The Penn's Grove record., 1885-06-06
NJ eianeholy Animals

which amply ward curiosity OF q
desire to obtain knowledge Of an un.
common kind. 1t Is no more or less
than a cat and dog hospital, but, str3ge'
Iy enough. the inmates do not lead "a
cat and dog life." Mutual sufferings
and infirmities seem to have a sedative
effect, and these proveTbial enemies lie
down together even as the lion and the
lamb, and take their medicine with a
good grace. The place is conducted by
DIR. J. Janvier. who devotes his whole
attention TO the treatment of canine
aud feline diseases. The doctor is an
Did practitioner, and is acquainted with
all the ills to which cat and dog flesh Is
heir to.
A regular physician, he retired from
practice about twenty years ago in Pa
ris, and devoted himself to the study OF
animal maladies. He came to Phila-
1elphia about six years ago and estab.
Iished his ''dog hospital" which he has
made a success.
A reporter visited the place recently
aud was shown round by the doctor and
treated to some novel sights. The rear
of the house is we'll ventilated and light
ed and partitioned off by fencs-llkt
gates, making about thirteen small apart.
ments, which is thrown into one by the
removal Of the gates. In each of these
rooms or wards, a. the superintendent
chooses to call them, are from n to
i've cats OF dogs.
Misery makes strange b~edfellows, and
it is by no meant unusual to place a cat
and do or two cats and one dog to
gether. Indeed, the doctor says this
arrangement is frequently the best, and
more conducive TO the health OF the
patient.
"For example, he said to the inspec.
tor, ''here are a dog and cat. They have
been living together for eight months,
and are as fond of each other as tive
ascetic creatures can be. The dog, you
see, is a fine coach, and the cat an ex'
cellent Maltese"
what is the matter with them2'
was asked.
"Oh, nothing in particular. They
are both ypochondriacs -melancholla
you might call it. The dispositions OF
both are identical, and neither will have
anything to do with any of the Other
patients.
"They pass the day and night in silent
contemplation of each other, varying
the monotony once in awhile by indul'
ging in a methodical and dignitied Ca
ress. Both have been under my treat
ment over a year. and it took severa
months to diagnose and find a treatment
for their peculiar malady, as the symp
toms in each case are Identical.
t'The dog exhibited the most INTENSE
sadness, and would not notice any OF
the other patients, and would seldom
accept food, though / offered the mosI
tempting dainties. The cat was the
same way, only she seemed to have Z
thorough disgust for the society Of
other cats, and the only time she woulc
ever give a show of spirit was wher
some other cat would come neal her
| Then she would curve her back in dis
dain. and with a contemptuons hiss
walk away. 1t became evident that SHE
was proud and felt herself above hel
! companions. | concluded at last to try
the dog, who was also a superciliou!
animal, and it was not long before thu
arrangement proved satisfactory. Dis
appointment in love, imagine
is the II of their sorrows. These
naughty aristocrats get along well to
gether, and | have hopes of bringing
them out Of their slough of despond.' -
Where did you get them?" was thu
curious inquiry.
1.-THE dog belongs to q wealthy ant
old New York family, and the eat Is, o
rather was, an inmate of the household
of an aristocratic Baltimore msldel
lady"
do you believe in class distinction
among animals2"
"MCst assuredly. | have evidence.
of it all the time. Even under ordinar!
circumstances, you know, neither dog
nor cats ~fraternlze. They are not gre
garious animals, and solitude is prefer
red, as a rule, except where mai is con
cerned. Over there, you see, is a Gu
dog. His life there is miserable in thu
extreme, but 1t cannot be helped. AL
my other patients are blue-blooded, ant
ignore the vulgar antecedents of TIN
cur. He does not to appreciate /
much, as his sensibilities are not in'
enough, and his want OF cultivation
prevents any annoying reflections which
might be engendered by all injured
amour propre. The only time be eve.
displays any consciousness of the in
suits hourly heaped upon him is whei
that magnificent tortoise-shell cat yol
see over there visits her spite upon him
''She is a heightened cat, but meal
as she can be and is always creating
trouble by her meddlesome and swell
headed manners"
just then the cat referred to cam
near, with a mincing gait, She wa
indeed a beautiful animal. all save th
tail, which dragged on the floor, AN
was of unnatural size, and gave her tn
appearance of two cats Joined together
At the first glance one would take he
for a feline Siamese twin.
"She is suffering from elephantasiS,
explained the doctor. "She not onl
has the blg head, but the big tall, toe
Yes, | am afraid she will die by becom
ing all tail. 1t is strange that the do
she despises so much should have a
affection the opposite from here. He
slowly wasting away and Is incurablt
| would have him killed but for the fac
his case is a peculiar one, and desir
to study it. He is afflicted with acut
muscular atrophy. a disease not extra
ordinary in human beings. There is
gradual osslication of the muscles an
a consequent loss of flesh. His food
not assimilated to the system, and he
rapidly becoming a dog skeleton. ATT
a while he will be a good addition I
the freaks in the museums"
The doctor continued a very interes
ing narrative, explaining the diseases
the various animals under his car
There were about twenty in all, tive
thirds of them dogs, embracing New
foundlands, terriers, Skye, black an'
tan, and bull, and two Pomeranian {
coach dogs. Four dogs and two cal
had consumption, but the majority wei
suffering from disease brought on /
accidents. One of the cats had no la
whatever, and was as bald as the mo-
confirmed front-seat portion Of the ba
let. He was a funny sight, and WI
used by the conyalescing patients, whe
in a good humor, a a roller skatiI
rink.