18 DISEASE IN WILD MAMMALS AND BIRDS 
veterinary medicine. Moreover in the past twenty-five 
years much work has been done and many isolated pub- 
lications have appeared upon the diseases of wild animals, 
notably Bland-Sutton's work, Evolution and Disease 
(1895), a thoroughly scientific and most charmingly writ- 
ten book, but rather elementary in its approach of the 
subject of pathology, and Wood Hutcliinson's Diseases of 
Animals, a more or less popularly presented treatise. I 
am unaware, however, of any systematic monograph upon 
the subject wherein we may find data showing the char- 
acter of pathology in the various animal groups or the 
incidence of the various lesions. The reports of some 
zoological gardens contain the result of medical and 
pathological data collected for the report period. The 
publication of greatest merit and value is that from the 
Zoological Society of London, whose huge collection 
studied by a large official personnel makes it possible to 
present valuable data. The New York Zoological Park 
uses its material in a similar manner and has been able to 
explain some of the knotty problems so frequently met in 
wdld animal collections. 
Here at Philadelphia it has been our practice now for 
twenty years to perform an autopsy upon every mammal 
and bird that dies, and upon all of the large or important 
reptiles. There is no aquarium connected with the 
Garden. The office of the society keeps a record of the 
arrival and a general description of every animal so that 
a brief history of the specimen is usually available. The 
keepers are required to observe their charges regularly 
and closely and to report any abnormalities to the officials 
of the Garden. Somewhat detailed discussions upon signs 
of sickness will be given at appropriate places, where also 
a few remarks upon treatment wiU be included, but as this 
work is not intended to be a treatise on therapy and since 
this subject does not differ from that referable to domes- 
ticated animals, little space will be devoted thereto. 
Upon death a complete autopsy is performed and the 
