NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
228
A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.
is characterized by a more or less sudden subsidence of the
symptoms—great prostration, rapidity and weakness of the pulse,
sunken eyes and markedly foetid breath. Sometimes an abscess
or abscesses may form and the condition may be suspected by a
continuance of the fever, coldness, shivering fits and marked dulness.
Treatment : General.—Careful
nursing and attention to diet
are of the first importance. The animal should be placed in a
sheltered position, out of wind and rain. With regard to diet, plenty
of freshly-made gruel. Fruits and fresh grass in small quantities
should be offered frequently. Stimulants such as whisky, brandy,
rum, in 8-oz. doses every few hours, are very beneficial.
If the temperature is high, euquinine in doses of a drachm to
one and a half drachms may be given every four hours till the tem-
perature falls, or sweet spirits of nitre in 3-oz. doses every few hours,
or nitre in 4-dr. doses every four hours in drinking water. It is as
well not to give more than one and a half ounces nitre in all.
When the breathing is distressed, alcoholic stimulants and hot
fomentations to the sides tend to relieve the animal.
In pneumonia watching the animal and maintaining the strength
are the chief points to be attended to.
During convalescence moderate exercise, nourishing but not too
much food, should be given ; also Tonics (see Formulae 39 to 46).
Local.—Blankets
wrung out of hot water as hot as the hand
will bear and applied frequently to the sides afford relief. After
fomenting, the sides should be rubbed dry and some mild embroca-
tion such as soap liniment, should be rubbed in to prevent chilling.
(see Formulae 72 and 73).
TRAUMATIC
PNEUMONIA.
In this condition the pneumonia is due to the penetration of
the lungs from without or to severe blows on the chest or injuries
inflicted by a broken rib.
Symptoms.—High
temperature, shivering, a small fast pulse,
evidence of injury. There is prostration, weakness, at times profuse
diarrhoea. The breath owing to gangrene of the lung has as a rule
an intolerable stench. This form of pneumonia is generally fatal.
Treatment.—Cleanse
the wounds thoroughly and keep them
well disinfected. The strength of the animal should be maintained ;
fluids should not be forced on an animal. If he can be induced to
take it, euquinine in drachm doses to reduce temperature may be
tried.
CHAPTER XI.
DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM.
HEART AND LARGER BLOOD VESSELS.
Diseases of the heart as evidenced by post-mortem examinations
are much more common than might be supposed. The diagnosis
of such during life, however, much less the differentiation of one
condition from another, is surrounded by difficulties. The position
of the heart, coupled with the extreme suspicion and nervousness
displayed by most elephants on the approach of any stranger, renders
efforts at examination difficult and unsatisfactory.
Post-mortem
examination sometimes reveals that heart-disease in an advanced
stage may exist without being suspected during life.
Symptoms pointing to heart affections are alterations in the
character of the pulse, which may be regularly or irregularly inter-
mittent ; i.e., in the former case, a pause or miss of a beat is observed
at regular intervals, say after every fifth or tenth beat ; in the latter,
the pause occurs at irregular intervals. The pulse may be accele-
rated and in some instances retarded ; breathlessness (the mucous
membranes being of a bluish colour) more apparent when an animal
is put to work, or rapid exhaustion, muscular weakness, giddiness
or fainting shortly after ; coldness of the extremities, the presence
of dropsical swellings about the body, limbs, etc. ; in fact conditions
pointing to defective circulation, such as sloughing of portions of
the ears and tail, gradually increasing weakness and emaciation,
and finally sudden death not attributable to other causes. In
elephants death may occur suddenly from long continued and
unobserved disease of the heart. It must not be forgotten that
functional troubles may give rise to many of these symptoms ; hence
careful observation for some time is necessary to avoid as much as
possible drawing hasty conclusions and thus making very serious
errors, such as disposing of a valuable animal which may be
considered useless, and finding later on the symptoms have dis-
appeared and that the animal is working as usual.
Causes.—The chief factor in bringing about disease of the heart
and vessels is overstrain from continued or even sudden over-
exertion. It is only necessary to see animals working heavy
timber in difficult places to estimate the enormous physical exertion
required to perform the tasks they do.
230
A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.
The conditions met with post-mortem in one case showed
atrophy of the organ (wasting of its substance) ; in several others,
hypertrophy (enlarged heart). The heart is in some cases enor-
mously large and may rupture from extreme and sudden exertion or
show disease of the valves on both sides. Sometimes rupture of
the aorta may occur.
Treatment.—If
heart-disease exists, it naturally means that
treatment can only be palliative, and that the animal is at least
useless for jungle work. The only thing to be done is to give
absolute rest, feed carefully and give tonics—iron, nux vomica. If
the animal is feeble, alcoholic stimulants. In some cases bicarbonate
of soda in ½-oz. doses may be useful, and afterwards iodide of
potash in 3-dr. doses twice a day. At best in the case of elephants
we are working in the dark.
RUPTURE OF THE LARGER VESSELS.
In cases of rupture, this is invariably due to some long-standing
disease in the walls of the affected vessel rendering it weak ; hence
a fall or sudden violent exertion such as ounging a very heavy
log, may cause the vessel to burst. The usual place where the aorta
gives way is close to the valves as it leaves the heart from the left
ventricle. In these cases the bag of the heart (pericardial sac) will
be found filled with blood. Enlargement of the heart appears to
predispose to rupture of the vessels. Rupture of other large vessels,
such as the vena cause, may occur.
In making a post-mortem, if much blood is found in the cavities,
careful search should be made for the reason of its appearance there.
Symptoms—Are
those of any internal haemorrhage, blanching
of the mucous membranes, feeble or imperceptible pulse, cold
extremities, rapidly failing strength, swaying to and fro and finally
collapse.
FILARIASIS OR WORMS IN THE BLOOD.
This is an infection of mammals, birds, etc., by various species
of the genus filaria. The mature filariæ are long, slender
round worms of uniform breadth, some about the thickness of cotton
or fine twine.
Many animals and man are the definite hosts of certain species.
The cases of human beings with thick legs (elephantiasis), seen
perhaps more commonly in Burma amongst Madrassis, are generally
LIVER.
231
due to filarial infection, and in these cases certain kinds of mosquitoes
have been proved to be the intermediary hosts. The long slender
white worms in the heart so commonly occurring among dogs in
this province and China, are the filariæ immitis.
In animals
mosquitoes, ticks and lice may be the intermediary hosts, or the
worms may be taken ingested direct from infected water. In the
elephant, blood examination has on many occasions revealed the
presence of embryonic filariæ in the peripheral blood. Whether
the fully developed filariæ are of any significance in connection with
any elephant disease remains to be seen.
In one case the elephant
was the subject of flukes, in two others the animals were emaciated
and surra was suspected and again they were present in some cases
of surra.
In several cases, however, the infected animals appeared
to be in good health.
DISEASES OF THE LIVER.
As is the case in most diseases of the internal organs, their
diagnosis is obscure owing to the indefinite and undecided nature of
the symptoms. Yet we know from post-mortem examination that
this organ is frequently the seat of disease. When we observe
jaundiced (yellowish) membranes with very high-coloured urine, it is
a decided symptom pointing to liver derangement, but the absence of
such is no proof that the liver is not the seat of serious mischief.
ICTERUS OR JAUNDICE.
This is not a disease but merely a symptom, and is applied to a
condition in which the visible mucous membranes take on a
yellowish colour. This is due to the liver being surcharged with
bile, which is re-absorbed by that organ and passed into the blood.
It is a common symptom in many liver complaints which may arise
from a variety of causes.
Causes—May be due to a chill, infectious diseases, or to
indifferent food, flukes.
Symptoms.—Fever, loss of appetite, thirst, often diarrhoea ; later
the mucous membranes of the eye and eyelids become yellowish or
deep citron or orange colour ; the mouth and palate in severe cases
are markedly yellow and the urine is especially so, being a deep
orange or greenish yellow. The animal is sluggish ; the mouth is
often dry. In intense cases of jaundice the symptoms are usually
severe ; constipation may be pronounced owing to the absence of
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A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.
bile in the intestines ; the dung is light or clay coloured, and the
stench considerable. The animal is weak, very dull and comatose.
Death may result in these cases.
Treatment.—All
grain should be withheld. Freshly-cut green
grass, fruits, etc., given a little at a time and often.
The bowels may be relieved with a dose of—
Aloin ... ... ...
Calomel ... ... ...
Aniseed ... ... ...
1 dr.
1 dr.
½ oz.
OR
Aloes ... ... ...
Calomel ... ... ...
6 drs.
1 dr.
Artificial Carlsbad salts as given by Wallis Hoare may be tried —
Sulphate of soda ... ...
Sulphate of potash ... ...
Common salt ... ...
Bicarbonate of soda ... ...
5½ ozs.
2
ozs.
2½ ozs.
4½ ozs.
Divide into four powders ; give one once or twice a day dissolved in
drinking water or in a ball followed by a drink.
Epsom salts in 6-oz. doses twice a day till bowels are freely
opened.
RUPTURE OF THE LIVER.
This organ is liable to be ruptured when in a state of advanced
disease after a severe fall or blow, colic, etc. Those dealing with
elephants are aware of the terrific force with which they knock each
other about when fighting. Though a haing has no tusks, his
strength is often so great as to be able to knock a full-grown elephant
off his legs if he catches him in the right place.
Such violence
tends to bring about the rupture of an organ, more especially so when
in a state of disease.
Symptoms—Appear
quite suddenly and are those of internal
haemorrhage as described under " Rupture of the Spleen."
DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN
Cannot be diagnosed during life. Changes which occur in
the spleen are usually due to secondary processes in the course
of. some of the infectious fevers, septicaemia, pyaemia, but espe-
cially in anthrax, in which disease it may be found enormously
enlarged.
The symptoms of disease of the spleen are too obscure to be noted.
NEPHRITIS.
233
RUPTURE OF THE SPLEEN.
The possibility of a rupture of the spleen as the result of a severe
blow or fall must not be overlooked. The symptoms in the case of
an extensive rent are those of rapid internal haemorrhage, great
paleness of the mucous membranes, rapid loss of strength, coldness
of the limbs, ears, etc., weak pulse, a falling body temperature,
frightened appearance of the animal, ending in death in a short time.
Death from haemorrhage also occurs as a result of penetrating
wounds of this organ.
Treatment.—Try
and control the haemorrhage.
The most
useful drugs are extract of ergot in doses of 1 to 2 drachms, acetate
of lead 2 drachms, well diluted with treacle and water, and prepara-
tions of iron.
NEPHRITIS OR INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS.
The kidneys like other organs are apt to become inflamed.
Causes.—Chill from exposure to cold and wet ; any of the acute
fevers, such as anthrax, certain drugs, such as Spanish-fly (can-
tharides) and turpentine.
Symptoms.—Fever
with its usual symptoms noted under that
condition ; usually increased frequency in voiding water, which act
is often accompanied by colicky pain, but the amount of water
passed is frequently very small ; sometimes it is suppressed. The
urine itself is very high-coloured and may be mixed with blood.
Prognosis.—As the function of the kidneys already described is
to remove poisonous matters from the blood, it follows that when
these organs are diseased these poisons are partially or wholly
retained and may produce death, usually accompanied by violent
convulsions ; hence prognosis is unfavourable.
Treatment:
Local.—Frequent
hot fomentations by means of
rugs wrung out of hot water should be persevered with. Care should
be taken to dry the parts after. Clothe the loins or rub in liniment
to avoid chill. A mustard plaster, 18 inches square, may be
applied over the kidneys.
Neither turpentine nor cantharides
(Spanish-fly) should on any account be applied as a liniment or blister.
Soap and warm water enemas, to which may be added one ounce
of chloral, or extract of belladonna 2½ drachms rubbed down, tend
to afford relief when there is much pain.
General.—A liberal allowance of freshly-made gruel—linseed,
wheaten or rice, to which jaggery or salt may be added. A tub of
fresh clean water kept at the standing.
Food should be given
234
A
TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.
fresh and in small quantities.
A purgative of aloes and calomel
may be given. Liquor ammonia acetatis in doses of 3 ounces may
be added to drinking water, or acetate of potash in 3-dr. doses
or bicarbonate of soda in 1-oz. doses twice or three times a
day. Care must be taken not to act on the kidneys too much.
When the urine is suppressed the case is very serious. During
convalescence tonics should be administered.
CYSTITIS OR INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADEER.
This is rare and when it occurs probably indicates some
irritation of the bladder due to an abnormal state of the urine.
Causes.—Chill.
Symptoms.—If there is inflammation there will be some fever,
straddling of the legs and increased frequency in voiding urine,
accompanied by straining ; urine turbid.
Treatment:
Local.—Hot fomentations to the loins.
Warm
water enemas. The loins should be protected with a blanket.
General.—Clean
and fresh diet, plenty of fresh gruel, bicar-
bonate or acetate of potash in small doses.
Boric acid is recommended by Wallis Hoare and may be tried
in doses of 4 drachms twice daily.
RETENTION OF URINE.
This is a condition characterized by inability to empty the
bladder and may be complete or partial.
Causes.—It may be due to nervous disturbance after an accident
such as a heavy fall, especially when under a load, the retention
being sudden and complete, or to over-distension of the bladder
causing paralysis of the muscles ; to debility of the walls, and to
the presence of growths interfering with the action of the muscle.
Obstruction may also be a cause, such as from the presence of
a stone, tumours pressing on the bladder and blocking the passage.
It also appears as a common complication in paraplegia,
excessive accumulation of faeces in the rectum and colic. Partial
retention, owing to nervous excitement, is frequently met with in
musth.
Symptoms.—Pain,
restlessness, frequent attempts to pass water,
which, after an unusual interval during which no water is passed,
dribbles away in drops or a small feeble stream.
If the arm is
HÆMATURIA.
235
passed well into the rectum, the bladder may be felt distended (the
bladder is situated immediately below the rectum).
Treatment:
Local.—Frequent
hot fomentations to the loins.
Empty the rectum with the hand and throw up soap and warm water
enemas, to which chloral hydrate (half an ounce) may be added.
Insert the arm and apply gentle pressure to the bladder if that
organ is distended.
General.—A brisk purgative, and afterwards linseed or rice
gruel-ad lib.
HÆMATURIA OR BLOODY URINE.
Blood in the urine may arise from three sources, namely : (a) the
urethra, (b) the bladder, (c) the kidneys.
If the passage of urine be preceded by the passage of a clot, or
if blood be passed involuntarily and independently of the act of
staling, it is certain that the source of blood is from the urethra
or passage. When the blood is not well mixed with the urine and
clots are passed towards the close of the act of staling, we may
assume that the blood is from the bladder.
If the blood be from the kidneys it is intimately mixed with the
urine, giving it a reddish smoky tint.
It is not an easy matter by ordinary inspection to determine
whether blood is from the bladder or kidneys.
Causes.—The common cause of discharge of blood from the
urethra is an injury.
Blood from the bladder may arise from acute
inflammation, stone, ulceration, tumours, etc. In the case of the
kidneys, blood may arise as the result of injury, acute inflammation
of the organs, stone, parasites, growths. Blood may also follow on
the excessive or indiscriminate use of drugs, notably cantharides or
turpentine, or after feeding on certain acrid plants.
Treatment.—This
depends of necessity on its cause, it being
a symptom of several diseases. The bowels must be kept regular ;
the patient allowed complete rest ; the diet should be nutritious and
moderate in amount. In order to control the bleeding, if very exces-
sive, good results may be expected by the exhibition of such drugs
as gallic acid, acetate of lead, alum and some preparations of iron.
Acetate of lead ...
......
Gallnuts (powdered)......
Jaggery
.........
1 dr.
2 drs.
Sufficiency.
Twice or thrice daily.
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A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.
OR
Tincture of perchloride of iron (dilute) ...
Water
...
......
OR
Gallic acid.........
Jaggery.........
1 oz. doses.
A sufficiency.
½ to 1 dr.
Sufficiency.
Every three hours.
DIABETES.
One form of diabetes is occasionally seen in the elephant,
characterized simply by profuse staling.
Causes.—In horses due to bad fodder and also to an undue
proportion of saline matters in the water. It may be inferred that
such causes may produce profuse staling in the elephant.
Symptoms.—Passage
of large quantities of pale watery urine,
thirst, and gradually increasing loss of flesh.
Treatment.—Care
with regard to food and water, and change
to another locality.
The following may be tried :—Iodide of iron in doses of 30 to 40
grains two or three times a day. Opium in doses of 2 drachms
twice or thrice daily.
Tonics, especially arsenic, iron and nux vomica, are indicated
(see Formulae 39 to 46).
LYMPHANGITIS.
A condition somewhat like this disease in the horse may
occasionally be met with in elephants
So far I have only seen it
in yard elephants in Rangoon, and also in the elephant in the
Zoological gardens which has suffered from two or three attacks.
The attack usually occurs after a period of idleness. For no
apparent reason a limb, hind or fore, may be found in the morning
swollen, the animal being hardly able to place any weight on the
affected limb, which is painful, the animal often being lame. There
is possibly some fever, but the animals in which the condition was
observed were unsafe to handle. In horses the cause is due to some
irritation of the lymphatic glands, and the swelling due to materials
thrown out into the surrounding connective tissue as a result of the
inflamed condition of the lymph glands and vessels.
The condition may also arise from injuries such as wounds about
the feet and limbs due to some septic infection.
LYMPHANGITIS.
237
Treatment.—In
all but one case the following treatment was
employed with success. The food was reduced in quantity, plenty of
good gruel was allowed, a strong dose of physic, aloes and calomel,
was administered, which reduced the pain and swelling. Frequent
hot fomentations were applied to the limb and afterwards massage
by the attendants. For some days the animals were given small
doses of epsom salts with nitre twice a day. When the acute
symptoms had passed off regular and gentle exercise was allowed.
In one case the limb remained swollen for some time. This
animal received regularly doses of arsenic and iodide of potash, and
liniment was rubbed in on alternate days. The bowels were kept
freely open and in due course he made a good recovery. In the
case of the Zoo elephant, during the course of one attack, he
developed an abscess on the inside of the limb. This healed in the
ordinary way.
In all cases, if the elephant will permit it, careful search should
be made for wounds of any sort, and to these if found careful
treatment should be applied.
CHAPTER XII.
DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES.
The dung is passed from eight to twelve times in the twenty-
four hours and has the following characters :—
Colour.—When first voided, golden or reddish yellow
becoming varying shades of chocolate brown after some
exposure to the air.
Form.—Voided in large lumps.
Consistence.—The masses are moist, but firm enough to
remain frequently unbroken after being dropped.
Smell.—The smell is peculiar, but not disagreeable.
Substance—Varies according to the characters of the food
ingested.
Any departure from the above characters may indicate disease of
this tract and may be summed up as follows :—Diarrhœa, constipa-
tion, colic, loss of appetite, depraved appetite shown by eating dirt,
dryness of the mouth or redness, pallor or sores, dung unduly hard
or liquid, offensive, unnatural colour, admixture of slime or blood, or
passage of worms.
INDIGESTION.
Definition.—By
the term indigestion we understand that the
digestive system is deranged. It may be acute or chronic.
ACUTE INDIGESTION.
Causes.—Irregularities
of the teeth interfering with proper
mastication of the food, coarse dry indigestible fodder, unsuitable
food, long fasts, damaged grain, overloading the stomach with an
excessive quantity of food. I have known a heavy feed of grain off
a threshing floor to cause a severe attack.
Symptoms.—Drowsiness,
disinclination to work, loss of appetite,
constipation, sometimes acute abdominal pain.
Treatment—Should
be prompt. A smart purge of castor oil
one pint, with croton oil 25 to 30 drops, to which may be added
half an ounce of tincture of opium if pain is severe, and the resulting