The St. Louis Republic., 1904-08-21
Red Cross Society Is Having Col
lies Trained to Aid Med
ical Corps.
TAUGHT TO sUCC0R WOUNDED
Each Animal Provided With a
knapsack-Like Pocket Con
tanning Food, Stimulants
and Bandages.

Rome. Aug. None hundred and f,ve
CANNES have received their degrees and
as many full-bred collie dogs have been
given a medical kit bearing the Red Cross
insignia
Government and are considered among
Italy's most valuable possessions.
Five hundred moro are now working
hard for their diplomas and Red Cross
badges. and these will soon be for sale to
either the Russian or Japanese Govern
ment. Both nations have put in a bid
for q certain number, and they will short
ly be shipped to their respective destina-
tions.
The discovery that the intelligent collie
dogs. who so love to trace up a lost trav-
eler, and who will spend days on the
scent. could be turned into competent war
nurses was made about two years ago by
the monks Of the Hospice Of St. Bernard
in the Alpa
The superior Of this religion, order
owned four fne beasts, who had frequent
ly brought some lost, half-starved way
farer to the monastery. After this had
occurred several times the priests conceived
the Idea Of making a little blanket for
tho dogs, in the pocket Of which could
be put a small quantity Of food and stim-
ulant.
The plan was carried out and within six
weeks the experiment was four times
proved success
-Four thankful men, in the wake Of the
Samaritan dogs. came to st. Barnard's
and informed the priests that the food and
the drink which the dogs had carried to
them had come Just in the nick Of time
to save their lives. Word Of the good
ths ome,siS Of Rome. t With there the result hst that
After Q visit had been made to st. Ber-
4ArdO Tor the purpose OF examining the
dogs and watching them set out on a trail
Of their own record twenty-five fine col
lies were purchased.
Quarters were built for them at the
italian capital and they were put under
The care Of the chief army surgeon. who
the dogs In Red Cross work.
MARKED WITH SYMBOL
Twenty-Five gray blankets. holding two
capaoious pockets each. were ordered.
These were marked with the Red Cross
symbol and itted out with those things
drst aid to the injured
In one knapsack-like pocket were placed
two masks and two dat biscuits. One
flask was to hold pure water, the other a
specially prepared stimulant. which could
be taken without fear of Injurious results
by any wounded soldier. The remaining
pocket was fitted out with roll Of ban.
dages. q small adjustable splint, a soft
silk probing instrument, such a. every
Italian soldier knows how to use. and q
tiny sponge.
First. each dog had to pass the doctor
who either credited him with a perfectly
sound body, muscular and organic, and
gave him an o. K. slip. or else blacklisted
him because Of some defect. When twen-
ty-flve perfectly sound dogs had been Sc
cured they were divided into squads oi
five. with a trainer for each squad.
On September at 8 a. m. the first squad
was given its initial Instructions. Five
regulars in military uniform were given
six hours start Of the dogs. The men
tramped in circular courses until they
thought they had successfully bewildered
the dogs. who were allowed to watch
them start They dropped down on a
mountain pass beside a hidden stream in
a valley some eight or ten miles distant