Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-02
ALLIGATOR UNDER KNIFE.
Removing Tumors From Big souriar
New York Tribune.l

i
| in the New York Geological Park, was
successfully operated on by DR.. Frank
H. Miller, of the New York Geological
Society, recently for the removal of two
large tumors from the forefeet, after a
struggle lasting an hour between the
saurian and eight men. Even after Big
Nose was strapped and roped until it
seemed impossible for him to move he
would give twist, and snap would go
| the ropes, showing that the enormous
strength credit to him was not myth.
The alligator has for long time been
troubled with two tumors as big as APP
pies, which grew on each of his fore
feet. Last week he grew enranged at a
smaller alligator that accidentally trod
on one of the sore spots and killed It,
Then it was decided that the tumors
would have to come off.
AT p. m. preparations were begun to
capture Nose. He was lying half In
and half out of the water in the alliga-
tor tank at the east end of the reptile
house when the water was let out. This
seemed to surprise him. He dashed his
tail around and made noise with his
mouth that sounded like the blowing off
of a safety valve on a steam engine. The
eight attendants that had gathered
around looked a trifle anxious. Four
smaller alligators We're prodded with a
long pick in the hands Of the manager
of the reptile house. r. l.. Ditmars, who
forced them to go up a steep bank at the
side of the tank which led to little
platform arranged for them. Then
everything was ready for the capture of
Big Nose.
The first step wac to slip big bag or
gunny sack, over the reptiles head. The
bag was put on a long pole, and Mr..
Ditmars waited for favorable opportu-
nifty to drop it over the alligator's head.
This soon came, and the bag was se-
eurely tied with ropes. So far every
thing had been easy and Big Nose had
been docile enough. When the attend
ants attempted to draw moose over his
tail the trouble began.
Big Nose gave his tail gentle fin
and the eight attendants who had hold
Of the rope fell over one another. Then
the big alligator grew angry. He twisted
and turned and jumped around the tank
until the attendants were almost panic
stricken. Then the superintendent of
the park, William T. Hornaday, who up
to this time had been a looker-on.
jumped down into the tank and grabbed
the rope attached to Moses tail. But the
alligator was no respecter of persons.
he treated the superintendent in exact
~ the same way, and very soon Mr..
Hornaday found himself on his hands
and knees in the bottom of the tank.
"A platform was then brought in and
placed on the floor of the tank. The
eight men stood at one end while Man
ager Ditmars stood at the other end of
the tank on the outside. and prodded
the alligator with pick. Then Big
Nose, made mistake. He pushed him
sell along. climbed on the platform lust
where they wanted him to go.
The attendants quickly slung ropes
around him and in few minutes had
the alligator, as they thought. bound
hard and fast. But he was NOT to be
captured SO easily. He strained and
struggled until he snapped the ropes
that bound him as If they had been
threads. but he still remained on the
platform. Other and stronger ropes
We're sent for and at last. after nearly
an hours fight. the immense saurian
was dashed securely.
Then the platform and the alligator
We're lifted up and placed crosswise on
two boxes so that DR.. Miller, who was
to perform the operation, would have
plenty of room. This was no easy mat
ter, as the platform and alligator to-
gether weighed nearly eight hundred
pounds.
1T was found necessary to chloroform
Big Nose, as he kept moving his feet
and prevented DR.. Miller from injecting
cocaine into them. He took three ounces
OF chloroform before he succumbed.
AT ESQ o'clock the tumors had been re-
moved. The order was then given to
rnloose the ropes which bound the alli-
gator to the platform. This was almost
as risky as the tying had been. When
the bag was removed from Big Noses
head it was seen that he had come out
of his stupor, and his eyes cleaned
wickedly
When the last rope was removed Big
Nose stood right up on his feet, very
unusual thing for an alligator to do. and
shook himself as dog would do after
having swim. Then he walked off the
platform and lay down at one end of the
tank, perfectly quiet. Everybody heaved
sigh of relief when 1t was seen that
Big Nose had no desire to cause any
more trouble. The tank was quickly
cleared and the platform lifted out,
Then the water was let in. and in a few
minutes the alligators were swimming
around as IL nothing had ever occurred
to disturb their peace and quiet.
Big Nose is one Of the largest alIiga-I
tors ever seen here. He measures
thirteen feet in length and four feet at
his widest part. He was presented to
the New York Geological society last
September, and was originally brought
from Cocoa, Fla. About two hundred |