Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 84.djvu/515

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LABORATORY OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
511
Fig. 4. Autopsy Room.

on "Bird Diphtheria" follows, with others on "Recurrent Ophthalmia," and one made by Drs. E. A. Schumann and Fox on "Leucocyte Counts." All these are in evidence of the marked activity of this very efficient laboratory, and the character of the contributions we may expect from it in the future. Autopsies are performed on all the animals which die in the gardens, with the exception of the small reptiles. Dr. Fox says:

The data concerning the animal during life is sent to the laboratory from the office on a special card form and the pathological findings are put upon this card. It is then used as a zoological index card and the diagnoses are cross indexed in a pathological system. Routine and special pathological and bacteriological methods are used as in the usual laboratory systems. The data obtained from these diagnoses is used in the hygiene of the garden and for scientific record.

Included in the laboratory 's work is the testing of animals suspected of having tuberculosis, a test made by subcutaneous injection of tuberculin. All monkeys received by the garden are observed for several days, and a record made of their daily 3 p. m. temperature. They are then tested, and if negative to this test are passed to the general monkey collection. If the test be doubtful, they are either held in quarantine or put on exhibition in isolated cages. If the test be positive they are killed. In order to avoid the carrying of tubercle bacilli on the hair they are washed in phenol solution upon arriving in and leaving the laboratory. Because of the frequent occurrence of proventricular worms in the parrots, the laboratory also examines the excrement of all new arrivals before they are put on exhibition.

This laboratory consists of an equipment of a two-floored building. We find on the first floor the general laboratory workroom (Fig. 2),