The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-28
SIT. SORE THROAT
An Affection That Means Some
thing to a Giraffe.
ILLNESS OF NELLIE
How Ringing Brothers Famous An
>tmaI Was Nursed Through
the Grip. ~ flTs

Any man who has known the miseries
of sore throat will have some little idea
what 1t means to have that aff1iction
spread over a throat eight feet long.
Poor Nellie, the giraffe In the Ringing
Brothers circus, has been suffering from
a cold and sore throat. affecting the
whole enormous area Of her respiratory
tract. Like all giraffes, Nellie is very
delicate, and through an unavoidable ac-
cident she caught cold Before her ply
sician and keepers realized that anything
had happened to her she was suffering
from influenza, complicated with sore
throat, and she developed a most ex-
cruciating sough 1t was agonizing and
almost eternal in its slowness. It
sounded like rattEng smoke stack.
The authorities decided that something
eficacious would have to be done for Nell
lie at once or a precious giraffe would
quit cold hard world for good. All
the animal physicians and most expert
enced keepers were called in consultation.
A mild spray of one pint of cocaine was
administered. This gave Nellie much re-
lief. The next step was to protect her
throat. A band &of warm, dry flannel,
twenty feet long was wound around Nell
lies neck and a halter, attached by ropes
to the ceiling, was put on in order to
hold it steady. A sort Of flannel dressing
gown was then built to cover UP the rest
Of Nellie's person ;: Before these steps
were taken an order had been sent to a
great firm Of chemists to manufacture a
nose and throat spray Of appropriate size,
Immediately, and regardless of expense.
This was made similar to those used by
human beings. The bottle part of 1t held
quart of liquid, instead of the one or
two ounces OF the ordinary atomizer. The
atomlzlng process was carried on by
means of bulb as large as football.
The liquid used was peroxide of hydrogen,
an excellent antiseptic. Nellie returned
most Of it before it had time to accom-
plish much good, but In little while
that the treatment was for her good. After
that the spray was administered regularly
once an hour. A diet suitable to a giraffe
with bad cold was provided. This in
cluded warm bran mash, boiled onions
and little hot whisky and water. Large
doses of soothing paregoric were also ad-
ministered every two or three hours -
In spite Of all these precautions and
the good results which the giraffe showed
at the beginning Of treatment, she had a
very serious relapse during the second
night of her illness. Her temperature
rose to 103 degrees, while the pulse fell
to So per minute. She was suffering from
an acute fever. The poor animal rolled
her neck ceaselessly from side to side,
and groaned out of the depths Of her
throat, while her great eyes were filled
with tears and an expression of unut-
terable woe. The devoted physicians and
attendants sat at her head. perched on
top of their ladders. all night. They ad-
ministered large quantities Of antipyrine
from time to time, to keep down the fever.
They carefully mopped up the perspiratton
which rolled off her In rivers. ~,
At daybreak the watchers were de-
{rh+4 4I,~-
into a soothing sleep. When she awoke
from this the CRISIS had passed: : =.