The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-29
ANIMALS ACT
 AS SURGEONS
BIRDS DRESS WOUNDS AND EVEN
 SET THEIR BROKEN LEGS.
Bees, Cats and Cattle Know Secrets of Natures Materfa Medica-saliva of the Dog Often Found to Be
 a Perfect Germ Destroyer.

Baltimore News.
 A party of Johns Hopkins students
 were talking about Immunity" last | night. One of them remarked that a dogs saliva has a perfect bactericidal | and healing power and suggested that | perhaps 1t would make a good antisep- | tic, although 1t seemed iha. no bac- | teriologist had caught the hIn. contain l ed in the simple process of dogs lick ing a sore, a process seen every day. This idea was discussed generally The young man who first men sioncd 1t took down a pile of old magazines and after diligent search produced a clip. ping from a medical journal containing paper by Dr. George NJ. Gould. Here is part of 1t:
 When we commence observation Of the origin of medical discovery and treatment we are struck by the fact that our brothers the animals were first in learning net a iittls of medical art. It has been noticed thaS b.i ds of. ten show true surgical instinct M. Tatio on several occasions has killsa woodcock that were whom shot conval- escing from wounds previously received, and in every instance found tha old in- jury neatly dressed with down rlucked from the sterms of feathers and skill fully arranged over the wound, evident ly by the beak of the birds
 '1n some instances a solid plaster was thus formed and in other Iisatures had been applied to woundoi pr broken Lnibs. Zen :irnes in his experience. hr has found birds whose limbs had been broken by shot with the fractured eI;ds nearly approximated and litigated to- gether-a statement that Is vouched for by no less a naturalist than Fulbert Dumonteil.
 Bees yiIl Seek Astringents.
 'Dr. James Weir says that when bees are attacked with diarhoea they at once begin to suck astringent pieces of the dogwood, poplar, wild cherry or hickory and rapidly cure themselves. Their in- stinct carries them so far that in win ter If they should happen to be afflicted with diarrhoea they will readily drink decoction of wild cherry If it is placed in the hive. Moreover, they seem to know that filth is a source of disease.
 "Dr. Weir further believes that many of the higher animals have discovered and use a materia medica that should be recognized by human physicians. For instance, dogs will seek out and de- vour the long blades of couch-gras (triticum repens) when they are con- stipated; horses and mules will eat clay when they have SCOUTS; cattle with eczema have been seen to plaster hoof and joint with mud. He speaks of seeing a cow break thin ice cn a pond hHu treat ieI ltChiH6 JOAhf to b 14@oo poultice. Cats will go miles when they are under the weather for a dose of catnip.
 Curative Powers of Saliva.
 '"The saliva of animals seems to have distinct curative action. Dogs, cats, cattle, rodents, monkeys, all lick their wounds when they can get at them and soon effect cures. Weir also cells of large dog-faced monkey who scratched his shoulder badly on projecting nall in his cage. He immediately went to a corner and, seizing a handful of clean sawdust, pressed 1t on the bleeding scratch. In a few moments the bleed ing ceased, and the blood dried, leav- ing a coating under which tho healing was prompt.
 "Rev. Egcrton R. Young. mission ary in Northwestern Canada, shows us that the surgical instincts of the dog may become so far developed as to pro- duce a real surgeon doctor. One of his dogs spontane eously took up this work and became so expert that the Indians called him Muskeke Atim, the surgeon. Calls, wounds, frozen feet, etc, in the other dogs were successfully and sys- tematically treated by Dr. Rover. The wounds or sores that could not be reached by the dogs own tongue did not heal. The fact showed that, in state of health and with pure food, the dogs saliva has a perfect bactericidal and healing power. Perhaps 1t would make an ideal antiseptic. No bacteri- ologist has caught the hint"