The Indianapolis journal., 1885-08-22

Difficulty of Treating the Animals-Dyspep-
tic Cameis and Kangaroos with Colds.

tic CameIs and kangaroos with Colds.
Philadelphia Record
Visitors to the Geological Garden during the
past week have been struck with the general air
of debility among most of the animals Nearly
ali of them either moved about listlessly, else
moped in corners and refused to move at ALL
The chimpanzee kept her blanket tightly drawn
around her shoulders all through the week, and
no dainty could tempt her to leave her favorlte
corner. Even the monkeys were less clamorous
for favors and the toothsome peanut palled on
their usually Unsuitable appetite.
The larger animals and especially the car
nlvora, suffered even more than the little ami
mails. The lions and leopards stopped their
ceaseless promenade and lay all day long with
their noses between their paws watching events
through their haif-open eyeiids. Superintendent
Brown explained this state of apathy among the
animals Yesterday
There has been more sickness among the
animals during the past week than at any time
in the history of the garden" he said Con
trary to the rule, there very little suffering
among them during the heated spell which ended
about week ago but as soon as the breakup
came and the mercury took such 4 terrible tum-
bic nearly every animal felt the effects of the
change, and almost a majority of them were
taken sick. The camels were the greatest suffer
ers. Every one in the garden was Frustrated
with dyspepsia and general arrangement OF
the alimentary canal.
''One of them is still very i'll. and it is not
expected that he will recover Three or four Of
the carnivora sick, and of the pUmas
was very Ill with cholera morbus. lie refused
to take any nOurishment and the only thing he
could be induced to take was an occasional swal
low of water We tried for two days to give
him dose of bismuth and opium, but we had TO
give it up. The medicines diluted with
water until it was impossible for the human
palate to detect their presence but the puma
discovered it at the first sniff. and refused to
touch it. He didn't eat a morsel for FIVE days,
but he is coming around all right now.
Last night he consented to eat nicely
broiled spring chicken and [ think he will be
! himself again in few days Another puma
was greatly prostrated and / am afraid he is too
old to rally Benefits waaby, variety of the
kangaroo, cancht severe cold at the time of
the sudden change and died, after brief illness,
of pneumonia. One Of the sea lions was pros
trated by the heat Just before the cold wave
came, and probably died of congestion Of the
brain. | made apost-mortem examination of his
body and could find no other Of death,
The chirpanzee was also severely effected by
the change. She caught cold IN her head and
refused to eat anything except an occasional
piece of banana orange.
I'VE have had her for three years and this is
only the second time that she has been i'll. Dur
ing these spells of sickness we treat her the same
her to eat, out simply wait until nature asserts
itself and then tempt her returning appetite
with any little delicacy she might crave. At
one time she went three weeks without tasting
her appetite returned she ate like pig. Many
of the small animals are seriously indisposed,
but most Of them simply suffering with dis
ordered stomachs and loss of appetite.
"In caring for sick animals generally rely
on the ordinary veterinary treatment. We
very little medicine, beyond an occasional tonic,
astrngent or laxative In many cases the ad-
mlnistering Of medicines works more harm than
good | find our best reliance to be in careful
watching and dieting Aside from the harm the
mo nioh+ do n will al
other considerations against administering them
that are much more important. In the first
place it is hard to tell what is the matter with
wild animal when it is simply off its feed. 1t is
not practicable to feel its pulse, listen 10 the
beating of its heart and do various other things
usual in diagnosing case in human being
1T is generally a wild guess in determining
what ails wild beast. hen you have decided
what ails it. however, the next question is,
What shall give it? Drugs have different
effect on different animals dose that would
Kill one animal will have no effect another.
But, even if you know what to give it, the next
ana most serious question arises, How shall
administer the medlclneE
The greatest difficulty, of course. ls met
with in giving medicine to the larger animals
The process IS always attended with danger, and
in many instances the patient dies either from
fright or shock to It's nervous system. In order
to administer a dose of medicine to a wild beast
it is necessary to bind it down with ropes, and
wnen it is firmly secured drench it in the way
practlced IN dosing horses, 1hlS treatment
always results IN severe shock to the animals
nerves, and frequently produces death A wild
animal will not permit itself to be handled like
q domesticated animal 1t will always lash
itself into fury. and in this lies the danger Of
overcoming it by rough measures and still this
is the only way that it can be dosed
Their Of taste is perfectly developed
that they detect any foreign substance on
the instant and will refuse to touch their food
OF course it is often necessary to throw animals
for the purpose Of cutting their claws or pairing
their hoofs or making any surgical operation,
but always employ great deal of care in
securing the animal
Recently we had occasion to throw a zebra
and it took seven men to accomplish it without
injury to the animal. Then again we must have
regard for the safety of the A full grown
camel can kick as hard as whole train of gov
ernment mules. Many animals can't handle
at all. For instance, you can't lasso a polar
bear, as his neck and ankles are larger than his
h cad or feet and the rope would naturally slip
off as fast as you could throw it on The ele
phant is the hardest beast to throw but is less
subject to nervous shock than the other wild
animals"
P.1lI gntE