Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-10-30
Curing Wild Beasts.

Visitors to the Geological Garden
during the last week have been struck
with the general air OF debility among
most of the animals. Nearly all OF
them either moved about listiessly or
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 usu-
ally Unsuitable appetite. The larger
animals, and especially the carnivora,
suffered even more than the little ami
mails. The lions and leopards stopped
their ceaseless promenade and lay all
day long with theirnoses between their
paws watching events through their
half-open 2eyelids. Superintendent
Brown explained this state of apathy
among the animals.
M. There has been more sickness
among the animals during the past
week than at any time in the history
sofsthe garden" he said. Contra
ry to the rule, there was very
little suffering among them during the
heated spell, but as soon as the break
up came, and the mercury took such a
terrible tumble, nearly every animal
felt the effect of the change, and almost
q majority of them were taken sick.
The camels were the greatest sufferers.
Every onein thegarden was Frustrated
with dyspepsia and a general derange-
ment OF the alimentary canal. One of
them is still very i'll, and it is not ex-
pected that he will recover. Three or
tour OF the carniyora are sick and one
ofthe pumas we're very ill with cholera
morbus. He refused to take any
nourishment, and the only thing he
could be induced to take was an oc-
caslonal swallow of water. We tried
Tor two days to give him dose of bis
muth and opium, but we had to giveit
up, The medicines were 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.
At last he consented to eat a. nicely
broiled spring chicken, and think he
will be himself again in aofew days.
Another puma was greatly FRUSTRATED,
and am afraid he is too old to rally.
Benefits wallaby, a variety of the
kangaroo, caught severe cold at the
time Of the sudden change and died,
after a brief illness, of pneumonia.
One OF the sea lions was Frustrated
by the heat just before the cold wave
came, and probably died OF coneest.
ION OF the brain. / made post NOR
tenn examination of his body, and
could find no other cause of death.
The chimpanzee was also severely af.
fected by the change, She caught q
cold in her head and refused to eat
anything except an occasional piece of
banana or orange. We have had her
tor three years, and this is only the
second time that she has been ill.
During these spells OF sickness we treat
her the same as any human invalid.
We never try to force her to eat, but
simply wait until nature asserts it.
sell, and then tempt her returning ap-
petite with any little delicacy she
might crave. At one time she went
three weeks without tasting a morsel,
except a few pieces of fruit, but when
her appetite returned she ate like a
pig. Many Of the small animals are
seriously indisposed, but most Of them
are simply suffering with disordered
stornachs and loss OF appetite.
Gin caring for sick animals we gener.
ally rely on the ordinary veterinary
!: treatment. We use very little medl-
cine. beyond an occasional tonic, as
4tringent, Or laxative. In many cases
the administering OF medicines
works more harm than good. I
find our best reliance to bein careful
watching and dieting Aside from the
harm the medicines might do g. wild
animal there are other considerations
against administ them that are
much more important. In the first
place it is hard to tell what is the mat
ter with avid animal when it is simply
off it's feed. 1t is not practicable to
feel it's pulse, listen to the beating of
his heart, and do various other things
usual i'll diagnosing q case in a human
being.
1T is generally a wild guess in de-
termlnlng what ails wild beast.
When you have decided what ails it,
however, tie next question is, What
she'll l give it?' Drugs have different
effect on different animals. A dose
that would kill one animal will have
no effect ON another. But, EVENT. you
know what to give it, the next and
most serious question arises, How
shall | administer the 1nedicine?'
'"The greatest difficulty, OF course, is
met i 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 medi-
cine to wild beast it's necessary to
bind it down with ropes, and when 1t
is firmly secured drench it in the way
practiced in dosing horses. This treat
ment always results in q severe snock
to the animals nerves and frequently
produces death, A wild animal will
not permit itself to be handled like a
domesticated animal. It will always
lash itself into o fury, and in this lies
the danger Of on coming it by rough
measures; and stM this is the only way
that it can be dosed. g.ll
Their sense Of taste is SO perfectly
developed that they can 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
we. always employ q great deal Of care
II securing the animal. .=s .s@=.,
Recently ne had occasion to throw
a znira. and it. fnnk seven mon "a q 3.