Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-25
Invalid Animals
Ry Erederlr j. Haskiu.

most interesting places In New York y
the hospital and clinic OF the New fofk
Women's League for animals, down on
Lafayette street This institution - run
by the same methods as hospitals Tor
human beings, even 10 the operation oi
huge, brilliant red ambulance, when
brings in several injured patients, mostly
horses, every day.
New York probably has more domestic
animals in proportion to its population
than any other city in the United states;
and certainly no other city IS more
hostile environment for them. Go Tor n
walk in any section OF Manhattan m the
evening. and you find whole battalions
| of people, gently leading their precious toy
dogs Stay home and attempt 10 sleep,
and You are kept awake by the raucous
voices of many cats IN the backyard. ne
horse is still q conspicuous factor IN the
| etys delivery service, despite the IN
| ereasing Use OF motor trucks.
That the crowded conditions oi the
| city are hard on the health of domestic
animals is shown by the work Of this hos
pital, which treated approximately lO,oOO
| animals during the past year. In addillon
| to this about IA, 900 animals, received at
the shelters established by the league IN
two city parks, had to be humaneiy put
| to death.
DOGS SUFFER- MOST
Most Of the animals treated at the hos
| pital are dogs. Skin diseases and IN
| testinal disorders, Which are almost en-
firelv the result OF unwholesome city lie,
are the chief CAUSES of invalldism m dogs,
while large number are brought IN with
| disternper. Ruptured eyes are also com
mon. and fractured limbs, usually the
result of automobile accidents, are every
day occurrences
One such victim was brought tenderiy
into the clinic by two little boys while the
reporter was visiting the hospital the
other day The clinic, by the way, re-
sembles most hospital clinics, with mn
maeulate white walls and furniture, a
case containing dangerous-looking surg,
cal Instruments, and a glass-coyered
table for the examination OF the patients.
The little bows carefully lifted their dog,
rather poor specimen Of fox terrier, up on
the table, and gazed anmously at lhe
white -garnented veterinary
DO YOU think he'll live asked the
smaller ono, his lip quiverng.
The veterinary did not answer, put
began making an examination Of the dog,
after muzzling its mouth with a gauze
bandage.
Got fractured leg, he said at length,
"and his back is probably hurt
can't tell Just yet here you boys
hold him like this while fix his leg.
With one of the boys holding the dog
neck. the other his uninjured hind leg, ano
the Young lady from the front ofhcf
! grasping him gently, but firmly across the
ribs, the veterinary proceeded 70 oahdag'
the injured leg with spllnts
tNow." he said turning to the boys
YOU'D better leave him here tor lev
, days He may have an internal hemorr
bage. and If so You'll lose him. II r.
doesn't he ought to get along all right.
CAT WITH COLD.
The next case, brought for examination
in large valise, was a nig nalIese ca
with a bad case of larvngltls. The owner,
: middIeaged kindly faced woman, wa:
very much worried because the cat had no
F. been eating as much rs usual.
You probably feed the cat too much
said the doctor, after making an eN
animation. 1T would be much healthier I
i. we're not so fat. What do you iced Il!
Meat and fish and bread. replied th'
Cut. Cut out the bread, said the doctor
and gave her box of pills 10 be led th'
cat at stated intervals. !.
..One Of the chief causes Of I'll healti
among citv-bred animals, declared IN
doctor Is that they are fed the wrons
kind of food Many people think, io
instance. that dogs should be led only.
little meat, whereas meat should be th'
principal item OF canine diet = cog
sentialiy a carnvorous anitnal' ana oo''
nof thrive As vegetarian. FORK, O.
ea,1rSa i out Of the question for dogs, hu'
almost any other meat will do rs Z
supplement to a Strle ~ meat diet, dog
biscuit i the next best thing. \ miXtqrt
ri beef and dog biscuit IS what We iced ms
dogs here al the hospital. \ few tresf
vegetables. such as carrots and splnaci
are sIl right occasionally, but potatoe'
should never be led 10 dogs or TO cats. los
starchv. And corn IS too hard 70 dlgesl
although some cats are very iond OF ifesI
corn.
Leaving the clinic. We went downstairs
and took look at the receiving station
: where the ambulance rolls IN from th'
street with its sick patients, Ohe @
these. a horse with a bad case OF conc
was in a padded cell IN one corner OF th'
room, this being necessary because IN
intense suffering through eolie often ca, ,lSt
horses to become violent and TO hleN lAe4
stalls down.
Most of the patients. however, ar
token I'M to the second floor on an ele
yator, and thoroughly examined IN ia
operating room. Foot trouble and ma
pilnctllre are the most common complaint
while frequently in these days OF the hug
y cost of feed cases of plain starvation at
discovered. One interesting ease whlc
came to the hospital not long ago, Wa
that of a big grey horse, nearly 80 yea
old. without blemish and still IN service
l. able condition. His owner had worke
him for more than 20 years and then r
tired him to life of ease, IN tavor oi
motor truck But the prevailing hle
y prices necessitated retrenchments III /!
mans expenses Unwilling to commit q
horse TO the uncertainties OF sale,
brought him 10 the league to be humane
- destroyed. !.
= In the cellar underneath the hospi'
l. il the death room, where homeless q
+ hopelessly diseased animals are erous
\ and mercifully put to death by eleetro9c
It tion. This is such quick and panic
Il method. according 20 the secretary tt
+ You cannot even hear the animal VIII
= per. There is only thud, and then It Is
+ over .
II Before electrooutlng a homeless ANN
II the league first endeayors TO secure Tor
X home About so dogs were placed
X country homes by officers OF the leas
II during the past year. One o. these wa
X little bull ter rier which had spedt