On the causes of death of many of the animals at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, from 1851 to February 1860 / by Edwards Crisp.

  • Crisp, Edwards, 1806-1882.
Date:
[1860]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the causes of death of many of the animals at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, from 1851 to February 1860 / by Edwards Crisp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    have not been able to arrive at any satisfactory evidence as to the morbid changes. In a few instances I have seen small tubercles of the liver. Sauria7is.—The same remark respecting the morbid changes will apply to Loricata ; in these, however, I have found more satis- factory evidence of disease, the tubercular being the most frequent lesion. As I stated some time since at the Society, in ten Alligators and Crocodiles that I examined, the stomachs of all contained stones and pieces of wood, and in two others since inspected I have found the same substances. ^ In some of the Lizards I have seen the intestines obstructed with hard feculent matter. In a large Iguana the intestinal tube was blocked up with grape-stones. The death of one of the Lizards {Uromastixspinipes) arose ])artly from bleeding from the lungs. The reptile in question, the lungs and liver of which were studded with tubercles, was put into a warm bath—rather a strange mode of treatment for a cold-blooded animal—and haemorrhage was the result. Let me make one observation about the temperature of the Reptile- house. None of the reptiles here are cold-blooded, their bodies being of a like temperature with that of the surrounding atmosphere ; and the same remark will apply to those living in hot climates. The time some reptiles will go without food, and vdthout any apparent diminution of bulk, is also a circumstance worthy of note. I dis- sected a Python (^Python molurus) that had not fed for ten months; and even more extraordinary examples than this could be adduced. To return to the diseases of the Lizards, I may add, that the tuber- cular are the most common. Ophidians.—In this division one of the most remarkable and pe- culiar diseases is found. It will be remembered that a few years since a great mortality occurred among the serpents; nearly all of them died, and I had an opportunity of examining a great many of them. The disease, which I believe is highly contagious, consists of ulceration of the lining membrane of the mouth, and the deposit of masses of semitubercular matter in different parts of the intestinal tube, but chiefly in the rectum, blocking up the canal, and producing obstruction. With this form of disease there is also a peculiar condition of the blood. Some of the reptiles dying of this affection were very fat, especially the Puff Adders (dotho arietans).