The Washington herald., 1908-09-06

Although skilled surgeons have utilized
every modern method known 10 prevent
il. Rodney Rose. the zoo keeper who was
bitten by a diamond-head rattler. will
lose the middle nnger on his left hand
The corps of surgeons at the Emer-
gency Hospital won their battle for
Roses life Then they tried 10 gain an
other victory by preventing the loss OF
his left arm This seemed impOssibi. but
science triumphed-
Then the struggle narrowed down 10
save the hand Again the surgeons
triumphed. Then came the. fight TO ward
of amputatiou Of the finger. but here
science met its first rebuff. for the condi-
tons were too great handicap.
GnnErene Set In.
Rose. happy in the thought his life had
been saved. inquired hourly II the ampu-
tation would De- necessary. As the ban
daEeS were removed ne looked al the
change IN the discoI0red member with a
strange fascination. He had seen the dis
coloration driven from the top of his
hand down 10 the finger. slowly but sure
ly. He had noticed the swelling in his
arm gradually lessening. until fl was
finally reduced 20 its normal condition
For week only the left hand was
swollen. and. with the exception Of this.
there was nothing 20 show the bite Of a
poisonous RATHER except a peculiar ap-
pearauce Of she finger Rose inquired
about it. asking If il would be necessary
20 ampUtats-
Not until they had given up hope for
the wounded member did the hospital
surgeons tell Rose gangrene had set in
Rose received the dreaded news with
the same fortitude which bore him up
during the days when his life hung in the
/ balance
Bore News with FOrtitude-
wei. doe he said. I'm glad it IS no
worse"
/ The decision that an amputation Of the
/ fnger was uecessary was reached yester-
day when the physicians attending Rose
. announced ganErene had made an sp-
/ pearancs. The news was received with
much re-ret by the hospital authorities,
I as they wished 20 discharge Rose whole
man and establish a record case.
/ The poisoned finger viii be amputateo
to-day or tomorrow, The surgeons are
+ waiting until the swelling in the hand is
reduced This may. however, require
two or three days. 81 is said
According % physicians. as soon as the
finger is healed after the amputation
Rose may leave the hospital. He has an
nounced his intention Of returning to his
old vocation. that OF keeper at the Zoolog-
icaI Park
Rose is fifty years old and lives at ls5-
" street northwest He has been en-
uIoved at the 100 Tor a number OF years
and was always regarded as one Of tn'
most careful men al the park
Turned Back an Instant.
About Il O'Clock on the morning o
August j. he went into the snake Gag
n the loo % feed the reptiles He car
red a basket containing the food for IN
snakes and a pronged rod. used 10 pin
the vipers 10 the floor when they grew
2 dangerous. a diamoud-hsad rattler Wa
: coiIed on the floor. and Rose pushed IN
big fellow out Of the way with the ROD
He turned his back an instant
! That instant brought him a sharp. sting
I fnE. sensation in his left hand. He turne
{ In a fash. glanced al the middle finger
4 .Nrrare the pain was greatest, and dror
. ping his basket and prong, ran out @
Z the cage He sucked the wound as ,
D ran. knowing too well what the two TIN
- red spots meant
s The wound was already beginning {
70 crow black. when Rose found Dr. Bake
isuperintendent Of the 100. A tournigue
was fixed about the arm and an injectio
OF permanganate Of potash made. accon
panied by q strong stimulant- The en-
pIoyes OF the Zoo could not cope with q
deadly bite and Rose, suffering intens
agony. was removed TO the hOsplta
Il where all but a complete victory Tor SC
p ence has been gained