Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-24
D0CT0RlNG A MENAGERIE.
DISEASES THAT AFFLICT WILD
ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY.
An Elcphant's Turk ish Bnth-Coaxing
Tiger to Eat-Thc Enragcd boa
ConStrictor--AN Narrow Escnpc.

An l;lcphant's Turkish Dnth-Coaxing
Tiger to Eat-Thc Enragctf Boa
Constrictor--A Narrow Escape.
"ln the past fifteen years" remarked
the Superintendent Of the Central Park
Mcnngcric to New York Star reporter,
81 have treated almost every species of
animal known to the civilized world, and
i'll many years past have performed au-
topsics upon most of the patients that
havc died under my treatment. What
are the most prevalent diseases. That
would he had to decide. Every disease
That man can have Il monkey can have,
but with the latter lung troubles are
more common than any other maludy.
The late Mr. Crowley, for instance, died
from n combination Of disorders that
were distinctly human in their scope.
lie had CONSUMPTION, liver complaint,
brought on by injudicious feeding dur
ing one Of his periods Of convnlcsccncc,
and II brain trouble that would have
caused insanity in time. Ills vitality was
something marvellous. Just fancy, NIL
his antics were done with only the half of
one lung in his chest
(which are the mos; difficult animals
| to treat?'
"Nlonkcys. You see. they are strong
for their size, and when they are corncrcd
they make II vicious fight; and they mus,
always he caught before they can bc
treated. The monkey always smells his
food before he takes "a mouthrul, and
what lie doosn', like he will not eat
Therefore he must have his medicine
| poured down his throat by force. How
Is 1t done! Am attendant goes into the
cage with bag fastened to II ring nj The
end of pole, like II fish dip net. He
corners the sick monkey and throws the
bag over his head; then there is twist
Of the hand, few squcaks are heard
from the interior of the net, and the cap.
lure is made. IL then takes two men to
make the brute open his mouth. His
hnnds and feet must be held and the
jaws forced apart. 1t is hard work, /
assure you. have spent whole morn
ing, many time, making valuable
monkey take its medicine, and il is II
job l never yearn for"
"IIow about sick tigcrs?"
'llons, tigers, pnnthcrs lcopards-in
fact, all animals OF the cat fnmily-arc
easily treated. They are rnvcnous enters,
and take medicine with their food with
out II seconds hesitation. When tiger
refuses TO cat his regular food we have
| to tempt his appetite. This is seldom
hard odo. tiger will generally eat live
food. We saturatc II pigeon or II rabbit
with the medicine and throw it loose in
the cage. If the brute is too sick to
Kill his food we cut the throat of the
victim after iirs. introducing the mcdi-
cine INTO the blood. tiger will always
! drink warm blood. We seldom have
much difficulty with these animals. The
/ adults, rs rule, either die of lung
troubles, brought on by colds, or of en-
| largcmcnt Of the liver from want of suf-
iicicnt exercise, or Of old age. The last
! is the most prevalent cause OF death.
Young lions and tigers born in captivity
are frequently troubled with "rickctts,'
caused by the lack Of lime in their bones.
"rhc only time we have trouble with II
sick lion," continued the doctor, s'is
when We are forced to pcforrl n surgical
operation. The royal beast must first be
chloroiormcd To do Tins we fastcn Il
large sponge soaked in the drug 10 the
end OF II stout pole, and shove this be.
tween the bars Of The cage This makes
the lion furious, and he snaps, growls
and claws ut the intruder But every
times he bites or strikes tho sponge he
inhales the fluid, and in about ten min
utes he is generally sleeping like baby"
"Did ycu ever treat an clcphant?'
"Oftcn. Asa rule, elephants are pnr
iicuarly docilc when they nrc sick. They
have sense enough to appreciate what is
being done for them, and they often SUP
plcmcnt the efforts OF their keepers
Several years ago had particularly sick
elephant on my hands. Tom was his
name, and he had heavy cold and was
threatened with pneumonia. Twas Sc
riously alarmed. Elephants are cxpen-
sivc luxurics, and | didn't want to lose
him. took his two keepers and two
other attendants with me into the clc-
pnant house. We built rousInp fire in
the stove and put two wash boilers on
top. In these we kept soaking heavy
blankets. We let them boil almost, and
then spread them over Toms back. II
was us good as Turkish bath. Before
this we gave him nearly two gallons of |
whisky in one drink Did he like the
whisky? He did. Did he get tipsy2 lie
did not, but he felt happy and playful,
and the treatment pulled him through
safely. don't know whether he had n
headache the next morning or not. If 1
he did, he probably did not know what
caused it,
Bears, wolves, kangaroos and camcs
generally die from lung troubles. haze !
told you of the difficulty in treating II
camel. the same is the case in doctor
ing kangaroos and ostrchcs. Bears and
t.n o<1,,f 4
as II rule, without much trouble"
"Did you ever attend sick hippo
potimusT
"Only once Miss Murphy, our female
specimen, mad sspinu..: disorder once.
| walked to the bIrs of her cngc ana lid
up my hand as ii ! were going to give her
something 10 eat. She opened her mouth
so wide tia. ] could almost see the seat