Bulletins of the Zoological Society of San Diego

ANNUAL REPORT

ZOOLOGICAL HOSPITAL AND
RESEARCH LABORATORY

BY

Dr. R. a. Whiting

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO

Bulletin No. 7

June 1, 1930

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ANNUAL REPORT

ZOOLOGICAL HOSPITAL AND
RESEARCH LABORATORY

BY

Dr, R. a, Whiting

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ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO

Bulletin No. 7

June 1, 1930

OFFICERS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF SAN DIEGO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HARRY M. WEGEFORTH, M. D., President

GORDON GRAY
Vice President
ALDA M. FERRIS
Secretary

FRANK C. SPALDING
Treasurer

MILTON HELLER

MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO KEITH SPALDING
PRESIDENT OF PARK C. R. HOLMES
COMMISSIONERS A. T. MERCIER

DR. CHARLES HASKIN TOWNSEND

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MRS. BELLE J. BENCHLEY,
Executive Secretary

DR. GEORGIA V. COY,
Botanist

L. M. KLAUBER,

Curator of Reptiles

HARRY CLARK,
Engineer

LOUIS GILL,
Architect

JOHN MORLEY,
Horticulturist

KENNETH GARDNER,
Landscape Architect

DR. R. A. WHITING,
Pathologist

RESEARCH COMMITTEE

R. J. PICKARD, M. D.,
Chairman

GROVER C. KEENEY

PENNED BAXTER. M. D.
DR. L. F. PIERCE

A. E. ELLIOTT, M. D.

W. C. CRANDALL
DR. E. F. F. COPP
ROBERT McLEAN

EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE

DR. MYRTLE JOHNSON, MRS. LENA CROUSE MISS CATHERINE WOOD

Chairman

W. C. CRANDALL,
Chairman

AQUARIUM COMMITTEE

JOSEPH W. BRENNAN GERALD MacMULLEN,
MRS. LETA CLERFEYT LT. COM. J. N. McNULTY

THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCIETY

1. To advance science and scien-
tific study of nature.

2. To foster and stimulate in-
terest in the conservation of wild
life.

3. To maintain a permanent
Zoological Exhibit in San Diego.

4. To stimulate public interest
in the building and maintenance of

a Zoological Hospital.

5. To provide for the delivery
of lectures, exhibition of pictures
and publication of literature deal-
ing with natural history and
science.

6. To operate a society for the
mutual benefit of its members for
non-lucrative purposes.

ANNUAL REPORT

ZOOLOGICAL HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH LABORATORY

BY

Dr. R. a. Whiting
June 1, 1930

President Wegeforth, members of the San Diego Zoological Society
and visitors;

I take pleasure in submitting the report of the Zoological research
activities for the fiscal year of 1929 for the approval of the Society.

Our activities have been concerned chiefly with four lines of re-
search, namely,

Pathological diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of zoological
animals.

Pathological diagnosis of poultry diseases.

A serological study of abortion disease in the dairies of San Diego,

and

A serological study of human sera with reference to the prevalence
of tularemia and undulant fever in San Diego.

X-Ray service has been given by Mr. G. H. McCormack to 40 pa-
tients brought to the laboratories by veterinarians. From two to four
pictures were taken of 59 subjects. These also included our own hos-
pital cases and normal and well as pathological specimens. We are
accumulating several pictures of normal subjects for anatomical
reference.

Laboratory facilities have been supplied to four investigators.

Mr. H. G. Godsil has been interested in certain hereditary factors of
fish. He has measured several hundred sardines and acquired consider-
able valuable data.

Mr. Joshua Daily has been interested in the study of hereditary
traits of snails. In the course of this study several hundred snails have
been collected and propagated in the laboratories. He has experienced
considerable difficulty in propagation with the local chlorinated water and
has had to use fresh water. Water containing from one-tenth to one
percent of ethyl alcohol inhibited the development or killed Physa,
Planorbis and Lymnae species of snails. Specimens of the species Planorbis
trivolvis obtained from Lakes Lindo and Wohlford were found to be
heavily infested with nematode parasites.

Dr. Hiram Newton is making bacteriological studies of dermatolog-
ical material. He has succeeded in cultivating some of the higher fungi
that are responsible for troublesome skin diseases.

Dr. E. G. Colby is smdying the influence of turtle oil on tuberculosis
of human origin.

The hospital has not been used as much perhaps as last year for
the treatment of zoological animals. This may be due to the fact that the
necessity has not been as great, at least the majority of the cases have been
of such nature that they were treated in their respective corrals or in the
service yard.

4

ANNUAL REPORT. 1930

Ten monthly meetings devoted to the discussion of poultry diseases
were held in the library. The attendance at these meetings varied from
15 to 55, being composed mostly of poultry breeders and poultry held
men. If the discussions were popularized or given more publciity it would
be necessary to obtain a larger room in order to take care of the increased
attendance as there are more than 700 members in the Poultry Association

Ten monthly meetings of the San Diego and Imperial Veterinary
Medical Association were also held in the building. The average attend-
ance was 18.

Considerable time has been spent in consultation with Physicians and
Veterinarians and in conferences with individuals regarding the diagnosis
and control of diseases of live stock, pet stock and poultry. No record
has been kept of those conferences nor of the numerous visitors shown
through the building.

Several visits have been made to herds, flocks and hatcheries where
suggestions were given gratis towards the control of the trouble involved.
Several similar requests have been refused because conditions did not
appear as urgent. These visits have been when absence would least
inconvenience the service of the laboratories.

In regard to future needs we have no requests to make at this time
in so far as the research laboratories are concerned. However, in regard
to the Zoological gardens we would suggest the desirability of erecting
two screened corrals behind the research hospital for the quarantine of all
new four-footed mammals. We also wish to suggest that a catching
chute and squeezer be constructed for the restraint and shifting of deer
and other large animals. In connection with shifting, light portable frame
or wire hurdles are urgent needs as well as the refitting of corral and alley
gates.

The Research Hospital wishes to acknowledge its indebtedness to
the Veterinary Division of the College of Agriculture of the University
of California at Berkeley and to the Veterinary Department of Purdue
University Agricultural Experiment Station at Lafayette, Indiana, for the
gifts of cultures and antigen with which we have tested hundreds of cattle
and chickens.

The Society is also indebted to Mrs. Mary A. Bailey and son, Mr. J.
M. Bailey, 268 South 40th Street, San Diego, for the gift of the veterinary
instruments of the late Dr. Bailey. These instruments were valued at
$300.00. The hospital is grateful for this gift and has acknowledged
same, however, I would recommend, Mr. President, that some further
acknowledgement be extended to the Bailey family by the Society.

PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASES OF
ZOOLOGICAL ANIMALS

The following necropsy report contains all of the zoological animals
that have either died or were killed and have been examined during 1929.
The species and number of animals examined are arrangd alphabetically
in the first portion of the list while the diagnosis and the number of cases
found are arranged in order of greatest frequency in the second portion
of the list to the right.

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

5

Species

Agouti

Antelope

Badger

Bear

Buffalo

Cats

Chipmunk

Coati Mundi

Deer

Fox

Kangaroo

Leopard

Llama

Monkey

Mountain lion ...

Opossum

Porcupine

Prairie dog

Racoon

Seal

Sheep

Skunk

Squirrels

Weasel

Wild Dog, Java,
Wolf

NECROPSY REPORT

Mammalia

Number

'M.

Diagnosis

Cases

. 1

Gastro-enteritis

15

3

Pneumonia

14

, 3

Violence-Contusions

14

3

Undetermined — No lesions...

1 "

2

Enteritis

9

8

Killed by dogs

8

1

Destroyed — Humanly

7

2

Cervical fractures

5

18

Septic Infection ‘

5

11

Emaciation

4

15

Exhaustion

4

, 2

Hemorrhage

4

1

Kangaroo Disease

4

20

Hepatitis

5

Parasitism

3

3

Debility

2

2

Intestinal Strangulation

2

1

Suffocation

■)

1

Tumors — Malignant

2

7

Undetermined — Putrefaction .

1

2

Anemia

1

3

Drowning

1

5

Peritonitis

1

3

Intestinal Prolapse

1

, 2

Thrombosis

1

1

Rickitis

Ulcers — gastric ...■

1

1

Total Mammalia 129

Species

Albatross

Banana Eater

Barber

Blackbird

Booby

Buderigar

Canary

Caracara

Currasow

Cockatoo

Cormorant ...
Crane

Num.

1

2

1

...... 3

6

4

6

1

I

6

10

3

Aves

Number

Diagnosis Cases

Undetermined — No lesions.... 40

Pneumonia 35

Enteritis • — various forms 34

Hemorrhage 21

Violence — - Contusion 20

Emaciation 15

Fractures — neck, etc 13

Parasitism — Gastrointestinal 11

Nephritis — Pericarditis-Gout 10

Undetermined — Putrefaction 10

Drowned ^

Exhaustion — Pumonary mycosis ... ... 6

6

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

Aves — (Continued)

Species

Num.

Ducks

46

Eagle

I

Egret

6

Finch

14

Frigate Bird

1

Gallinule

2

Goose

1

Grosbeak

2

Hawk

6

Hell diver ....'.

1

Ibis

1

Indigo Bunting ...

2

Jay

3

Lory

11

Lovebird

4

Macaw

2

Mud hen

3

Mynah

1

Nonpareil

9

Owls -

18

Parrakeets

26

Parrots

7

Pea Fowls

. . 6

Pelican

3

Pheasant

6

Pigeon

15

Raven

2

Robin

1

Roulroul

1

Sparrow

1

X

Spoonie Hen

1

Swan

2

Thrasher

1

Thrush

3

Turkey

1

Weaver

4

Whydah

Diagnosis

Pulmonary mycosis

Cloacitis

Diphtheric pharyngitis
Hemorrhagic enteritis

Nutritional

Hepatitis

Tumors

Coccidiosis

Destroyed Humanely

Edema

Egg bound

Occlusion gizzard

Rupmre oviduct

Suffocation

Tuberculosis

Ulcers — intestinal....

2')h

Number

Cases

5

5

4

4

3

1

I

1

1

1

1

1

i.

1

I

Total Aves

rr. (N

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

7

Species

Num.

Re pull a

Diagnosis

Number

Cases

Alligator

1

Enteritis — All forms

101

Asculapian Snake ..

1

Undetermined — No lesions

62

Black Snakes

7

Undetermined — Putrefaction .

59

Boa Snakes

il

Stomatitis

58

Boyles King

24

Pneumonia

44

Bull Snakes

9

Gastritis

32

Chain Snakes

Peritonitis

13

Chameleon

1

Pharyngitis

13

Chicken Snake

7

Hemorrhage

11

Coach vTiip Snake.

8

Parasitic gastritis

10

Corn Snake

7

Parasitis enteritis

9

Crocodile

1

Abscess — Pyemia

8

Chuckawalla

9

Cystitis

7

Emery Pilot

“)

Emaciation — Starvation

7

Fox Snake

4

Nephritis

7

Garter Snakes

33

Drowned

6

Gila Monster

Destroyed humanely

5

Gopher Snakes

67

Edema

5

Hognosed Snake ....

9

Laryngitis

5

Horned Toads

9

.Hepatitis

4

Iguana

1

Proctitis

4

Indigo Snake

9

Violence

4

King Snakes

12

Colitis

3

Lizards

13

Fractured Vertebrae

2

Long-nosed Snake....

5

Impaction — gastric

7

Monitor, Giant

Impaction — rectal

2

Patch-nosed Snakes..

5

No examination — shipment

7

Pilot Black Snakes....

4

Tuberculosis

2

Pythons

2

Anemia

1

Racers

12

Egg bound

1

Rainbow Snake

1

Exhaustion

1

Rattlesnakes

75

Gastro — hepatitis

1

Skink

2

Intussuception

1

Terrapins

10

Pericarditis

1

Tortoises

Ruptured Intestine

1

Turtles

76

Salpingitis

1

Water Moccasin

9

Septicaemia

1

Water Snakes

11

Ulceration — gastric

1

Total Reptilia

Grand total

....473

....856

Uuceration — intestinal

1

L

This necropsy list appears much larger this year than in the past.
This of itself might indicate a serious state of affairs, yet if mortality per-
centages are based on specimens that have become acclimated or have lived

8

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

at least 30 days from the time of entering the gardens, the resulting aver-
ages will be practically the same as last year. Our greatest losses in every
class have been in the new accessions. We have yet to diagnose the so-
called "new Parrot” disease, psittacosis.

We had considerable grief with distemper in foxes following one
shipment from the Orient, but our greatest financial loss has been from
local dogs. Directly and indirectly by fright, dogs have cost this Society
about $5000 this year.

In the reptiles our greatest losses are attributable to injured new
accessions and to necrotic stomatitis and gastro enteritis. We believe that
a large percentage of this trouble is infectious although we are aware that
a considerable number of these cases are referable to a dietic or nutritional
origin. Attempts in controlling the disease have not proven entirely suc-
cessful. Strict sanitation has been our best means of control. This dis-
ease constitutes a zoological problem of at least national extent. Although
external and internal parasites are fairly common, less than five percent
of our specimens were seriously parasitised. Attempts in controlling the
external parasites of reptiles have lately been more encouraging which
leads us to believe that we shall soon be able to successfully exhibit para-
site-free specimens.

In connection with the inspection of feed, we have made aggluti-
nation tests of 54 horses and mules for glanders. All of these tests were
negative. In several rather high titers the results were confirmed by
examinations of carcasses without finding evidence of disease.

Pathological Diagnoses of Poultry Diseases

The past year was our first complete year of this project in coopera-
tion with the San Diego Poultry Association and the San Diego County
Farm Bureau.

During this time we examined 333 chickens, 6 ducks, and 63 tur-
keys from 178 flocks. Infectious diseases probably constimte the greatest
apparent loss to poultrymen with the age-old problem of economical pro-
duction responsible for the greatest actual loss. The latter we have called
malnutrition and in the following list it ranks second in prevalence of all
that we have received.

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

9

POULTRY DISEASE DIAGNOSIS, 1929
Chickens

Dis ease JVc* . S pecimens

Pullorum Disease chicks, B. W. D 114

Malnutrition 50

Infectious Paralysis 35

Coccidiosis 32

Parasitism Intestinal 20

Cholera — typhoid 17

Tumors , n

External Parasites 10

Pox — Roup 9

Pullorum, Diseased hens 9

Intoxication — Nephritis 8

Peritonitis — enteritis 5

Conjunctivitis 4

Egg concrements 3

Contusions 2

Infectious Bronchitis 2

Vent picking 2

Bumble foot 1

Exhaustion — soft shelled egg 1

Hemorrhagic liver 1

Moulting 1

Ulcerating gizzard 1

Wound gangrene (pox vaccanitation) 1

No. Flocks
33
25

19

16

10

12

10

9

8

7

2

4

2

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

333 156

Ducks

Cholera 5 1

Eood Impaction 1 1

6

Turkeys

Eood Intoxication 18

Pullorum Disease (BWD) 14

Malnutrition 13

Roup — Pox 6

Rickitis 4

Blackhead 3

Intestinal Ulceration 3

Pneumo-enteritis 1

Wound Infection 1

2

4

1

6

2

1

3

1

1

1

63 20

Pullorum disease or bacillary white diarrhoea as it is commonly
known, is the most important infectious disease of chickens. Since it

10

ANNUAL REPORT, 1930

is primarily involved in economic production we have given considerable
service towards its control.

We obtained 50 blood samples from live flocks of heavy breeds of
chickens that had been blood tested. Chicks hatched from these flocks
had given trouble to buyers. The buyers blamed the hatcherymien and
the hatcherymen blamed the buyers for failure to properly brood their
chicks. The results of the blood testing of these flocks showed a pre-
valence of 18, 20, 21, 26, and 54 percent of infection in the flocks. Four
of the flocks were then entirely tested and no further complaints were
received last year.

We have blood tested two small flocks of heavy breeds twice with
the result that in one case the infection was reduced from 21 to 7 per
cent and in the other case from 4 to 1 per cent. There were practically
no chick losses the following season, yet the season before they had ex-
perienced severe losses in the first case and slight but annoying losses
in the second case.

We have received so many complaints from buyers of locally hatched
light breeds of chickens that we obtained 50 or more blood samples from
each of 14 flocks. The results of these tests showed from 0.4 to 21
percent of infection in those flocks.

SEROLOGICAL STUDY OF ABORTION DISEASE IN THE
DAIRY CATTLE OF SAN DIEGO

This is a cooperative project with the San Diego dairymen and
veterinarians in assisting in the control and eradication of this economic
dairy problem.

Blood samples of 523 cattle from 21 herds were tested for agglutin-
ins of Brucella aborms; sixty-two animals in seven herds were negative,
eighty-nine animals in 14 herds gave positive reactions, an average in-
cidence of nearly 20 per cent. The percentage of reactions in the diflerent
herds varied from 3 to 4l per cent. In every case efforts are being made
to control and eradicate this infectious disease.

A Serological Study of Human Sera with Reference to Undulant Fever

This project is being carried on in cooperation with local hospitals
and physicians in order to determine the incidence of udulant fever in
humans and possible local sources of the infection.

Twenty samples of human blood serum were tested for agglutinins
of Brucella abortus! one gave a high artial reaction. The case is now
convalescing.

One patient’s serum gave a high partial reaction to pullorum disease
antigen of chickens.

No tests have been made for tularemia. We will make several this

year.

R. A. WHITING.

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