The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-05
DISEASES OF WILD BEASTS.
Consumption Carries on Many Of
Those Held In Captivity.


What diseases are wild beasts I'm can
uvity subject tot" was the question the
writer recently put to a leading animal
importer
WELL" was the reply monkeys for the
most part die of consumption and pneu-
monia- Antelope. moose. deer and other
browsing beasts die because proper food
cannot be found for them In my opin-
Ion, 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
or the alfalfa and other grasses OF tho
prairie which Is absolutely necessary for
their sustenance 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 mountain sheep to Europe and
the continent. but they did not live one
year. You see that moose. for instance.
live largely upon lichen and bark. OF
course, these foods cannot be secured 20
far from the forests, and hay proves to
be very poor substitute. have no doubt
but that IL these animals could be sup
piled with their natural food they would
live as long as lions and tigers
"Ali the African. Indian and Australian
animals come to this country through a
general depot In Germany. IL any weakly
specimens arrive In that country they ara
kept there until they recover, While In
transit across the ocean Il Is q very COM
mon thing for noncarniyora to go without
food for ten days. and they are often sea-
sick. This is particularly true Of llamas.
anteiopes and camels- There Is a good
deal OF ignorance about the medical treat
ment OF wild animals. Those which feed
upon grass are treated In sickness much
the same horse. In the case OF lions.
tigers and beasts of the cat family gem
orally. the same medicines which are
given 20 a dog under similar circumstan-
ces are used.
zone OF the most difficult Of species TO
keep alive is the South American tapir.
They are brought chiefly from the ANA
zon river. and belong 10 the pig family.
Like the monkeys. they all die OF con-
sumption. Snakes. as rule. die OF can
Ger. / have often taken from tho mouth
OF n python pieces cf decayed tissue as
large as walnut. This disease II pro-
duced by the habit Of the snakes striking
their fanRa into wood or any hard sub
stance with which they come in contact.
The fangs ara usually broken OF in these
attacks. and cancer supervenex AZ soon
az detect the caneerous growth In the
mouth OF n snake know that The reptile
Is doomed remember a curious instance
Of this kind IN connection with mag
nifcent royal Bengal tiger. which went
mad from commissions brought on by eat
ing too much. and In a frenzy the tiger
ate of her own tail close up 70 the body
and devoured every inch 81 II, including
the hair.
About three years ago ! lost three rare
Roodoo antelopes In a very curious man
ner. They were confined In stable
which waM Infested with rats. Late one
night heard great hubbub in the sta
bic Opening the door I found the ante
iopes springing all over the stable. ssFik-
ing fhslr hnrnB nRainat thu flooring over
head ana acting ss II they were frighten-
"a out % their wits. ] noticed that they
looked at particular spes IN the corner.
and when l saw a rat come out The effect
was magical upon the aH;elopes tried
"a vain 10 quiet them. and The next morn
ing they we're found dead In the stADin-
they had died from fright washing
ton star