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The administration of drugs is not always an easy matter: the mouth is very small and, to add to the difficulty, the back of the tongue is free. In order to render it easier to give medicine, it is an excellent plan to accustom an elephant to take small packets filled with paddy rice, tamarind, sugar or sweets, flavoured with some spice. The packets are generally made of straw, grass, and at times, a plantain leaf is used. Wheaten bread or native bread should occasionally be given, in which a little salt, spice, garlic or onions have been incorporated.
An animal soon learns to appreciate these delicacies and will open his mouth when he sees the mahout bringing a packet, which he can place in the creature’s mouth without trouble. By the above mentioned techniques animals are rendered unsuspicious, and drugs may be incorporated and often given without trouble. The usual method is first to give a couple of packets of rice or sugar, and in the following one to place rice at the bottom of the packet, then the pill which is covered over with more rice or tamarind, then secured and pushed into the mouth.
Nauseous drugs are sometimes rejected. Balls or boluses are undoubtedly the most certain and convenient method of administering drugs to elephants. The taste of nauseous drugs can to some extent be masked - a very important matter. Waste is avoided. The disadvantages are that it takes a long time for drugs to dissolve sufficiently to be absorbed; this is augmented when the stomach and bowels are in a disordered state. It is better to give drugs in small quantities in several balls of tamarind or sweetmeat than to put a larger quantity into one or two balls.
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