200                 A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.

pain, loss of power, excessive mobility, inability to bear weight.
In a limb there may be shortening. Fractures may be complicated
by injuries to surrounding structures such as blood vessels, nerves
or other important organs.

Treatment.—If in a limb the animal may be given a chance if
a simple fracture, as he may recover with a slightly shortened limb
and be able to work in yards, etc. If after three months he shows
no signs of being useful, he had better be destroyed.

A dislocation is the forcible separation of the articular end of
the bone from the part with which it is naturally in contact. This
accident is also uncommon.

Causes.—External violence, falls, etc.

Symptoms.—The general symptoms are alteration in the shape
of the joint, inability to move the part and if in a limb alteration in
the axis of the limb. A dislocation is distinguished from a fracture
by the following :—

The swelling in a dislocation occurs at a joint, the pain is
often not very acute and there is no grating sound to be heard.

Treatment.—In some cases there is only a partial dislocation.
It is however hopeless trying to reduce a dislocation in an animal
over which one has so little control and whose strength is
immense.

                                   CRAMP.

Cramp is a spasm of muscle of variable extent, i.e., many
muscles may be attacked or only a few.

Causes.—Cold, especially entering water in an exhausted or
heated condition.

Symptoms.—The animal suddenly is incapable of using his
limbs, which become painful and stiff owing to muscular contraction.
In deep water when he discovers his helplessness he loses his head
and is drowned. It is a common accident. In these cases of
drowning, Burmans attribute cause of death to the bite of a mythical
fish, yesin ( ) or natsin ( ).

                                 RHEUMATISM.

Throughout the muscular system of the elephant there runs a
considerable amount of fibrous tissue, and this no doubt has largely
to do with the comparative frequency of this malady in these
animals. It is a painful affection and owing to its liability to