The Opelousas courier., 1888-11-10
AMBULANCES
For the Care of Disabled AMI
mails in the Metropolis.
Practical Ways of Caring for the
Dumb Creature4.

The Society For the prevention of
Cruelty to Animals in the 0y Of New
York has its practical side. mot alone
docs it bring to justice Close who
wantonly irtict injury on dumb crea-
lures, but 1t cares for ANIMALS suffering
from the many accidents which may be-
fall them. In New York City the mis-
haps to which horses are subject are
frequent. A horse slips, falls, and
breaks a leg. 1t becomes a necessity
to removc him; and a crippled horse is
by no means easy to handle. Horses
overworked in summer suffer from a
malady which very much resembles
Anstroke; they fall, and may remain
for some time ina state Of syncope. A
very peculiar disease which affects
horses seems to become more
frequent 10 damp and mug3y weather.
A horse having remlined in his stable
AoA d Jay oA 81 IL tahed ouI5 pun W
work, when suddenly he is attacked
with partial paralysis. In the graver
accident, such as the breaking of a leg,
little can b, done save t. remove the
horse as gently as possible, and aftetl
ward to despatch him. But many cases
occur when the troubles horses suffer
from are only temporary, and it they
can be attended to at once their lives
can be saved, and so a heavy loss is not
| entailed on their owners. To meet the
~exigencies of its city service that ex~
cellent Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, having at its head
Henry Bergh, has in constant use two
ambulances. 1t is rare that one ambu-
lance is not at work. AS fast as one is
off duty another takes its place, and it
frequently happens that both are en-
ployed.
These ambulanccs are strong and
heavy, but so devised as to give the ami
mails they carry no unnecessary jolting.
In a very ingenious manner, by means
of a winch like that used to move safes
into their vans an animal can be drawn
on q sliding platform into the ambulance.
1t sometimes happens that in that
aboninable condition Of excavation
found in the streets of New York,
horses fall into those pits, which are
apparently set as traps for them. To
get ever this difficulty the society uses
a small derrick and in this way animals
are raised out of excavations. No small
amount of ingenuity has to be exercised
by those having til ambulance in
charge in carrying di hbled animals to
the stables of owners. M any truckmen
in New York keep their animals in Gel
lars or where the approaches to the sta
BILE lead through tortuous alleys, high
enough for a horse to walk through but
not wide enough when the animal has
to be carried. Without such mechan-
ical devices as are found in these ambu-
lances this humane work would be i'm
possible. During the few years OF exist
nee of this ambulance system the So
ciety has moved from tho streets of New
York fully $500 animals, and has hui
smancly destroyed $500 horses disabled
past recovery. Not only are horses
moved, but steers, calves, and sheep, all
of which are subjected to accident in
New York. Occasionally these ambu-
Iances have carried rather uncommon
animals through the city. An elephant
arrives from beyond the seas. The ami
NAL has become crippled and footsore by
long, c~onfiae ment Or shipboard, and it
would be cruel to have the huge crea-
ture walk one the hard stone streets.
The ambulance is at the service of the
elephant, and at his ease he is carried to
his place of destination. 8
A street block is not au uncommon
sight in New York. 4 horse has fallen
in a crowded street. On examination it
has been found by the officers of the
society that the animals injury is grave.
He cannot move himself. He must be
carried. At onco the ambulance is
sent forth, and the dextcrous officials,
with a minimum of suffering to the
horse, quickly place him in the ambu-
lance. A crowd blocks the street. It
is a sympathetic ~assemblage, for it has
been taught BY the Society for the Pre-
v~ention of Cruelty to Animals to know
what is true humanity, -LHarper's
Weekly.