242 
A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS. 
General. — Try to ascertain the cause and if found remove. 
In a great many cases diarrhoea is merely an effort of nature to 
throw off some offending irritant from the bowels ; it is therefore 
clear that in such instances our efforts should be to encourage it 
with caution ; solid food must be withheld, especially grain, but a 
liberal allowance of rice, flour, barley, or arrowroot gruel sweetened 
with a little sugar should be allowed. These tend to soothe the 
irritated state of the bowels. Bael fruit when in season is a valuable 
adjunct to other forms of treatment, as also are bamboo leaves. 
Drinking water, which should be given in tubs, should in the cold 
weather have the chill taken off and be allowed in moderation. In 
severe attacks stimulants, such as rum, brandy, whisky, should be 
given in addition to astringents (Formulae 7 to 10, also see 
mussauls). Perfect quietude is essential and good shelter (a 
tarpaulin or rug covering when cold) and a dry standing. When 
due to errors in diet, castor oil, one pint or a pint and a quarter, is 
the best agent for removing the irritation. In bilious diarrhoea, 
when the dung is of a bluish green colour, liver medicines should be 
administered (Formulae 35 and 36). 
Diarrhoea is at times very violent and requires drugs to aid the 
above (Formulae 7 to 10). When the dung is foetid, sulphite or 
hyposulphite of soda in 3-oz. doses may be given with advantage 
either in drink or in bolus. When once improvement sets in, care 
must be taken to allow only small quantities of good clean fodder, 
gradually increasing this till the ful^l ration is attained, but always 
being guided by the condition of the dung. The animal should be 
given gentle exercise, but not permitted to resume work for some 
days after the attack has subsided. This, of course, refers to severe 
cases. Enemas are also most useful (Formulae 82 to 84). 
[b) Nervous diarrhoea. — This may be seen in fretful nervous 
animals. Any one acquainted with elephants or monkeys is aware 
how suspicion, fear, or excitement may suddenly produce an attack 
of diarrhoea. The cause being removed, it passes off almost as 
suddenly as it has appeared ; hence treatment is not required. 
[c] Parasitic diarrhoea — Is described under parasites and no 
further mention is needed here. 
Diarrhoea in calves — Especially those of new captures is not 
infrequent. Owing to fear and excitement consequent on capture, 
the milk of the dams perhaps becomes altered in character, rendering 
it difficult of digestion. Again under such circumstances some of 
the cows appear to secrete milk irregularly, that is, there is more 
milk in the udder at one time than another ; consequently the calves 
may get a good supply of milk at one meal and very little at another ; 
this invariably means indigestion, which often results in severe 
