The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-04
PAINLESS LION BITES.

The attacks OF the lesser carnivora
smaller i'm proportion 20 man, are FIRE.
quently very painful, but matters art
so ordered that the bite of a dog or 0
! ferret is unusually more painful than
the injuries inflicted by the jaws OF q
lion. The instances quoted are very nu-
merous and striking, and properly
grouped according TO locality or the
! species OF the attacking beast. in So
maitland the experiences of the bitten
are supplemented by Capt. Abud. the
! resident at Berbera, who has had a
] long experience OF cases. English and
natve, as most OF the former, unless
killed outright, which very seldom hap
pens, are brought 20 Berbera.
He states, says the London Spectator,
that the view that no actual pain is
suffered at the tame seems almost uni
yersal. I'm most cases 10 would seem
that there was no knowledge OF the act
ua contact. even ia the first rush OF a
lion. much less OF any pain experienced
from tooth wounds" This was the view
not only of the English. but of natives
ln one or TWO cases where conscious
ness was entirely lost the person 'cama
to- while the lion was Stiil standing
over him, period Of complete anes-
thesia ana uncOnsCiOusncss having in
teryened. But, more commonly, those
who have been attacked and nave re-
covered are conscious all the time, and
II they suffer at all do not feel acute
pain tbs may be- accounted for partly
by the shock given by the charge, which
forms the usual preliminary to being |
wounded, A lion comes at its enemy nj |
fun speed. gllloping low. and dashes a |
man standing upright 10 the ground by |
the fun impact of its body. Major In |
verar4ty states that the claws and |
teeth entering the flesh do not hurt az /
much as you would think but that |
the squeeze given by tn jaws on the |
bone is really painful When Knocked |
over he was still keenly conscious, and |
felt none OF the dreamy sensation ex-
)erlenced by Livingstone.
Major SWaine struck down by lion
'ss going at full gallop, was uncon-
'clous for some minutes and did not |
Know what had happened till he found |
himself standing up after the accident |
4 felt no pain" he writes. mot. / be-
ieVe owing 10 any special interposltion |
n Providence but simply that the |
hook and loss OF blood made me inca |
able of feeling IL. There was no pain |
or few days till IL was brought on
" the swelling of my arm on the
we've DAYS NlQ< To the coast capt. 4
'oyes, attacked IN the same district by |
lion i'm 1895, was charged dnMn and
itten until the crcalure left him |
robably when attacked by his SER
ants. His hand was badly bitten. but
@ was not conscious of any feeling |
fear. or any pain whatever. probably |
ecause there was no time. but he fell |
Nactly AZ II he had been bOwled over !
football match. and nothing more" |
far worse accident was that which !
'fell Lieut. Nandeze I'm the same |
'ar. near Beira. The lion charged him |
'wn In the usual way ami mangled his |
ighs and fractured one of his arms |
)uring the time the attack on me by |
9 hon was I'm progress" h writes
1elt no pain whatever. although there |
IS a distinct feeling OF being bitten
at Is. | was perfectly conscious. indie
ndently OF seeing the performance |
at the lion was gnawing at me. but |
ere was no pain.
i may mention that while my thighs |
ire being gnawed | took two car |
ldges out Of the breast pocket Of my |
trt and threw them to the Kaffir. who |
as lowering few yards away. telling |
IN To load my rife. and immediately |
e lion died and rolled on me. / scram-
el up and took a loaded rifle ana firef
the carcass"