The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-06-03
Animals AS Surgeons.
From the Baltimore Evening News.

From the Baltimore Evening News
A party of Johns Hopkins students were
talking about immunity recently. One
of them remarked that a dogs saliva has
a perfect bactericidal and healing power,
and suggested that perhaps it would make
a good anti septic, although it seemed that
no bacteriologist had caught the hint con-
tanned in the simple process OF dog S lick
ing sore, process seen every day.
This idea was discussed generally. The
young man who first mentioned it took down
a pile of old magazines, and, after diligent
search, produced clipping from medical
journal containing paper by DIR. George
NJ. Gould Here is part Of it:
'When we commence observation OF the
origins of medical discovery and treatment,
we are struck by the fact that our broth
ers the animals were first in learning not
little of medical art 1t has been noticed
that birds often show true surgical in
stinct. VI. Tato on several occasions has
killed woodcock that were when shot con-
vaescing from wounds previously received
aud in every instance found the old injury
neatly dressed with down plucked from the
stems Of feathers and skillfully arranged
over the wound, evidently by the beak of
the bird In some instances Il solid plaster
was thus formed, and in others ligatures
had been applied to wounded or broken
limbs.
Ten timesin his experience he has found
birds whose limbs had been broken by shot
with the fractured ends neatly approx
mated and litigated together statement
that is vouched for by no less naturalist
than Fulbert Dumonteil.
CDR. James Weir says that when bees
are attacked with diarrhoea they at once
begin to suck astringent pieces of the dog
wood, poplar, wild cherry or hickory, and
rapidly cure themselves. Their instinct
carries them so far that in winter if they
should happen to be afflicted with diarrhoea
they will readily drink decoction of wild
cherry if it is placed in the hive. More
ever, they seem to know that filth is a
source Of disease.
CDR. Weir further believes that many
of the higher animals have discovered and
use bacteria medica that should be recog-
nized by human physicians. For instance,
dogs will seek out and devour the long
blades of couch grass (triticum repens)
when they are constipated.
Horses and mules will eat clay when they
have 'scours cattle with eczema have
been seen to plaster hoof and joint with
mud. He speaks Of seeing COW break
thin ice on pond and treat her itching
Joint to a mud poultice Cats will go miles
when they are under the weather for
dose Of catnip.
1.-The saliva Of animals seems to have
IA distinct curative action. Dogs, cats,
cattle, rodents, monkeys, all lick their
wounds when they can get at them and soon
effect cures. Weir also tells of large
dog faced monkey who scratched his shout
der badly on projecting nail in his cage.
He Immediately went TO Il corner and, SELF
inc handful Of clean sawdust, pressed 1t
on the bleeding scratch. In Il few mo-
ments the bleeding ceased and the blood
dried, leaving 4 coating under which the
healing was prompt.
"Rev. Egerton R. Young, a missionary
in Northwestern Canada, shows us that
the surgical instincts Of the dog may be-
come so far developed as to produce real
surgeon doctor One of his dogs sponta
neously took up this work and became so
expert that the Indians called him Mus
keke Atm, the surgeon. Calls, wounds,
frozen feet, etc, in the other dogs were
successfully and systematically treated by
Doctor Rover The wounds Or sores that
could not be reached by the dogs own
tongue did not heal. The fact shows that,
in state of health and with pure food,
the dog $ saliva has perfect bactericidal
and healing power. Perhaps it would make
an ideal antiseptic. No bacteriologist has
caught the hint. .