Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-05
The Medical and Surgical Lore or Dogs,
 Cats, Ants and Horses.

lfEOm LQe MeQ1ChI JOurndLJ
 M. G. Delaunay, in a recent communication to the Biological Society. observed that med icine, as practiced by animals, is thoroughly empirical, but that the same may be said of that prscticsd by inferior human races, or, in other words, by the majority of the human species. Animals instinctively choose such food as is best suited to them M Delaunay maintains that the human race also shows this instinct and planes medical men for not paying sufficient respect to the likes and dis likes of the patients, which he believes to be guide that may be depended on. Women are moro often hungry than men and they do not like the same kinds of food; nevertheless, in asylums for aged poor, men and women are put on precisely the same regimen. In- fants scarcely weaned are given diet suit able to adults, meat and wine, which they dislike and which disagree with them. M. Delaunay investigated this question in the different asylums of Paris, and ascertained that children do not like meat before they are about five years of age People who like salt vinegar, &c. ought to be allowed to satisfy their tastes Lorain always taught that with regard to food, peoples likings are the best guide A large number of animals wash themselves and bathe as elephants, stags, birds and ants. M. Delaunay lays down general rule there is not any species of an imal which voluntarily runs the risk of inhal- ing emanations arising from their own excre = ment. If we turn our attention to the ques- tion of reproduction we shall see that all mammals suckle their young, keep them clean, wean them at the proper time and educate them; but these maternal instincts are fre- quently rudimentary in women of civilized nations In fact man may take lesson in hygiene from the lower animals. Animals get rid of their parasites by using dust, mud, clay &c. Those suffering from fever restrict their diet, keep quiet, seek darkness and airy places drink water and sometimes plunge into it When dog has lost it's appetite it eats that species of grass known as dogs grass (cltiende1Gt), which acts as an emetlc and pur- gative. Cats also eat grass. Sheep and COWS, when i'll, seek out certain herbs When dogs are constipated they eat fatty substances, snch as oil and butter with avidity, until they are purged. The same thing is observed in horses An animal suffering from chronic rheu- matism always keeps as far as possible in the sun. The warrior ants have regularly orga- nized ambulances Latreille cut the antenne of an ant and other ants came and covered the wounded part with transparent fluid SC e- creted from their mouths. If 8 chimpanzee be wounded it stops the bleeding by placing its hand on the wound or dressing 1t with leaves and grass. When an animal has wounded leg or arm hanging on, it completes the amputation by means of it's teeth. A dog on being stung in the muzzle by viper was observed to plunge it's head repeatedly for several days into running water. This ami
 nal eventually recovered SpOrt1nS OOg was run over by a carriage. During three weeks in winter it remained lying in brook. where it's food was taken to it; the animal re- covered A terrier dog hurt it's right eye; it remained lying under counter avoiding light and heat, although habitually it kept close to the fire. It adopted general treat ment, rest and abstinence from food. The local treatment consisted in licking the upper surface of the paw, which it applied to the wounded eye, again licking the paw when 1t
 became dry. Cats also, when hurt, treat themselves by this simple method of contln- uous irrigation M Delaunay cites the case of a cat which remained for some time lying on the bank of a river; also that of another cat which had the singular fortitude to re main for forty eight hours under jet of cold water. Animals suffering from traumatic fe- yer treat themselves by the continued appli- cation of cold water, which M. Delaunay con- siders to be more certain than any of the oth- er methods. In view of these interesting
 facts. we are, he thinks, forced to admit that hygiene and therapeutics as practiced by an imsls. may, in the interests of psychology, be studied with advantage He could go even further and say that veterinary medicine, and, perhaps. human medicine, could gather from them come useful indications. precisely because they are prompted by instincts which efficacious in the preservation or the restora.
 ton of health.