The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-31
TRIMMING a TIGERS Tee.

The Philadelphia E'rcning BHHti4 rivcs
the following graphic account of the OPP
Grafton OF securing a tiger and trimming
his toe nails, as performed at the Zoo!ogi-
cal Garden few days ago. 1t seems the
Royal Bengal Tiger had been suffering
for a long time from in-"rowing claws.
winch Lad become so painful that it wa;
with difficulty lac was able to walk about
his cage. 1t seems also that ".!im,'' for
that is the animals name. lad become
somewhat celebrated for his intractabil-
ity. and FROM his distinguishing himself
short time after his advent ut the Gar
| Gcn-lSiG-by intlicIng injuries on his
mate, from winch she shortly afterwards
| died. The female was confined in "A care
next to Jim. and one day stuck her
tail through the bars into the compart-
ment of her lord and master. That in
dividual, being in 4 particularly ugly
mood. seized her tail and held on She.
i'll order to free herself. put her hind legs
against the bars and pulled. Her leg
| slipped between the bars, and Jim "
relnquished his hold upon her tail and
caught herleg which he literally crarnch-
ed between his teeth. The injured ami
NAL died soon after the occurrence
| Not long ago. while Mr.. Forepaugh.
who performed the operation. was visit
ing the garden, he noticed the tigers
condition, and said at once that the claws
should be cut. Speaking from IL lifelong
experience, he said that if the claws We're
allowed to remain much longer. death
| from lock- jaw would be the result. s;u-
| perintcndent Brown accordingly made
arrangements for the lion tanner to I'M
lertake the job.
The undertaking was no tritling one.
for tiger is 50 powerful and active an
animal that there was serious danger of
him breaking his neck in his struggles.
| The operator was also III danger from
the teeth and paws of the tiger. Upon
the rail in front of the cage were ar
ranged five stout manila ropes. each pro-
vidcd with slip knot and a safety string.
\ safety string is a stout cord attached
to the !Snotted loopin the rope. and when
pulled it acts 50 as to release or open the
knot. 1t is used SO that the rope can be
thrown at once from an animal. III case
"anything goes wrong" tous Mr. Fore
paugh'S words. One of the ropes was Il
! inch rope. which was used t. secure
the animals head. The others were
inch ropes. and were used to fasten the
paws.
TYING THE TIGER.
The spectators were decidedly nervous
when Mr.. Forepaugh drew of his coat
and the keepers arranged themselves in
front of the cage. But not SO with the
man upon whom al the danger and re
sponsihilty rested. He was calm. cool.
and deliberate, and his Steel-gray pierre
ing eyes took in every movement Of his
animal.
The tiger, meanwhile, was lying with
its head close to the bars at the front of
the cage, and when Nj. Forepaugh gent
ly touched him with a pole he got up and
hobbcd around, looking i'll mild surprise
at the array of keepers. The lion tanner
coaNed him over near the bars. and plac-
ing the loop OF the large rope on pole.
tried to pass it over his neck. The tiger
did not at first understand this vancouver
| and avoided it. He was soon COrnered,
however and the loop thrown over his
neck and pulled tight. TO his intense
surprise and rage, he was drawn close to
the bars. He then lay down and quietly
awaited developments. The loop of one
Of the smaller lines was next laid in front
of his front right paw. Mr.. Forcpaugh.
then. with Il small iron scraper pushed
one rope under the paw. when the assist
ants drew the loop tight, and pulled the
paw also close to the bar. jim by
this time, was fully awake to the stua-
ton, and he showed his rage by deep
roaring and frantic struggles to free him
self. The ccol and collected Mr.. Fore
pangh paid no attention to these demon
STATIONS of the tigers disapprobation of
the proceedings, but secured the other
paw in the same way. The animal was
now fronting the spectators. and. in or
der to secure the hind legs. Mr.. Fore
| pau%h had to enter the cage and tie the
unsecured paws of the tiger. When
both of the rear legs were caught in the
moose, Jim sprang up in order to at
tempt to get loose, when the assistants.
his -" broaGside " and drew his four paws
close to the cage bars in front.
THE CUTTING.
When the paws were secured close to
the bars, the rope around the neck was
| removed, and Il man was stationed near
| the head with Il stout stick of oak with
instructions TO put it in the tiger mouth
every time he raised himself and attempt
ed to bite his fastcnings
The rear right foot, the worst of the
four, was next drawn through between
the bars, and the cutting part of the
operation commenced. Mr.. Forepaugh
used pair OF wire nippers, sliarpcned to
Il fine edge, and Selling the paw. he
pressed out each claw ANA cut the end
off. In this paw each claw had grown
into the bah Of the foot. After cutting
off one OF the claws. Mr.. Forepauoh
called for a penknifc. AMI deXterouslv
drew from the wound another claw which
had grown in, and which had been shed.
When the claws on this foot had been
cut. burnt alum was rubbed into tie
wound and balsam of fir was then poured
i'll. The former was to remove the cor
ruption and the latter to heal the wound,
This same operation was repeated with
the other hind PAW, and Mr.. Forcpau~h
then proceeded to attend to the front
feet. This operation was rather more
dangerous. as the lion tanner was forced
to place his hands within reach of the
tiger 5 formidable teeth. Each time. how
ever, that he started up. the stick was
presented to him to chew upon. and
when all was over, the end Of the oaken
stick was found to have been splint-
cred by the animals teeth. When all
the claws had been clipped. and the alum
and balsam rubbed into the wounds. the
attendants, at Il word from Mr.. Fore
paugh, pulled on the safety ropes. and
the tiger Sprang to his feet and was free.
The relief was immediate. Judging from
the manner in which the great beast
walked about his cage. Mr.. Forepaugh
said that the paws would probably heal
i'll few days, if proud flesh did not APP
pear. In that ease Jim would have
to be again secured, and more alum. or
perhaps caustic. rubbed into the wounds.
The whole operation was performed in
side of twenty minutes. and had the cage
been smaller and the bars further apart
it would have taken even less time.
The cut claws viii grow again in time.
and WILL i'll all probability, grow in again.
and will have to be clipped; but after
they are clipped once more, it is believed
they will not grow in again. Mr. Fore
paugh said that they should be cut as
soon as they grow out and exhibit ten
dency to turn inward. He also said that
all graminivorous animals should have
their boots pared once year. as it makes
them stand better. Neglecting this in
,iures all such animals.
Mrs. Partington, in illustration of the
proverb, 8 \ soft answer turneth away
wrath" says that " it is better to speak pare
gorcally of a person than to be all the time
tiinging eritaphs at him.