326
Olifanten bij de troepenmacht in Atjeh.
Op bladz. 517, tweede deel van den jaargang 1880 van dit tijdschrift
wordt in een opstel, getiteld: „Olifanten voor het transportwezen hij
de troepenmacht in Atjeh," het boek aangehaald van den Heer H. J. Slym
„Elephants and their treatment in health and disease". Voor zooverre
ons bekend is, zijn de olifantenspecialiteiten in Atjeh zoo verstandig
geweest, het te Pinang verkrijgbaar gestelde boek van Slym te raadplegen.
Deze Brit woont te Moulmain, dus zoo ver niet van hier om, zoo noodig,
gemakkelijk door onze Regearing te kunnen worden geraadpleegd.
Een onzer vrienden deelde ons mede, dat de Heer Slym hem onlangs
geschreven en o. m. de olifantenquaestie aangeroerd had. „Your Go
vernment" schreef de Heer Slym „should have asked the Government
here for a number of Bengal mahouts or at the least a half dozen
Jemedars or headmen. They know the handling of these animals well
and some of the headmen speak a little English, so you could easy deal
with them. Dr Prost, a veterinary surgeon, is continuing the study
with sickness amongst elephants and found that many died from the
illness set forth in the enclosed memorandum which should be kept with
my book. It may be useful and the more so as in many instances the
large mortality amongst buffaloos and other cattle is due to the same cause".
Ook in het belang van onzen veestapel op Java, nemen we daarom
de memorie van Dr Prost hieronder letterlijk over. Onze militaire paar
denartsen zullen daarmede gewis hun voordeel doen.
Memorandum on anthrax fever amongst elephants.
1. One of gudenaus amongst elephants is anthrax fever when once broa-
king out in a stable or amongst a party on march it carries them off in a few
days, if not speedily separated and proper medicines are supplied.
2. The blood of many animals has been mieroscopially examined and
was found to be fall of the bacilla anthracis.
3. The treatment which I in consultation with other veterinary surgeons
recommend is firstly as a preventative.
Hypo sulphate of soda 4 ounces mixed with zaggery twice a day. If no
hypo sulphate in store then 2 drachms of carbolic acid in a quart of
water mixed with zaggery (sugar of the palmara tree).
If cases have occured either in a stable or near the camp, all the
animals should at once be moved and either of the above doses be given
twice a day for some time.
4. In cases of actual illness the doses should be doubled, and given
every three or four hours.
