Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-10-17
OPENED A SNAKES STOMACH
Queer Surgical Operation by Kan
sas City Doctors.

On Sunday, Aug. %, Mrs. Rade Har.
| den's pet African boa constructor Babe
| SYSTEMATICALLY swallowed the blanket
on which it bad been sleeping. Since
\ that time Babe has lain in her box
| thinking the matter over and putting
| forth all her gastric powers to digest
| the blanket. But the blanket, being of
| good stout Canton flannel, refused to
yield TO digestion, and it became q seri-
Gus question whether or not it could
stand the strain much longer. 1t was
determined, therefore, to perform q sur.
gicel operation on Bsbs and remove the
impedlment.
At 9 o'clock this morning Babe wss
taken to the University Medical college
at Tenth and Campbell streets and
placed on an operating table in a lecture
room. Ii wac extremely lively as to the
first four feet Of body and heavy as to
the other four feet. The amphithsater
was filed with medical students, doc
tors and visitors. Mrs. Harden stood by
Babe, and encouraged it to endure the
coming ordeal. DR.. L. Rosenwsld took
of his coat, rolled up his sleeves and an
nounced that be was ready to relieve
Babe Of it's burden. Babe ran it's fork
cd tongue in and out, oaressing Mrs.
Harden's cheeks and hands. Even the
medical students shuddered.
While DR.. Moore administered chloro-
form to Babe, DR.. Rossn valid drew
rough plans and specifications of Babe
on the black board, and, addressing the
students inNtechnical language, explain
ed that similar operation had never
been performed Oh q snake before. and
that be would make an exploratory in
cision" through the abdominal wall. the
peritoEeun, and the stomach Of the req
tile. provided it had them, and recover
the blanket il it was there. The stu
dents craned their necks and regarded
the preparations with much interest.
Babe had in the meantime responded
gracefully to the chloroform, and was
iDsensible. An incision nve inches long
vas made in the belly Of the snake and
hardly a drop of blood escaped. But
the blanket was there and wss drawn
forth without trouble. 1t had been
rolled into oigsr-shsped cylinder about
two feet long and was ss hard rs a
brick. 1t was covered With gastric juice
which was futilely endesvoring to do its
work. The blanket looked as though il
had been compressed by machinery.
1t had to be soaked in water before il
could be unfolded. The stomach of the
snake was as clean as q whistle. and at
ter the blanket had been removed was
ss empty as a drum. Nine stitches |
we're made in closing the wound, and |
the snake was taken out into the alley |
for fresh air. 1t was soon surrounded |
by stude nts, email boys and colored wo-
men. 10 about five minutes it's lungs |
filled with air and its forked tongue ran |
in and out, and Mrs. Harden, who was
anxiously watching it, gave a Sigh Of re-
lief.
"l'm so glad my Babe didn't die" che
exclaimed. II couldn't spare my baby.
I'd sooner have that snake around the
house than lots OF men,"
The colored women shuddered, and
one exclaimed In Mortified tone: "Oh,
my Gawdw
DR.. Rosenwald said that the snake
would surely recover, and prescribed q
1iet OF raw eggs for it, for two weeks.
afrer which it may eat anything except
Canton flannel blankets.
The owner of the boa constructor con-
1ucts a restaurant near Fifth and Wy
.ndotte streets. She got the reptile
rom snake chsrmer who could not
pay board bill.-Ksusas City Star.