The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-06-15
MAMMOTH SURGICAL OPERATION
[Frum the ChleARo Timea .


performed upon living creature was wit
messed by q select few in this city on Tues
day, June 4. The elephant Romeo, of
Forepaugh's menagerie and circus, was the
subject. IL appears tlAeAt the opening of
the present season Romeo was more than
usually intrActAble, and was accordingly
chained UP. He tueRed at the chains until
they entered deeper and deeper into his
hesh, and the wounds afterwards festered
and inhamed % that he could scarcely
walk. Having two weeks to stay In Chicago,
Mr.. Forepaugh determined to place Romeo
in the hands of q surgeon. With this pur-
pose in view he called on DR.. III. w. Boyd,
Professor Of Surgery and Anatomy Of the
Chicago Medical College, wLo has had some
experience in elePhAntine surgery, having
dissected two or three Of these monsters,
and who is now engaged in setting up the
great CARCASS Of the famous Hannibal in
the museum OF the college. The Professor
consented, and, accompanied by Mr.. r. j.
Withers, q veterinary surgeon, made his
appearance at the menagerie.
Having got Romeo in proper position,
the surgeons opened their tool chest, and
lighting brisk fire in q furnace secured
for the occasion, rolled up their sleeves and
literally event in" One Of the Fore
paugh brothers, who has charge of the ele-
plants, placed himself in front Of Romeo
with pitchfork nimble darkev, an as
sistant keeper, took charge OF his trunk by
attaching several handspikes to it DIR.
Withers knelt before his victim, and in
another moment several pounds of elephant
steak were served from the mass. Simul.
taneously n low rumbling like distant thun-
der vibrAted through the tent, bringing
every animal in the menagerie to the chorus,
and for q minute or two it seemed as if all
the elephants had broken loose in Pande-
monium. Romeo was the first to recover
his presence, being assisted in his task BY
many well directed and pointed arguments.
The next thrust brought only q quiver
over the huge carcass, and after that, dur
ing three mortal hours of terrible pain,
the animal displayed only the noblest quail
tiles of fortitude. The surroundings of
the animal soon presented the appearance
of an ill-ordered slaughter house.
Again and again, under the direction Of
Prof. Boyd, DIR. Withers cut, gouged, tun-
nelled, and chiselled into the poor beast,
each time cutting away or digging out a
pound or two of putrid flesh, and each time
the knife or other tool was withdrawn, the
blood flowed copiously after it. Like a
practiced miner, the Doctor only prospect
ed for while, feeling his way to the crew
ices Soon he laid bare q member, and
then entered upon q task that sickened the
stoutest saw-bones present. Having ex-
posed the seats Of corruption he began to
scoop them cut, bringing handful after
handful to the surface Tunnelling his
way along by means Of scrapers, and CHS
els, his arm would enter the animals leg to
the elbow, until the sound flesh was reached.
1t was not long before the explorer discov
cred that what sound bone or flesh there
-as in Romeo's forelegs wasn't worth
speaking about, and the only wonder was
that the animal was alive and able to stand
on his legs.
After full hour spent in slashing, goug-
ing, and scraping, during which the poor
beast was.rid of 10 or 20 pounds of putri-
he'd matter and flesh, and pound or two
of bone, the surgeons concluded that suf-
hcient for day might be the evil thereof,
and desisted from that part of the opera
tiOn to enter upon another ten-fOld more
painful and narrowing. Both legs had been
thoroughly tunnelled, and in many cases,
where the openings were directly opposite,
but slight integuments and fractions Of
bones prevented a meeting While these
excavations had been progressing, men
were busy at the furnace heating huge sol
dering irons, several inches in diameter,
to a white heat. These were now brought
into requisition to remove the proud flesh.
When DR.. Withers approached the ami
NAL with the first of these glowing irons .
shiver ran through his frame, and he was
disposed to resent any further aggression
but being convinced by the pointed argu-
ments of his keeper that it was all for his
good, he issued another low thunder, which
was echoed from every cage, and straight
ened his trunk and braced himself for
further martyrdom.
The red-hot iron was now run in to tun-
mel No. l to the length Of about foot,
and a Kissing sound, followed by dense vol
umes Of fumes and an intolerable stencil,
issued from the opening. The poor brute
shook like an aspen, made slight effort or
two at resistance, but soon settled into
quietness again Another red-hot iron was
introduced, again there was quiver Of the
whole frame, but this time he only drew
up his back and changed his position q
tri1e.
The blood now began to flow from the
caverns in copious supply, a sight that
made all the animals of the cat species des-
perate, and lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas,
panthers, wolves, and others of the innp-
merable horde whose cages formed a circle
about the martyr, joined in low growls,
which we're intensified to roars and shrieks
as the fumes of the burning flesh filled
their nostrils. This tumult caused score
or two of keepers to rush for the dens Of
their pets In their respective charge and
as these added their not over gentle voices
to the volume, and the rage Of the beasts
for the nonce was still further aggravated
by cudgels and other persuasive things cal
culated to stir up the animals, the hue and
cry was terrific, attracting hundreds Of peo-
pie from the neighborhood, who surround
ed the tents, though in momentary fear
that deluge of uncaged wild beasts would
come upon them. But against such catAs-
trophe the strong cages were proof.
When the din and noise was somewhat
quieted, the operation was proceeded with,
and during the two following hours above
fifty red-hOt irons were thurst into the
poor brutes carcass When the surgeons
finally desisted it was mot because they be-
ieved their task completed, but because
the eaverns had assumed such dimensions
that the two inch irons proved too small To
be further effective. Besides, Romeo was
evidently weakening and getting . little
"grOggy" from loss Of three pals full of
blood, DR.. Boyd estimating that he had
Lost about three paifuls during the opera
/ Ah..w. h. hlur