The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-08-29
A Dog Surgeon.

ONE OF the most remarkable instances
OF sagacity and animal reasoning-fOr it
is more than instinct-that we have ever
yet heard of took place yesterday after
noon at the residence Of Whitfield Craw-
ford, southeast corner of Seventh and
Madison streets, in this city. The prin-
clpal actors in the case were large dog
belonging to Mr. Crawford, of the St.
Bernardine and Newfoundland breed,
about two years old, who readily an
swers to the name Of Carlo, and an ordi-
nary domestic house-cat named Dick
BetWeen the two a strong feeling of
friendship has always existed, each shar-
ing the others meals, and at night Dick,
appreciating soft bed, always found it
by lying upon the top of his good
naturea friend Carlo.
On Wednesday last, on Mr.. Crawford's
return from market, he cut a piece of
fresh meat into small pieces for Dick,
but accidentally needle and thread
lying close by got mixed up with the
meat. This poor Dick swallowed or at
tempted to swallow with the meat, but
not succeeding, the needle stuck in his
throat, from which cause he of course
suffered intensely, and in his suffering
he had the entire Sympathies of his
friend Carlo. Like skillful physician
Carlo set about discovering the scat of
the disease, which he found existed in
Dicks neck
After an apparent consultation be-
tween the two, one as patient, the other
as doctor, Carlo commenced operations
by licking Dicks neck, the cat holding e
its head to one side to give Carlo a fair
chance. The licking operation con-
tinued all day Thursday, and at inter-
walls during the night, Carlo occasionally
pausing to press his tongue against the
neck of his feline friend, as if trying to
force some sharp pointed instrument on
the inside through the cats neck to the
outside. Yesterday the same operation
was continued by Carlo until about four
o'clock, when he was seen with his whole
body quivering with excitement, trying
to catch something with his teeth, in
which he succeeded, and, giving sud
den jerk, he pulled the needle through
the hide of the cat, where it hung by the
thread, which still held it from the in
side. The remainder of the operation
was performed by a daughter of Mr.
Crawford, who pulled the thread through,
and stuck the needle in the fence close
by. The JOY of Carlo knew no bounds,
and, frisking his bushy tail about and
rubbing his shaggy sides against his
master, he showed his full knowledge of
what he had done by going to the cat
and licking the wound in the neck, and
then to the needle in the fence, which he
examined very minutcly, saying in ac-
tions almost as plain as words: "Sec
what [ did" A son of Mr.. Crawford
coming home from his labor, was met by
Carlo, who turned and ran to where the
needle was, and smelled it as if to cx-
plain the case more fully to the new
conner. We need only say that those
who doubt the truth of this statement
should call at the place designated,
where the dog, the cat, the needle and
the wound in the cats neck can all be
seen. The dog himself will point out the
needle and give evidence of the truth of
the foregoing facts as -narrated.-1V W.
naington (Del) Commercial.