Daily Republican., 1879-04-15
An Elephant Baby-What the Ply
siciaus think OF II.

An Elephant Baby-What the Phy-
sicians think or II.
Pending the opening Of the mid
spring season the big circus shows are
hibernating, but just now they are
about awakening from their winters
sleep. When the frost is in the ground
the circus people hide their glories IN
an out of.the way place, and no one
would suppose that Philadelphia TO-
day conceals one of the biggest comb.
nations that ever drew enraptured
crowds around the sawdust ring. The
Great London Show is noted tor the
number Of its attractions, but there Is
now allied to it, under the proprietor
ship of Cooper & Bailey, the Great In
ternational Show-a circus arrangements
that has Just completed tour OF the
world-and the aggregation has during
the past winter been resting in the big
depot at Twenty.third street and Co.
lumbia avenue, that was until recently
the stopping place for the Ridge ave-
nue. cars.
Here tigers, lions, elephants, jaguars
leopards, panthers, hyenas, rhinoce,
roses. and their kindred roar and howl
the day around. In one corner OF the
building are housed ten elephants. One
Of lh hese--a lady el0phapt-was recently
sus pected of being in a interesting con-
ditlon. This was considered most re-
markable, for although many wild ami
mails breed behind the bars OF their
cages, the elephant has been generally
looked upon as one of these that DO not
bear young while in captivity, and, in
fact, it has been stated that such an
event has never happened. Colonel T..
In. Toole, the advance agent OF the blg
show, thinking that scientists would be
interested in the matter, called it to the
attention of some Of the most prominent
physicians in town. These questioned
the reliability of the information. and
expressed their desire to make an tx.
animation. A meeting was arranged ior
yesterday. There were present Prof.. D.
Leidy of the University OF Pennsylvania;
Prof. Penrose, ,ot the University OF Penn
sylyania; DR.. Brinton, of Jefferson Col
lege: Prof. Allen, of the University OF
Pennsylvania; DR.. y. +. Maury, OF Jei-
ferson College; DR.. Henry Chapman
(Coroner's physician), Of Jefferson tol'
! lege, and a number OF other physicla IS.
The female elephant, who was the
: cause of the gathering, is almost elgh'
teen wears old, and although she is now
more than seven feet III hight, she has
still twelve years in which to add to
!. her altitude. Like all her trained com
panions she is perfectly docile, and at
!. the command of her keeper she rolled
over upon her back and permitted the
, doctors TO handle her as they pleased
The physicians found the breasts-o'
: whisn there are but u pa!r-qui.e dis'
tended, and they also discovered other
indications that confirmed Colonel
= Toole's belief that Baby" is about ad,
ding to her kiud. Drs. Leidy and
Chapman took occasion to speak con
n c.rning some facts about the elephant
. hat are not generally known. Pliny,
away back in Roman times, speaks ol
the elephant in a Psychological way,
, and other writers have since then at
v tempted to add to the limited store o
y knowledge about the big qnadrup-ds'
!, but during yesterdays brief eNamina
Z ton the scientists not only made som.
}. interesting discoveries, but also LAID
the ground for a denial OF certail
things said in regard to the elephant
h They found, Tor instance, strange al
n it may seem, that twice the clrcumier
=, ence OF all elephants leg equals III
y height. They found that its tongue II
not loosened at its foremost end, ant
, that in fact the inner portion Is NOR
detac4rd than any part of the organ
Most of the gentlemen present held tina
n an elephant never bred while in cap
tivity, but DR.. Chapman INSISTED tina
in England such an event once hap
!. pened, and in that one instance the IN
fant was two feet high and weighed on
hundred and eighty pounds, the tern
b.ing nineteen months.
n All present agreed that "Baby' II
J. in an interesting condition, and tina
!; a diminutive elephant, such as wa
r. never before seen in this country
: may make its appearance in the latte
part of next January, and so assured
did Professor Leidy feel OF this fact tia
n he obtained Colonel Toole's promise t.
i, have thu baby elephant presented t.
as the University of Pennsylvania, il
i. case /. did not live. Mrs. "Baby's' 'hus
! band is fine, intelligent elephant, IA
or tro.s forward when his keeper call
u ..Mandrn HNiLn. Times.