The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-05-05
NEW YORK's ANIMAL HOSPITALS.
BY ANNA MASON.

New York has more hospitals for
the care of animals than any other
city in the world. The time when
an all-around veterinary surgeon
could treat the ills of dogs, cats,
horses and birds is past, for nowadays
there are men who make speciality
in the study of the care of various
kinds of animals.
A unique animal hospital is To-
Gated at the far end of the Bronx.
Practically all the sick animals from
parks and circuses are treated here.
In the spring of the year good
many animals that have been ICON
ditioned" at the farm during the
winter, are exchanged for the tired
animals of the parks. Animals are
as much in need of rest cure as are
hard working human beings.
This farm is conducted by New
York animal dealer and lis here that
the travelling show man buys most of
his fierce and fery-eyed" lions and
tigers.
The reptile department is a very
interesting ward in the hospital.
Many sick snakes are sent to this
place for treatment. A snake is more
delicate1y constructed creature than
mere observer may imagine it is
subject to more diseases than any
other inmate of the entire menagerie.
This is accounted for by reason that
a snake never becomes accustomed to
captivity, and a we'll known zoologist
declares that there never was such a
thing as tanned reptile.
During the process of skin shedding
many snakes are sent to the hospital ;
here they are put in boxes prepared
especially for them.
These shedding cages as they
are called, are lined with silk every
morning the silk is coated with sweet
oil. Under the silk there is bed of
cotton, under this steam pipes are
laid these keep the box at certain
temperature so that the snake may
not catch cold.
In captivity snake catches cold
and dies, while III his native surround
ings he may live up to fine old age.
The oiled silk surface is very smooth,
there are no corners on which the
delicate new skin may be scratched
or injured, and to a man who really
studies snakes, a marred skin is a
torture, while to the man who sells
them it means the loss of about fifty
dollars. The movement ofthe snake S
body over the smooth surface, the
softening effect of the oil and heat
tend to make the shedding Of skin a
very simple matter, while, not SO
very long, it was often necessary fol
men to assist the snake in shedding,
and running a risk of tearing the
new skin.
eff, within a week after the new
skin is exposed, it is bruised, can
Ger is liable to result this will NEAR
death within very short time.
A snakes tail is exceedingly deli
cate. One accustomed to handling
snakes governs the reptile almost al
together by a pressure of the tail. 1
a snake becomes restless while a per
former is handling it, he Immediately
buries his thumb nail in the end o
the tail this has tendency to make
the snake relax, taking its strength
as it were and the performer is quite
safe. A too frequent repetition 0
of this, however, will work the ruiz
ofthe reptile. Necrosis of the bon'
will set in and no amount of care will
save the snake. Such death is yer,
slow and when such trouble is discov
cred the snake is Immediately put in
to the "small Snowman lot" and solt
for from five to ten dollars. Thes
are the wonderful snakes exhibited
in the side shows at the circuses
they are all too sick to make fuss
and permit themselves to be "charm
ed" by the hour.
Cancered mouths and decayed teetl
are ordinary troubles. 1t is neces
sary to extract teeth and cauteriz,
cancers. The superintendent of thu
hospital has discovered that snake!
are best attracted by red, so, making
funnel of red paper, he waves it il
front of the reptile until the head i
raised and then slips it over the heat
and neck, deftly catching the snake a
the base of the head he is thei
enabled to work on the mouth of th
most dangerous of reptiles.
If a snake could be chloroformet
this would be a simple matter, bu
the normal temperature of snak'
is so low, that give it chloroforr
and you may make pocketbook o
belt of it the next instant.
Practically every animal in roa
circuses comes to the farm at leas
once a year. They are then treate
for falling hair, bruises that may no
have readily healed and their teet]