Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Pathological notes / by P.S. Abraham. Source: Wellcome Collection.
![SELF-MUTILATION IN A LIONESS. [Read in the Pathological Section, February 13, 1885.] On the 18th of May, last year, a fine lioness in the Zoological Gardens, in Phoenix Park, was discovered to have devoured, during the night, some six inches of her tail—the hair, skin, bones, and everything. She did not then touch it for some days, but appeared to be very restless, and on the 27th of the month she recommenced her extraordinary conduct, and demolished, during the night, a great part of the remainder of the organ. She then rested awhile, but again went at it, and at the end of a month there was nothing left of her caudal appendage but the “ butt,” some four inches or so, which I here exhibit. The organ was now so short and un¬ come-at-able that she could not reach it with her mouth, and it was hoped that in consequence she would resume her usual tastes and be satisfied with the flesh of other animals; but on the 1st of July she began to lick and gnaw off the skin of the dorsum of the right hind paw. The integument and subjacent tissues are seen to be removed from nearly the whole of the extensor surface of the foot, and it is evident that the tendons would be exposed were it not for the granulation tissue which has formed, as a superficial layer, over them. It was quite certain that while all this was going on the animal suffered extreme pain ; the stump of the tail was seen to be in a constant state of quiver, and when a part of the foot was gone, the leg was drawn up, and the creature limped about the cage on the other three legs. There was nothing apparently to account for this strange beha¬ viour on the part of the lioness. She was in splendid condition, as](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3057996x_0005.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
