The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-10-27
ESTABLISHED 1894
Iaow JOHN SPARKS
10 MET HIS DEATH.
Trainer in Vests Shows Says Lions
Claws are NOn-PoisonOus il
Kept Clean.

No, the lions claw is not poison
Gus If kept clean," remarked Capt.
Turf, trainer in Vests shows at the
Fair grounds last week, to a Herald
representative. AS he talked the train
er put his hand through the bars and
gently stroked the paw of a huge
king Of the jungle that slept in it's
steel-bound cage as innocently as a
kitten. "The average person has an
idea" continued Capt. Turf "that a
lisn's claws carry certain deadly
poison and that a small scratch is as
fatal as the bite of rattle-snake.
This is mistake. The lions claw itself
is not poisonous. 1t contains no more
poison than mans finger nail, but it
is the filth their claws pick up that
causes infection and results in blood
poisoning. There are numerous cases
on record where men have died in a
few hours after receiving a scratch
from lions claw. If cages were dis
infected every day there would be no
danger OF contracting blood-poisoning
from lions scratch, but there is a
lot OF work connected with a big
circus that moves every day and these
details cannot be attended to. 1 was
with the elder John Sparks, whose
show was here last week, when he
was clawed on the hand by a big lion
and died in three days. No better
Yan ever lived than John Sparks.
ais men loved him like a father be-
cause he was a father to every man
In the circus. from the stake boy UP
to the highest salaried man in the
outfit. He did not sit back in his pri-
vate car and read reports. He was
everywhere, looking after the small
est details, and you never knew when
to expect him. The day he was wound
ed 1 had charge of bunch of lions.
1t was one OF those off days with the
lions when they appeared to be parti-
cularly vicious. They have those days
just like human beings. 1t was feed
ing time and the lions were hungry.
A door catch on the cage was loose
and Mr.. Sparks reached up to exam
inc 1t. and as he raised his hand the
lion reached out his paw and struck
his hand, tearing the flesh for several
inches. don't think the lion meant
to hurt him. have always had an
idea that he meant to play with the
boss. We always keep a bottle OF 10
dine handy and Mr.. Sparks got the
bottle and soaked the wound. He
bandaged his hand and went on about
his business. The next day he was
taken i'll. We sent for physician and
the physician pronounced II case
of blood-poisoning. We put him on q
special train and rushed him over to
Cincinnati, but despite the efforts OF
skilled physicians he died on the third
day. 1t just happened that at this par.
ticular time the lions claws were in
fected with filth he had picked up In
his cage and the poison got into the
blood before it could be counteracted
with the iodine treatment. The claw
of any Gagged animal is poisonous
the same as the finger nail. The best
way to disinfect their claws is to lei
them walk in sand. 1t is not a disease
peculiar to the lion family. 1 have
been bitten and clawed by lions, but
as luck would have it here was not
filth enough on their claws at the
time to set up bloCd-poisoning
few weeks ago." continued Capt
Turf, exhibiting bad looking seal
or the outside of his hand, "a monkey
tkN had been giving trouble bit mt
through the hand. used the iodine
treatment and the hand got well, but
believe me. / was uneasy for several
days. A monkeys bite is poisonou:
and they are dangerous animals with
their teeth" "Where is the monkey
that did the biting?" enquired The
Herald man. A broad smile over
spread Capt. Turf's face. "He is gone
where all bad monkeys go. killed
him on the SPOT"