322 
A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS. 
rinderpest and suffer from the disease during outbreaks amongst 
cattle and other animals, a female elephant, in perfect health and 
condition, normal temperature ranging between 36° and 37*3° C, 
was subcutaneously inoculated with 500 c.c. of virulent defi- 
brinated blood obtained from a hill bull, the subject of well-marked 
rinderpest. A diffused swelling occurred at the seat of inoculation, 
which has decreased in extent after a period of twenty-four hours 
and only a slight thickening of the skin was perceptible a few days 
later. No rise in temperature was recorded, and the animal never 
exhibited any untoward symptom of any kind during the following 
twenty-three days." 
This experiment on one animal only can hardly be regarded as 
conclusive evidence that the elephant does not contract rinderpest, 
as this particular animal may have been naturally insusceptible or 
have been immunized by a previous attack. There is reason to 
believe, however, that elephants are insusceptible. I have never 
heard of nor seen a case, and in Burma it would have been impos- 
sible for some of the vast number of elephants so frequently exposed 
to contagion to escape contracting rinderpest. Nevertheless, it 
may not be time wasted to give a summary of the symptoms of this 
disease, as foresters generally employ a considerable number of 
buffaloes in addition to elephants, and when they get rinderpest 
among the former — being unacquainted with the signs and con- 
sidering it to be some fatal malady likely to affect their elephants 
also — very often throw them out of work and remove them to a safe 
distance. In order that they may be able to recognize the disease 
and thus save anxiety and expense of keeping their elephants idle, 
the following facts with regard to it may be noted : — 
Note. — 
Vernacular names for disease in cattle. 
C^c8^%Dii (Kut-na). oo^D^Dil (Ka-ba-na). 
^SO^pii fMo-kya-na). OODCO^Dli (Ka-la-na). 
COgSCDg^oSsC^j^Oii (Thwe-thun-wun-kya-na). 
Incubation. — Three to seven days after exposure to contagion. 
Duration. — Three to eight or nine days usually, but cases may run on to fifteen 
days or so. 
Symptoms.— GenexsWy divided into three stages. It should be remembered 
all the symptoms enumerated are not invariably present, but if carefully looked 
for many will be observed. 
First stage. — Considerable rise in bodily temperature, pulse and respiration 
accelerated, dulness, drooping ears, rough coat, back arched and feet drawn 
together, shivering and twitching of groups of muscles, tenderness over the spine. 
The animal is more or less off food, there is no marked thirst, and chewing the 
cud is slow and irregular. The mucous membrane of mouth is congested, the 
bowels constipated, urine high-coloured. 
