The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-05-05
ANIMALS PRACrlCING MEDICINE,

Vi. Deiaunay, in = recent "omuiunlra-
ton to the biological Society. observed
that medicine, as practiccd by animals,
is thoroughly empirical, hnr that The
same may he said of that practiccl bY
inferior human races, OF, in other WpliiS,
the majority of the human species. Ami
mails instinctivcIy choose food best
suited to them. NJ Delaunay maintains
that the human race also shows this in
stinct, and hlamcs medical men for not
paying sufficient respect to the likes and
dislikeS of the patients, which lac be
lieves to be guide that may be DEPEND
ed ON. Women are more often luug.y
than men, and they do not like the same
kinds of food; nevertheless, IN asymnis
for aged poor, men and women are put
on precisely the same regimen. In'auts
scarcely weaned are given 4 diet suitable
to adults, meat and wine, which ihcy
dislike and which disagree with them.
NJ. Delaunay investigated this question
i'll the different asylumS oG Paris, ana as
certained that children do not like meat
before they are about five yeas of age.
People who like salt, vinegar, otc.. ought
to be allowed to satisfy Their tastes
Lorain always taught that with regard
to food, peoples ikiu@S are the best
guide. \ large number Of animals %asA
themselves and battle, as elephants. ant,
and birds. II. Deiaunay lays down as d
general rule that there is not any species
Of animal which, voluntarily .Iu the
risk of inhaIing cm&nlt!9uS arising from
their own eXcrcmCuT.
Some animals de:;>catc far from theit
habitatiors; others bury their eXcrcment.
others carry to distance the eXcremcnt
of their yonng. In this respect they show
more foresight than man. who retains
for years eXcrement i'll stationary cess
pools, thus originating cpidcmics. II we
turn our attention to tie question Of re-
production, We shall see that ali mann
mails suckle their young, keep them
clean, wean them at the proper time, ana
educate them: bat the maternal instincts
are frequently rudimcntary in women Of
civilized nations. In fact, man mag take
mails. Animals get rid of their parasites
by using mud clay, etc. Those suiIcrin.
from fever restrict their diet. keep quiet.
seek darkness aud airy places, drink
water and sometimes even plunge into it.
When a dog has lost its appetite ii eat,
that species OF grass known rs doc =
grass (chin@enD, which IS %n emetir
and rurgativc. Cats, also, eat @rass.
Sheep and COWS, when ILL., seek ont rer-
tain herbs. When dogs are coIlstipaJed
they eat fatty substances. surlt ~ oil
and butter. with ayidty, until they are
pun ged. The same thing is observed in
horses.
The animal suffering ;Iont chronic
rheumatism always keeps as far as pos
sible in the sun. The warrior ants have
regularly organized amEulances. La
treble cut the antInr;% If an ant, au,,
other ants came and covered the wound
ed part with transparent ll@jd sccretc,i
from their mouths. Ii Il chimpauzcc bc
wounded, it stops the bleeding hy rlac-
ing its hand on the wound. or dressing
it with leaves and grass. When an ami
NAL has = wounded leg or arm hanging
on, it completes the amrutation by means
of its teeth.
y dog on being stang in the muL1le Icy
a viper was observed Ia plunge It's head
repeatedly for several days into running
water. This ANNA! eventually recovered.
a sporting dog was run over hy 4 carriage
During three weeks in winter it remained
lying in brook, where its food was
aiken to ii: the animal recovered. \
terrier dog hurt its right eye: it II maiueii
lying under ii counter, avoiding light and
heat, although habituaIly ii .-cpt clos" t.
the fire. 1t adopted 4 general trcatmu;.t.
rest and abstinence from food. The local
treatment consisted in licking the up,cr
surface of the paw, which 1t applied to
the wounded eye, again licking the paw
when it became dry. Cats also, when
hurt, treat themselves by this simple
method of continuous irritation VI
Delaunay cites the ease of cat which
remained for some time lying on the baii:
of river: also that of another cat which
had the singular fortitude to remain fol
forty eight houls under a jet g. cold
water. Animals suffering from traJl.
matte fever treat themselves by the con.
tinued application of cold, which u. De
launay considers to be more certain thar
any of the other methods. In view ot
these interesting facts, We are, he thinks
| forced tC admit that hygiene and therl
| peutics, as practiccti by animals. may. IL
| the interests of psychology, bc studied
with advantage. lie could 90 even fur
ther, and say that veterinary mrGicIn,
and perhaps human medicine, coul,
gather from them some useful dedication:
precisely because they are prompted by
instincts, which are eilcacious in til,
preservation or the restoration ot health
british NedirH J1HrHai