The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-22
ANIMAL DENTISTRY.
How to Extract Serpent's Teeth ana
Assist Sick Birds.

ma
Assist Sick Birds.
An odd phase of animal dentist,v i.
the removal of the fangs of poisoDans
snakes. Formerly these were broks,,
off by using a piece of wood and a ham
mer. This gave satisfaction in no.t
instances, but not always. On several
occasions cobras, whose fangs have
been broken off have struck keeper Il.
neighboring animals with serious A.,
even fatal results. The reason Lie, a
the fact that the glands which secrata
the virus are separate from the fauss
They are practically little poison tacs
situated in the gum and connected with
the fangs by short tubes. The faprs
are channeled so as to be half holow
When not in use they are folded bach
and close the tubes by their postum.
When the reptile employs them, thew
are thrown forward, the tubes are
opened and the glands excited tothe
utincS-
1t was found that when the fang Il
extracted it pulls away with it he
tubes and the glands in whole orin
part. The present practice is based
upon this fact. The serpent is secusIy
fastened, the best method being to hnk
him up by stout cord arounAths
neck. The waist is fastened tola(bh
prevent squirming. The mouth !
forced open, or when the snake oBAs
it in rage is held open by a piscl OF
wood placed far back between the tws.
The dentist clutches the fangs wild his
forceps as far down upon the roE as
he can possibly reach and pulls slHtly.
twisting the instrument. The hngs
come out without much difficult and
with them are always the poisohubes
and almost always large pieces the
poison glands. The wounds IDS oc-
casioned heal in about four day leav-
ing a small smooth scar. Highlands
seem after this to become abs0ed by
the reptiles system.
The cobra is the easiest sna1 to OPP
crate upon, being heavy, W and
stupid; the fer-du-lance of ii West
Indies is the most difficult, be & light,
quick and very fierce. The ratesnake,
copperhead, moccasin, adder ad viper
come in between the two ex1mes. 1t
is wonderful how similar III these
snakes are so far as their deat-dealing
apparatus is concerned. The all seem
to have been turned fromBhe same
general model.
There is one very prevailed disorder,
which though not CT a detail char
acter, is treated chiefly by aimal den
lists. 1t is that series of diseases OF
birds of which the mockin9bird pip is
the best type. The ailmet is prob
ably occasioned by the mechanical ir'
ri-ation of the food used, AMI consists
of horny growth on tn, tongue
which gradually extends from the
root to the tip. AS the tbnorma
growth progresses the bird finds eve
increasing difficulty to eat and sing
finally losing both it's appetite AMI
power of music. Painful sickness iAs'
invariable, and death not uncommq
consequence. The treatment is im
plicity itself. The birds mouth is
forced open until the tongue protrdes,
when the dentist loosens the horny
scale with his finger nail at the root Of
the tongue. He scratches it forwad,
the horn loosening with neither
difficulty or pain, until the tip is
reached, when it falls off. A clean,
healthy, though rather, sensitive sur
face is left, which toughens in few
hours, the bird regaining its health
and song at the same time. The oper-
alton lasts only one or two minutes.
Any one who possesses the least pa
thence can do it without trouble. The
animal dentist or bird fancier charges
$3.50 or 81 for the service, and regards
it as one of the "soft snaps OF the
profession. 81
A trouble similar in nature arises
from growth of the bill or claws when
bird has no opportunity to wear them
down by a regular use' The beak is
filed and the claws are clipped with
sharp scissors. Care should be taken
not to touch the quick, which runs
through both bill and claws, and cor
responds closely to the quick of human
nails. If this is touched, it not only
produces great pain, but also more or