Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25
DISEASES OF WILD BEASTS,
Consumption and Pneumonia Their
Worst Enemies-Cancer Kills Snakes.

Consul m pt ION and Pneumonia Their
Worst observation-disclosures Kills Snakes.
What diseases are wild beasts in cap
tivity subject tor was the question the
writer recently put to a leading animal i'm
porter.
/ We'll" was the reply, monkeys for the
most part die Of consumption and pneu-
monia Antelopes moose, deer and other
browsing beasts die because proper food
cannot be found for them. In my opinion.
the tannin In the bark, and twigs which
these animals feed most largely upon is
what their systems need in order to keep
them in a healthy condition. OF course
very little of this is found in the hay and
other foods which are fed to these animals
in captivity. In regard to the far-WeStern
animals of this country there seems to be
some peculiar quality of the alfalfa and
other grasses of the prairie which Is abso-
lutely necessary for their sustenance and
we'll being / think that the climatic change
has very little influence upon them. have
shipped lots of mule deer black-tailed deer
antelope and Rocky mountain sheep to
Europe and the continent. but they did not
live one year. You see that moose for in
stance, live largely upon Hchen and bark
OF course these foods Cannot be secured
so far from the forests, and hay proves to
be very poor substitute. | have no doubt
but that If these animals could be supplied
with their natural food they would live as
"All the African Indian and Australian
animals come to this country through
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 1t is a very COM
mon thing for non-carnivora to go without
food for ten days, and they are often sea-
sick. This is particularly true of llamas,
of ignorance about the medical trea tment
of wild animals. Those which feed upon
grass treated IN shNtness much the
same as horse. Infthe case of lions, tigers
and beasts of the cat family generally the
same medicines which are given to dog
under similar circumstance are used.
"One of the moss-tlifficult of 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 a rule, die of cancer / have
often taken from the mouth of python
pieces of decayed tissue AS large as a wal
nut. This disease iSoprod1sced by the habit
Of the snakes striking their fangs into
wood or any hard substance with which
they come in contact9The fangs are usually
broken off in these attacks and cancer SUI
peryenes. AS soon as l aetect the cancer
Gus growth in the mouth OF snake | know
that the reptile is doomed. l remember a
curious instance Of this kind In connection
with a magnificent royal Bengal tiger
which went mad from commissions brought
on by eating too much, and In frenzy the
tiger ate of her own tall close up to the
body, and devoured every inch Of it, in
GLIDING the hair.
About three years ago I lost three rare
Koodoo antelopes In a very curious man
ner. They were confined In stable which
was infested with rats. Late one night I
heard O great hubbub In the stable. Open
ing the door found the antelopes sprin9ine
all over the stable, striking their horns
against the flooring overhead and acting as
Il they were frightened out Of their wits.
noticed that they looked. at particular
spot In the corner. and when I saw q rat
antelopes. tried In vain to quiet them
and the next morning they were found
dead In the stable. They had died from
fright" ~