Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-27
INVALID ANIMALS
Bv Frederic J. HaSkin

the New DIX women ) LedB ue lor
Animals, down on Lafayette street.
This institution is run by the same
methods as hospitals for human be-
ingS, even to the operation of huge,
brilliant red ambulance. which brings
in several injured patients, mostly
horses, every day.
mestic animals in proportion to it's
population than any other city in the
United States; and certainly no 9TH
er city is more hostile environ
me''- them. Go for a walk in
ming, and you find whole battalions
of people, gently leading their pre-
cious toy dogs. Stay home and at
tempt to sleep, and you are kept
awake by the raucous voices of many
cats in the ckyard. The horse is
still a conspicuous factor in the city's
delivery service, despite the increas-
ing use Of motor trucks.
That the crowded conditions of the
city are hard on the health of do
nestle animals is shown by the work
of this hospital, which treated ap-
the past year. In addition to this,
about 14,UJ0 animals, received at the
shelters established by the league in
two city parks, had to be humanely
put to death.
Dogs Suffer Most
Most of the animals treated at the
hospital are dogs. Skin diseases and
intestinal disorders, which are al
most entirely the result of unwhole-
some city life, are the chief causes
o. invalidism in dogs, while large
number are brought in with dis
temper. Ruptured eyes are also COM
mon, and fractured limbs, usually the
result Of automobile accidents. are
everyday occurrences.
One such victim was brought ten
Derby into the clinic by two little
boys while the reporter was visit
ins the hospital the other day. The
clinic, by the way, resembles most
hospital clinics, with immaculate
white walls and furniture, a case
containing dangerous-looking surg
cal instruments, and glass-coVered
table for the examination of the pa
TENTS. The little boys carefully lift
ed their dog, rather poor specimen
IF fox terrier, up on the table, and
gazed anxiously at the White-gar-
nented veterinary.
DO you think he'll live?" asked
the smaller one, his lip quivering.
The veterinary did not answer. but
began making an examination OF me ne
dog, after muzzling its mouth Win
i gauze bandage.
"Got a fractured Leg" he said at
length. land 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
dogs neck, the other his uninjured
the front office grasping him. gently
but firmly across the ribs, the vet
Urinary proceeded to bandage the in
jured leg with splints.
"Now," he said. turning to the
boys, you'd better leave him here TO"
40 h0VQ inter-
nal hemorrhage, and if so you'll lose
him. If he doesn't he ought to get
along all right"
The next case, brought for examl-
nation in a large val;5e. was biz
gifts. The owner, a middle-aged1,
kindly-faced woman, was very much
worried because the cat had not beea.
eating as much as usual.
you probably feed the cat too
much,H said the doctor, after mal1ing
an examination. ct would be much
healthier if it were not so fat. what
do you feed it,"
Meat and fish and bread" replied
the woman.
"Cut out the bread said the doc
tor, and gave her a box of pills to
zone of the chief causes of i'll
health among city-bred animals" de-
clared the doctor, sis that they are
fed the wrong kind of food. Many
people think, for instance, that dogs
Should be fed only a little meat,
whereas meat should be the principal
item of canine diet. A dog is es--
sentially a carnivorous animal, and
does not thrive as vegetarian. Pork,
of course, is out of the question
for dogs, but almost any other meat
will do. AS a supplement to a strict
ly meat diet, dog biscuit is the next
best thing. A mixture of beef ana
dog biscuit is what we feed the dogs
here at the hospital. A few fresh
vegetables, such as carrots and spin
ach are all right occasionally, but
potatoes should never be fed to dogs
is too hard to digest, although some
cats are very fond of fresh corn"
Leaving the clinic, we went down
stairs and took a look at the re-
ceiving station, where the ambulance
rolls in from the street with Its
sick patients. One of these, morse
with a bad case of collie. was in a
padded cell in one corner of the
room, this being necessary because
the intense suffering through colo
often causes horses to become vio-
lent and to kick their stalls down.
A Horse Condemned to Die
Most of the patients, however, are
taken up to the second floor on an
elevator and thoroughly examined IN
the operating room. Foot trouple
and nail puncture are the most com
mon complaints, while frequently in
these days of the high cost OF feed'
cases of plain starvation are d1scoV-
cred. One interesting case which
came to the hospital not long ago
twas that of big gray horse nearly
thirty years old, without a blemish
and still in serviceable condition.
His owner had worked him TOR more
than twenty years and then retired
him to a life of ease, in favor OF a
motor truck. But the prevailing
| high prices necessitated retrench-
ments in the mans expenses. I'm
willing to commit the horse to the
uncertainties of sale, he brought
him to the league to be humanely de-
stroyed.
In the cellar underneath the hos
| pital is the death room, where home
| less and hopelessly diseased animals
are brought and mercifuliy put &c
death by electrocution. This is such
a quick and painless method, accord
| ing to the secretary, that you can
not even hear the animal whimper
There is only thud, and then it is
all over"
Before electrocuting a homeless
animal the league first endeaY9rs
to secure for it a home. About fifty
| dogs were placed in country homes
by officers of the league during the
past year. One Of these was little
bull terrier which had spent the two
years of its unhappy life in a eel
lar. The owner, for some reason
refused to release it to the confines
| of the backyard, so the league bought
the dog and placed it in an excel
lent home, where it has a wide lawn
to romp over and many cats to chase
| far out on Long Island.
In addition to the impressive list
of prominent philanthropists who
support the free relief to animals
dogs and cats and horses contribute
to the welfare of their species. Their
contributions are collected through
a dogs, a cats and a horses brigade,
whose membership dues are a dollar
a year. Thousands of animals are
now enrolled in these brigades, and
ss;.cs +. NO. N j :.