The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-10
CLIPPING A TIGER
MI. Forepaugh's Delicate Surgical Opera
ton ON "Jim," the Bengal Tiger Of the

MI. Forepaugh's Delicate Surgical Opera
ton ON "Jim," the Bengal Tiger Of the
Philadelphia Zoo.
From PhiAdelphia Cor. New York Herald.
The interesting feat of clipping the
ingrowing claws of the royal Bengal tiger
"Jim," an inhabitant of The Zoo," was
accomplished to-day with great deal Of
difficulty. On account Of the lack of const-
ant attritlon on rough ground, such as
they would have had if traversing their
native jingle instead of the smooth floor of
his cage, Jim's claws had become length
ened to an Unnatural size, and, continuing
to curve inward, had grown deeply into
his paws. by which the animal was exposed
to an attack of lockjaw. Hence the clip
J. Forepaugh, was retained for the opera
ton. and appeared early this morning at
the carnivorahouse of the Zoo, accompanied
by Dr.l Chapman, physician to the garden;
Arthur E. Brown, the Superintendent,
and four keepers. Mr.. Forcpaugh had
provided himself for the operation with a
strong three-4uarter inch rope, looped at
one end a long pole, and four short half
inch cords, also leoped, a thick, knotty
hickory club, and pair of sharp wire nip
pers, and with these tools proceeded to do
the job as follows:
The loop of the larger rope was placed
on the end of the long pole and thrust
into the cage. At the instant the tiger
leaped into the furthest corner with ter
rife roar which startled the ether animals,
and the lions, tigers, leopards, and hyenas
all howled in chorus. The loop, however,
was run over "Jim's" neck, and he was
gradually drawn, in spite of his struggles,
to the front of the cage.
Mr.. Forepaugh now showed consum-
mate GOODNESS and Judgment. and quietly
and quickly directed his assistants to Sc
cure the animal to the front Of the cage.
''Now the feet" and the fore feet were in
the loops with the aid of an iron scraper,
and the tiger, bewildered at tactics Of
his supposed enemies, shook his head, roar
ed, and for a few seconds struggled fercely
to get loose, but, instead Of getting loose.
opportunity was taken to get the loops OF
the other ropes on the hind feet, and he
was thrown on his side and drawn up to
the front of the cage, with his hind feet
sticking clear through and the fore feet to
the edge.
In this position he was secured and safe
ty cords attached to the ends, each one of
the latter being held by one Of the assist
ants, so that as soon as the operation was
completed all the feet could be loosed at
once. As soon as the feet were thus Sc
cured the rope around the neck was cast
aft, so that the tigers head was free. One
of the keepers was then stationed near
the head, so that in case he bit at the
ropes binding the feet or at the operator
be could thrust the hardwood knotted
club into his mouth for him to bite on.
This became necessary so often that the
hard club was chewed into pulpy brush.
'All ready" SAID Mr.. Eorepaugh, and,
taking in his right hand a large, sharp,
wire clip. had each ingrowlng claw in
turn pried from the flesh and Strengthened
out, and clipped off to the required size.
The right hind foot was the worst, one Of
the claws having grown fully an inch into
the flesh, and. by constant irritation,
caused the wound to inAame and tester.
As soon as this, with piece Of the outer
shell, which had been shed into the wound,
had been removed, the tiger appeared to
quiet down and submitted to have the
rest of the claws of the same foot clipped
Without uuCu siuSShMs. AhC tiShl
front paw was also badly lacerated and
infamed. The claws were clipped in
every case very quickly and successfully.
As, soon as the claws of each foot were
clipped the operator rubbed burnt alum
into the festered wounds to burn away
the proud flesh, and then poured over the
wounds balsam of fir to heal the same.
After all the claws had been clipped.
Mr.. Forepaugh, stepping back, cautioned
his assistants to be ready to pull the safe
ty-cords at the word. So the animal,
freed from all the cords, at once sprang
to his legs like fash and jumped to the
rear Of. the cage, where he first licked his
bloody chaps, and, squatting, soothingly
licked his paws. apparently satisfied that
they were still in his possession, COM
menced pacing his cage, showing evident
signs of having experienced great relief
from the operations performed on him.
The whole operation occupied only twenty
minutes and was very satisfactory to all
parties. In few days the paws will be
examined again for proud flesh.