The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-20
DISEASES of VINO BEASTS.
Consumption and Pneumonia Their
Worst Eneinies-Cancer Kills Snakes.

IOnhunpttOu anu fntufnOniN Ineh
Worst Eneinies-Cancer Kills Snakes.
"What diseases are wild beasts in
'aptivity subject tor was the ques.
tion the writer recently put to lead.
ing animal importer.
We'll was the reply. monkeys for
the most part, die of consumption and
pneumonia. Antelopes. moose. deer
and other browsing beasts die he.
cause proper food cannot be found for
them. In my opinion, the tannin in
the bark and twigs which these ami.
mails feed most largely upon is what
their system needs in order to keep
them in healthy condition. OF course,
very little of this il found in the hay
md other foods which are fed to these
animals in captivity. In regard to the
'ar western animals of this country
there seems TO he some peculiar quail
lty of the alfalfa and other grasses
Of the prairie which Is absolutely nee
assary for their sustcnance and well
being. | think that the climatic change
has very little influence upon them.
| have shipped lots Of mule deer, black
tailed deer. antelope and Rocky Noun
tain sheep to Europe and the Cont
nent. but they did not live one year
You see that moose, for instance, live
largely upon lichen and bark. or
course. these foods cannot he secured
80 far from the forests, and hay proves
to be very poor substitute. have
no doubt but that If these poor ami.
mails could be supplied with their nat
ural food they would live as long MS
lions and tigers.
"All the African, Indian and Austral-
ian animals come to this country
through n general depot in Germany.
If any weakly specimens arrive in that
country they are kept there until they
recover. While In transit across the
ocean II Is u very common thing for
non-carnivora TO go without food for
ten days and they are often sea sick
This is particularly true of llamas, an
telOpes and camels. There is good
deal of ignorance about the medical
treatment of wild animals. Those
which feed upon grass are treated In
sickness much the same as horse.
In the case of lions, tigers and beasts
)f the cat family generally the same
medicines which are given to n dog
under similar circumstances are used.
"One Of the most difficult species
to keep alive is the South American
tapir. They are brought chiefly from
the Amazon River and belong to the
pig family. Like the monkeys, they
all die OF consumption. Snakes, as u
rule, die of cancer have often taken
from the mouth of Il python pieces OF
decayed tissues ns large as walnut
This disease is produced by the habit
of the snakes striking their fangs
into wood or any hard substance with
which they come in contact. The
fangs are usually broken Off in these
attacks and cancer supervenes As
soon rs | detect the cancerous growth
in the mouth of snake | know that
the reptile is doomed. | remember
Il curious instance of this kind in con.
nection with Il magnificent royal Ben.
gal tiger, which went mad from con.
vulsions brought on by eating too
much. and in n frenzy the tiger ate
off her own tail close up to the body,
and devOured every inch of it, includ.
ing the hair.
About three years ago | lost three
rare Koodoo antelopcS in II very curl
ous manner, They were confined in
II stable which was infested with rats.
Late one night heard great hubbub
IN the stable. Opening the door |
found the antelopes springing all over
the stable, striking their horns against
the flooring overhead and acting as
If they were frightened out of their
wits. / noticed that they looked at
II particular spot in the corner, and
when / saw rat come out the effect
was magical upon the antelopes.
tried in vain to quiet them. and the
next morning they were found dead
in the stable. They had died from
fright. t."-Washlngto Star.