Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-12-18
THE FISH SURGEON.
OPERATIONS WHICH HE PERFORMS
UPON HIS PATIENTS.

| Medicines Are Administered.
The fish doctor, like the regular doc
tor. gives medicine, performs surgical
operations and superintends his pa
tents diet and environment. These
nre the principal operations which he
performs: Trimming the fsh's tail with
fish shears when fungoUs growths ell
large it; stripping the fish to remove
the eggs or milt that have not been
naturally deposited; eXcsing with the
lance tumors, lacerated scales and
splinters of bone
Among the medicines that the fish
doctor gives are castor oil for swelling
of the swimming bladder and nuX vom-
lea for debility and emaciation. This
| specialist also presides over the food
of the fish, iuspects their food troughs
thoroughly and makes microscopic eX
nminations of their water to see that it
contains the proper life giving elements
In their due proportions. Regarding
these matters, which are as important
TO healthy as to sick fish. the leading
fish doctor of Philadelphia recently
said:
"A food trough of enameled ware
that will not rust should be used for
! tiSh. At the same time each day their
oatmeal should be put in this trough,
which should always be kept in the
same place. and as Il consequence of
this treatment the fish will gather
around their trough at mealtme, which
they will inStinctively recognize. as
gree Oily as hogs, burying their noses
in the food when it is set before them
md crOwding and pushing one another
in a healthy, ravenous and hoglike
manner. The trough should be cleaned
once Il day lest it set sour. but the wa
ter of the fish should rarely be changed.
Even when it becomes foul smelling it
should only be changed gradually-a
quart day, Say-fOr to change it all
ut once has the effect of a terrible eX-
posure-is. indeed, the same as if you
should snatch child from it's warm
bed and lay it naked out Of doors in the
cold night wind and SNOW"
| 1t is not the detention of fish from
their native element that makes fish
surgery difficult. for they can be kept
out Of the water for five. six and sew
en- minutes without the slightest harm
to them, and there is no operation that
requires a longer space Of time. But
what makes it difficult is the disincli-
nation Of the flesh to heal after it has
been cut. A wound to heal requires to
be dry. Nothing is more deleterious to
1t than any sort Of moisture, and hence
the troubles of fish wound bathed
and soaked in water all the time. In
evitably, therefore. fish operations are
simple and slight.
One of them is the trimming Of tails
enlarged to unwieldiness by growths
of fungus. In this work sharp shears,
with blades oddly curved-fish shears
are employed. The fish is lifted from
the water and held head downward
while it's tail is being trimmed. A dex.
ferrous operator gets through the work
In two or three minutes. There is no
flow Of blood and no gaping wound
that will not heal; hence tail trimming
is in nine cases out of ten successful.
1t must be resorted to often with jap
anese goldfish. for these costly and
graceful creatures. with their resem-
blance to strange golden flowers. have
tails bigger than their bodies. and when
their tails, as frequently happens. be-
come affected with fungus. they are un-
able to swim we'll. and sometimes, in
deed they drown. A fish browns
technically when. floating with it's head
| l. =
ton.
The knife is used on fish to remove
tumOrs or lacerated scales or splintered
bones which. uneXcised. would cause
the fish'S death. decorations of the
scales are only treated when they are
so severe that the fish without treat
ment would surely die. This operation
Is successful in about 20 per cent Of the
cases. The remaining 80 per cent die
because their wounds do not heal.
Stripping is an operation resorted to
when. in the breeding season, the fish,
through some malady or other, does
not deposit naturally its eggs or its
milt. The patient in this operation is
held with the left hand while with the
rlSnt nfn pressure is eAerteu alCuS
it's sides from the breast down to the
tail. Stripping is the least dangerous
of all the operations in fish surgery.
Admirable results are obtained by
dosing fish with medicines. Castor oil,
for swelling of the swimming bladder,
Is a remedy that seldom fails. \ tish's
dose of castor oil is one drop, diluted
slightly. The liquid may be admins
tered either with a spoon or with