The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-06-23
DONKEY FOR WROOPINGCOUGH
POPULAR CURE IN NEW Works.
PARK MENAGERlE,
Thrice Under the Belly From Right
to Left and Thrice Over the Back
From Left to Right. and No Doc
tors Bill to Pay-They Are Used
to It In Central Park.

My little girl here has the wnoop
ing cough and | want to have her
cured said a woman to Policeman
Coyle near the elephant house in the
Central Park melagerie.
Why not take her to a doctor?'
responded the policeman.
Il had doctor, but she does not
get better. The physician says the
disease must run its course, but a
neishbor told me that her boy took
the donkey cure here and advised
me to try it. Where is the donkey,
please?"
In there, ma'am." said the police
man, pointing to the deer house.
A curious visitor who happened to
Cyernear the colioquy made inquiries
and learned that there is a consider,
able number of persons in the city
who have faith in the donkey cure.
They are not all unlcttered persons
either.
Their whims. if they may be called
SUI II, Ctl = Civ ~ uutliNI ttl ~ Inv
keepers and they usually go away
feeling happier. II is TO increase the
sum Of human happiness that Father
kniCkerbCcl.er maintains a collection
of beasts and birds in the Park.
The curious visitor followed the
woman and her child into the deer
house to see what would happen.
Keeper Phil Tiolmes had just fin
ished feeding the animals and the
woman spoke to him about her child.
The little darling is troubled 50
with the terrible cough that she
gets black and blue in the face. F!
would do anything to get relief for
her. said the woman.
You want 70 pass her under tle
jackass. Ell? To be sure. ma am, I'll
do it for the handsome little lady"
said the keeper. He led mother and
child to the alley way behind the
stalls, took the ass out of its en-
closure and fastened its halter strap
to a ring in the wall. The animal
stood quietly. as though it knew
from experience just what was re-
luired Of it. Besides. a lump OF suS-
ar from the keeper is usually its
reward, and it is very fond OF sugar. |
The donkey cure must be per- F.,
formed in particular way to be |
At least that is the &C /
,epted theory in Central park. The |
patient is passed under the animals |
belly three times from the right |
side to the left. ald must return
eft each time over the ami
nails back. When the patient is a
hid the mother stands on the right
ide and passes the child under the
,east to the keeper on the other
ide. He takes the child and passes
t over the beast to the mother
You'd be surprised now many
,eople believe in this cure for
vhooping cough" Holmes said after
yard. Il remember one day child,
IS mother and its grandmother
anne in here and asked to have the
nfant passed under the ass. The
said that the child's
lother had been cured Of the cough
4 the menagerie when she was a
hid. This the mother herself did
lot remember, but she believed
that her own mother said and want
d to try it for 1ler little child Quite
ften women come into the building
nd tell me that their children had
OF better after going under the ami
lal."
The keeper was asked If he knew
n what theory women visitors
ased their belief in the healing vir-
lie Of the singular treatment
Eyes, some of the women explained
lat to me-" he replied. you know
lat our Lord entered Jerusalem
ding on an ass. Some of the people
ent to Him and asked to be cured
their diseases. Well, in some way
aople nowadays seem to think that
/ of that species is blessed. And
ok here. Don't you see the figure
a crcss on the animals back?
is quite plain
The color of the animal is mostly
hite. but there was black streak
inning along the back, with arms
anching off over tne> shoulders.
ne black hair resembled cross in
white setting :
Some of the women, the keeper
i'd, come back to the menagerie ,
the course of time and bring gifts ,
the donkey. The gifts are sugar, :
okies and cakes. Sometimes the
sitors are accompanied by chill
en-, and 1t is then the little ones d,
at feed the animal. Tom, the donk-