In all, 28 koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), 26 of which had died exclusively of natural causes, were autopsied and in 21 of these a probable cause of death could be recognized. Different forms of pneumonia head the list of these causes with six cases, including two where the primary lesion was trauma. Hepatitis with suppurative cholangitis was observed in three instances. Cryptococcosis, an infection by the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, was responsible for three deaths, and two forms of blood dyscrasia, i.e. lymphoblastic leukaemia, and an anaemia of unknown origin accounted for two more deaths. Cystic disease of the ovary was observed in six koalas, and in four cases was complicated by infection and was the main cause of death. Middle ear sepsis, ulcerative colitis, and cardiac failure associated with senility were seen once each. In the remaining seven cases the cause of death was indeterminate, though senility appeared to be the predisposing cause in two.

No abstract

Blood counts were performed on 47 specimens of Phascolarctos cinereus, a marsupial commonly known as the koala or native bear which lives exclusively on a diet of eucalyptus leaves, and the results were subdivided into "normal", "abnormal", and "doubtful". Compared with man, the average normal haemoglobin was low (12.9 g/100 ml). Nucleated erythrocytes were practically always present as well as reticulocytes. Lymphocytes were more numerous than neutrophils. In injured or infected animals, neutrophils were more numerous than lymphocytes and reticulocytes and nucleated erythrocytes were frequently absent. In blood dyscrasias, however, the latter were usually numerous. These two groups provided the abnormal results. In the absence of definite clinical signs a considerable group of koalas exhibited deviations from the assumed normal blood picture. These deviations were usually slight and the results were referred to as doubtful.

SYNOPSIS. A piroplasm occurring in the erythrocytes of 38 of 42 echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) has been described and named Babesia tachyglossi.

No abstract