Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-25
THE TIGERS TAIL
A Doctor Enters the Cage to Perform
n Surgical Operation and Has a
Lively IussIe.

A Doctor Enters the Cage to Perform
a Surgical Operation and Has a
Lively IussIe.
From the Boston Globe.
DIR. Al. Watts was dressed in a
natty white suit and wore a shiny
beaver as he walked impatiently
around the circus ground at Salem
yesterday afternoon. About seven
weeks ago large, most ferocious-
looking tiger belonging to the circus
in frenzy bit off the most of her tail.
The animal is a splendid type of the
carnivorous species, but the caprice
left her an unsightly and conse uentIy
a valueless beast to her owners. Week
after week had passed by, but the
bOb-tailed tiger grew no better. The
wound would not heal. There were
innumerable little pieces of bone
crushed and projecting from what re-
manned of the vertebrate, and as long
as these bones remained there was no
chance for the beast TO recover.
Wednesday afternoon Mr.. Charles
Retche called DR.. Watts to Lynn to
examine her.
After Yesterdays operation it would
seem difficult to learn what DR.. Watts
can not do
WITH EVEN A TIGER.
His desperate struggle with pam
ther In his aquarium, corner of Lin~
coin and Beach streets, a little less
than year ago, is well known to
Bostonians, put the manner in which
he handled this rapacious, bloodthlrs-
ty animal eclipses even that occur
ence.
"Good-by, AL" his friends said as
he entered the menagerie tent about
5 o'clock. The tiger was in one half
of the wagon cage, in the other half
was an African lion. Around the
tigers neck was leather strap, con-
nected to an iron chain. The first
thing to be done was to secure the
animal in the cage, One paw was
quickly robed, and then the trouble
commenced. Growing, rearing, and
biting, the furious beast plunged from
one side of the cage to the other, and
it was fully ten minutes before the
second forward paw was secured In
the rope. The rear legs were more
easily bound. Four sharp white tusks
and two eyes filed with rage together
with the deafenIng roar of the beast
caused the Doctor to pause a moment
before he entered the cage. It was
but for moment. The tiger was
given piece of board to bite, to pres
vent the possibility of inficting injury
upon herself, the door swung open.
and IN a second the doctor was at
work. Two or three pieces of the
bone were removed when the animal
succeeded in liberating one of her
forward paws and made vicious pass
at A, but luckily for him the reach
was too short. Again the beast was
bound, and SO firmly that escape was
almost an impossibllity This time
the doctor went to work in earnest.
and the poor animal, stretched across
the bottom of the cage, continued to
GNASH HER TEETH
through the board and growl savage
ly. Piece after piece of the bone
came out In rapid succession, and
with each piece came a convulsive
shrug from the tiger All around the
tent were cages of wild animals, who
seemed to be in sympathy with the
suffering beast, and their roaring was
simply deafening. The lion pranced
from the bars on one side, thea on the
other, shaking the wagon at each
jump. The tigers eyes were now two
balls of fire, and made timid the most
courageous witness IN the tent. la
twenty minutes every splinter of the
shattered bone had been removed. the
wound carefully bathed in carbolic
acid, and the Doctor as calm and
clean as the moment he commenced
the operation.
I'm just nine days" said he to Mr..
Hermann Reiche, ''that tail will be
healed, ana your tiger will be in as
good condition as ever"
It was no trif1ing matter to release
the animal. Her rear legs being set
at liberty she rose upon her launches
and made a tremendous effort to free
herself. Then suddenly her strength
gave out There did not seem to be a
particle of energy left In her body.
The ropes we're removed from her
forward paws, and for three minutes
she lay on the bottom of the cage al
most lifeless. She soon regained her
spirits, however, aud Gained by the
Doctors reassuring words "pretty
girl, !" she appeared as happy as the
skillful surgeon who had imperiled
his life for hers. The animal is about
six feet long, three feet in height, and
weighs nearly five hundred pounds.
She is nearly years of age and ex-
trenely excitable, as the fact that she
will bite herself when frenzied seems
10 show. DR.. Watts feels confident
that the wound will be healed within
two weeks.
WHAT THEY EAT IN PERSIA.