ; get up and eat a little ; and 

 then He down on the other side, rising finally two or three hours before day- 

 light to finish his fodder. It takes a considerable time for him to satisfy the 

 first cravings of hunger ; and if the fodder be not given in time to enable him 

 to do so by midnight, he will go on eating all night, and not lie down at all." 



The above remarks refer to adult elephants, but many of them 

 also apply to younger animals. 



In captivity elephants are frequently troubled with worms in 

 the intestines ; in this state they eat mud, which causes purging and 

 the worms are expelled dead. The animal should not be bathed or 

 fed upon rice, grain or salt until after all the worms are evacuated. 

 If the purging continue, bamboo leaves should be given. Elephants 

 sometimes suffer from sore eyes. If there is much inflammation, use 

 solution of nitrate of silver (6 to 8 grains to an ounce) ; if there is only 

 running, bathe the eyes with tepid water, and apply a little butter. 

 For a white film in the eye, apply calomel dusting. 



Very young and unacclimatized elephants are liable to attacks 

 of a kind of glandular swellings known as Zahr-bad. 



Symptoms. — " Glandular swellings behind the ear, under the throat, in the 

 groin, or between either hind or forelegs ; eyes become dull ; trunk shrivelled, 

 urine very red. Treatment.— Bleed fib. behind the ear ; apply a strong blister 

 of common blistering ointment mixed with sulphuric acid (1 drachm to the ounce), 

 well rubbed into parts affected. If the swelling falls downward, the animal will 

 recover, but the swelling in its downward course must be followed by the blister 

 until it finally disappears. If behind the ear, it generally falls down the jaw, and 

 disappears at the lip. If between the legs, it generally disappears at the knee- 

 joint. If, instead of falling, the disease should spread, it will cause the death 

 of the elephant, on the third day.* 



* Notes by Captain H. Wilberforce Clarke, r.e. 



