23 
lake. As noted then the last case for the fiscal year 
occurred early in January. During the past fiscal year 
five scattered sporadic deaths have occurred, the birds 
showing the same indefinite changes discovered in 1915. 
It appears, then, that no epizootic has occurred but that 
the virus, whatever it may be, remained among the 
birds or in their enclosure, although it must have been 
reduced in vigor. The lesions in these birds again indi- 
cate that the poison attacks the muscles and not the 
central nervous system as in poliomyelitis. The cleaning 
of the pond while not effecting a complete disappearance 
of the disease was followed by a great reduction in cases; 
so far and no farther dare we go. 
A large number of quail have been received from Mexico 
without showing any cases of epizootic discussed in our 
last two reports, although several of the birds have died. 
The infection among the parrots occurring late last 
winter ceased shortly after making the report and to 
date this winter nothing like it has appeared. 
The presence of enteritis among the carnivorous 
animals has frequently suggested a probable relation to 
the meat fed to them. Last spring a complete revolution 
of butchering and distribution was instituted. The 
butcher shop was newly plastered and screened, the 
icebox renovated and covered galvanized iron pans fitted 
to the wheelbarrows for carrying the meat to the houses. 
It was arranged to disinfect the pans regularly. It is 
too early to make comparison upon reliable data gained 
before and since these new regulations but it is my 
impression that there is less enteritis, both clinically 
observed and pathologically determined at the autopsy 
table, since this rigid meat hygiene has been in force. 
Dr. Balduin Lucke has been added to the staff of the 
laboratory as a research worker and will give his attention 
first to the study of heart and vascular diseases in wild 
animals. Aneurysms seem to occur with rarity among 
our specimens, a condition possibly based upon the absence 
of nervous hypertension common in human beings. 
Nevertheless arteriosclerosis is not uncommon in wild 
