The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-02
PAINLESS LION BITES.
Wen Who Have Been Attacked Say
They Do Not suffer.
From the London Spectator.

From the London Spectator.
The attacks Of the lesser carnivora.
smaller in proportion to man, are frequent
~ very painful but matters are so ordered
that the bite of dog or a ferret is US
ually more painful than the injuries infiict-
ed by the jaws OF a lion The intances
quoted are very numerous and striking
and properly grouped according to locality
or the species of the attacking beast. In
Somaliland the experiences of the bitten
are supplemented by Capt. Abud, the resi-
dent at Berbera, who has had a long ex-
perience OF cases, English and native, as
most. of the former, unless killed outright,
which very seldom happens, are brought
10 Berbera
He states that the view that no actual
pain is suffered al the time seems almost
universal. In most cases II would seem
that there was no knowledge of the actual
contact even in the first rush of a lion
much less of any pain experienced from
tooth wounds" This was the view not
only Of lhe English, but of natives. In
one or TWO cases where consciousness was
entirely lost. he persons "came to" while
the lion was still standing over him. per-
od of complete anesthesia and uncon-
seriousness having interviewed. But, more
commonly those who have been attacked
and have recovered are conscious all the
time and if they suffer al all do moi feel
acute pain This may be accounted for
partly by the shock given by the charge
which forms the usual preliminary to be-
ing wounded. A lion comes at its enemy
at fun speed. gailoping low and dashes a
man standing upright 10 the ground ~
the full impact OF its body. Maj Invera-
riiy states that "the claws and teeth en-
tering the flesh do not hurt as much as
YOU would think but that the squeeze
given by the jaws on the bone is really
painful When knocked over he was still
keenly conscious, and felt none of the
dreamy sensation experienced by Living
stone
Maj. Swaine. struck down by a lioness
going al full gallop. was unconscious for
some minutes and did not know what had
happened till he found himself standing up
after the accident. Il felt no pain" he
writes mot / believe, owing 10 any spe-
cal interposition of Providence but simply
that the shock and loss OF blood made me
Incapable of feeling 1t. There was no pain
for q few days till IL was brought on by
the swelling of my arm on the twelve days
ride 10 the coast" Capt. Noyes, attacked
in the same district by lion i'm 1895, was
charged down and bitten, until the crea-
ttro left him, probably when attacked by
his servants. His hand was badly bitten,
but he was not conscious of any feeling
OF fear. or any pain whatever probably
because there was no time but he felt ex-
actly az il he had been bowled over in a
football match, and nothing more" A far
worse accident was that which befel
Lieut. Vandezee in the same year, near
Beira The lion charged him down in the
usual way and mangled his thighs and
fractured one of his arms. During the
time the attack on me by the lion was in
progress" he writes, Il felt no pain what
ever, although there was distinct feeling
Of being bitten-that is, / was perfectly
conscious, independently of seeing the per
Torrance, that the lion was gnawing at
me- but there was no pain.
Il may mention that while my thighs
were being gnawed l took two cartridges
out of the breast pocket OF my shirt and
threw them to the Kafir, who was hover
ing few yards away, telling him to load
my rife. and Immediately the lion died and
rolled off me. l scrambled up and took a
loaded rifle and fired at the carcass. ("
-~-e-S--
uisinfect with PIatt's ChIorides.
Daily and much sickness will be prevent