PREFACE. 
The last edition of this book was published in 1901 and has been out 
of print for several years. The work has now been entirely rearranged 
to make it more convenient for reference ; portions which appeared of 
doubtful or of secondary interest have been omitted ; parts have been 
entirely rewritten ; and considerable additions have been made from 
my own experience and that of others. 
The book has been written primarily for the use of those entrusted 
with the anxious task of preventing or curing disease in elephants, 
rather than for those possessed of medical or other scientific know- 
ledge. The scantiness of the literature on the subject is, I am aware, 
a source of embarrassment to those in charge of these valuable animals 
and the need of some guide embodying the latest information has been 
widely felt. It is hoped that the present volume will, to some extent 
at least, supply this want. 
In many of the forests of Burma the readily accessible timber has 
been worked out, necessitating operations being conducted further and 
further afield. Thus the work of extraction becomes more and more 
arduous and the need for adequate elephant labour more than ever 
imperative, and this, too, with a steady increase in the price even of 
untrained or partially trained animals. The timber industry is not only 
the source of handsome revenues to Government but is a lucrative one 
for the capitalists engaged therein. The subject of elephant diseases 
therefore, apart from its high scientific interest, has become a matter 
of immense economic importance to the Province. 
I regret that my appeal in the last edition for information and notes 
concerning elephants and their diseases has, with a few exceptions, 
met with little response. I trust those who are in a position to do so 
will favour me with any facts and observations that may come under 
their notice. In this connection the detailed instructions for the 
preparation of blood-smears, if carefully followed, may materially assist 
in arriving at a correct diagnosis. 
