The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-12-31
MONKEYS HAVE pHTHlsIS.
Not Due TO Confinement, as Generally Sup
posed-Lnfected by Man.

I
Not Due to Confinement, as Generally Sup
posed-Infected by Man.
Owing TO the large mortality
among monkeys duo to phthisis, 1t
Is we'll known that, so far as lung
troubles are concerned, these ami
mails arc much like human beings
1t is the general belief, however,
that the disease is contracted by
confinement and unnatural condi-
tions.
DR.. Hubbard Windsor Mitchell 70
GENTLY prepared paper on phthisfs
as it affected the wild baboons Of
west Africa and somo of our doDioS-
tic animals. OF his African oxpe-
rience DR.. Mitchell says:
Some years ago, while was vis-
iting west Africa, spent consider
able tine on the Kongo river, and
In tho wil& aud unknown regions
bordering the south bank of that
great stream / saw large nuirbcrs
of balloons.
"On several occasions, while we
were hunting for deer and other
game, a group Of balloons would be
seen lowering over one OF thoir
number who appeared to be unable
to move. 1t was easy to approach
him, as he was too feeble To oscare.
His companions soampered away
and watched me at short distance,
with amusing curiosity. Inquiring
If the natives what the trouble was,
found that the baboons we're fre-
quently taken III with some chest
trouble which was similar to that
from which the natives themselves
suffered. This l learned ,afterward
was phthisis, which is not unco1n-
mon among the blacks in the lower
Kongo district.
'1n the wild and almost uninhab-
tied country about $50 miles north
Of Cape Town, in South Africa, the
common baboon is very numerous.
An English officer who lived In that
region told me the natives frequent
ly contracted phthisis on their vista
to Cape Town, and it seemed proba-
bic that the sputum Of this people,
being carelessly voidcd in their gar
dens and about their houses, was
communicated to the baboons In
some Of their narauding expedi-
tions. II was not an uncommon
sight to seo sick baboon present.
ing tho same symptoms as the ma.
tives when suffering from phthisis
81 soon had an opportunity to
verify this fact. One day, while
hunting in tho adjacent hills, came
across baboon lying on tho ground
who WAS extremely omaciated and
had a severe and violent cough. AT
that time the existence of the tuber-
Gle bacillus was not known, but
felt sure that the animal was suffer-
ing from pulmonary tuberculosis. "
Dr., Mitchell adds some of the re
suits of his Investigations among
our domestic animals and those used
Tor food. He says:
1.-THE common OK is frequently
afflicted with pulmonary trssreu.
losis; so much SO, in fact, ss 10
make necessary rigid surv@YtaAse
of our great abattoirs by co1rpetsat
and authorized inspectors. Undewbt-
edly tkcsc animals contract the die.
ease from their long and close prox-
unity to man.
The dog and the eat are beth OK.
tremely liable to pulmonary tsher-
culosis, and THE would seen sin.Ssa
a foregone fact from tkeir issssAate
association with nan.
"The duck, the goose and the dc
mestic fowl rarely, but occasionally,
contract this disease. 1t is not iai-
probable that other rlaimals fall VIZ
tins TO Tuberculosis, but they 60 not
specially interest Us 1t is those ami
mails with which we deal daily, ard
whose flesh and milk we consume as
articles of food, that interest us
most Closely