The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-01-08
DOCTORING A MENAGERIE,
DISEASES THAT AFFLICT WILD
ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY.
An Elephants Turkish Bath-Coaxing
Tiger to Eat-The Enragcd Boa
Constrictor-A Narrow Escape.

''ln the past fifteen years, remarked
the Superintendent of the Central Park
Meaegerie to New York star reporter,
al have treated almost every species of
animal known to the civilized world, and
in many years past l have performed au-
topsies upon most of the patients that
have died under my treatment. What
are the most prevalent diseasesl That
would be had to decide. Every disease
that man can have monkey can have,
but with the latter lung troubles are
more common than any other malady.
The late Mr. Crowley, for instance, died
from combination of disorders that
were distinctly human in their scope.
He had consumption, liver complaint,
brought on by injudicious feeding dur
ing one of his periods of convalesccnce,
and brain trouble that would have
caused insanity in time. His vitality was
something marvellous. Just fancy, all
his antics were done with only the half of
one lung in his chest
(Which are the most difficult animals
to treat9"
Monkeys, You see, they are strong
for their size, and when they are cornered
they make vicious fight and they must
always be caught before they can be
treated. The monkey always smells his
food before he takes mouthful, and
what he doesn't like he will not cat.
Therefore he must have his medicine
poured down his throat by force. How
is it done! An attendant goes into the
cage with bag fastened to ring at the
end of a pole, like a fish dip net. He
corners the sick monkey and throws the
bag over his head; then there is 4 twist
of the hand, few squeaks are heard
from the interior of the net, and the cap
ture is made 1t then takes two men to
make the brute open his mouth. His
hands and feet must be held and the
jaws forced apart. 1t is hard work,
assure you. have spent whole morn
ing, many a time, making a valuable
monkey take its medicine, and it is a
job l never yearn for"
''How about sick tigers"
"Lions, tigers, panthers, leopards-in
fact, all animals of the cat family-arc
easily treated. They are ravenous eaters,
and take medicine with their food with
out seconds hesitation. When a tiger
refuses to eat his regular food we have
to tempt his appetite. This is seldom
hard to do A tiger will generally eat live
food. We saturate pigeon or a 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 first introducing the medi-
cine INTO the blood. A tiger will always
drink warm blood. We seldom have
much difficulty with these animals. The
adults, as a rule, either die of lung
troubles, brought on by colds, or of en-
largemcnt of the liver from want of suf-
iicient 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 ''ricketts, :"
caused by the lack of lime in their bones.
"The only time we have trouble with a
sick lion," continued the doctor, lis
when we are forced to peform surgical
4. operation. The royal beast must first be
chloroformed To do this we fasten a
large sponge soaked in the drug to the
end of stout pole, and shove this be-
tween the bars of the cage. This makes
the lion furious, and he snaps, growls
and claws at the intruder But every
times he bites or strikes the sponge he
inhales the fluid, and in about ten min
utes he is generally sleeping like baby"
''Did you ever treat an elephant"
soften. As rule, elephants are par
ticularly docile when they are sick They
have sense enough to appreciate what is
being done for them, and they often sup
plement 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 expen-
sive Injuries, and l didn't want to lose
him. / took his two keepers and two
other attendants with me into the ele-
phant house. We built rousing 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 as 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 tipsyl liz
did not, but he felt happy and playful,
and the treatment pulled him through
safely. don't know whether he had {
headache the next morning or not. II
he did, he probably did not know what
caused it.
Bears, wolves, kangaroos and camel
generally die from lung troubles. hav
told you of the difficulty in treating
camel. The same is the case in doctor
ing kangaroos and ostriches. Bears anC
wolves are greedy feeders, and are treated
as a rule, without much trouble
'Did you ever attend sick hippo
potamus"
"Only once. Miss Murphy, our femal
specimen, had a stomach disorder once
/ walked to the bars of her cage and hell
up my hand as if l were going to give he
something to eat. She opened her moutl
so wide that l could almost see the sea
of her complaint. dropped the powde
down the cavity and the task was ended
We have been very fortunate with Mis-
Murphy and Caliph, her mate. Tn
former has been here about four wear
and has been extraordinary healthy. Tn
Philadelphia gardens have lost thre
specimens, and the oldest only live
three years in confinement. In Londo