Case Report

Capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) grooms her infant's wound with tools

  1. Bill G. Ritchie1,
  2. Dr. Dorothy M. Fragaszy1,2,*

Article first published online: 3 JUN 2005

DOI: 10.1002/ajp.1350160407

Issue

American Journal of Primatology

American Journal of Primatology

Volume 16, Issue 4, pages 345–348, 1988

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ritchie, B. G. and Fragaszy, D. M. (1988), Capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) grooms her infant's wound with tools. Am. J. Primatol., 16: 345–348. doi: 10.1002/ajp.1350160407

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman

  2. 2

    Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, Washington State University, Pullman

*Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4830

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 JUN 2005
  2. Article first published online: 3 JUN 2005
  3. Manuscript Revised: 2 SEP 1988
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 2 SEP 1988
  5. Manuscript Received: 31 MAY 1988

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Keywords:

  • tool use;
  • skill transfer;
  • wound grooming;
  • medicine

Abstract

After an attack on her 6-day-old infant, a capuchin monkey manufactured, modified, and used simple tools to manipulate her infant's head wound, and applied modified plant materials to the wound. The monkey's preparation and use of plant materials were varied and skillful. Several contextual factors probably facilitated the extension of tool-using behaviors that this female used in treating her own wounds to treating another's wound. We consider these in relation to the prehistorical development of social medicine in our own species.

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