Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-22
How Dumb
AnjIna|SD0Ct0r
Themselves

w subject to illness and injury well, get along
without the help of physician? 1t has long been
known they themselves back to health, but
recently that thorough study Of animal
life disclosed just how we'll grounded they were in
the fundamentals of surgery and medicine.
One OF the most remarkable Of animal surgery
reported by Reverend Arthur Young, Canadian
missionary who told how husky named Chink, not
only attended TO his wounds but actually performed
the duties Of to fellowmembers of the dog
team. Young said that wounds frozen feet and other
injuries systematically and successfully treated by
"Dr Chink"
The dog had only one remedy which the cleansing
the affected part by licking 1t and subsequent anont-
ment of the place with saliva Whenever this remedy war
applied the was speedy 1t was noticed that those
parts the OF his patients which could not be reached
by the dog doctors tongue went unhealed showing how
thoroughly the saliva and the cleansing process did their
work Indians employed by missionary admired the
dogs skill sagacity that they christened 'Mukeke
Atm meaning Good Surgeon"
The treatment of wounds by means Of saliva not
peculiar TO dogs Cats, cattle rats, mice and monkeys
all known to lick their wounds when they can get at
them. and when they can't they try TO get their COM
panons to do II for them
In a survey observers at John Hopkins University
in Baltimore reported how large monkey successfully
jecng nail The examined the wound by parting the
hair that grew around 1t and Their carefully selected
handful of clean sawdus which 1t pressed firmly the
surface until the bleeding stopped Then 1t took more
sawdust and busted 1t that which was saturated
with blood During the next few days portion Of the
coating accidentally disturbed the monkey would
place it with fresh sawdust Its instinct reason had
taught the creature protect the wound from air dirt
Lieutenant Frank Rice famous British big game
often licked the flesh around their wounds completely
hair because their tongues covered with
rough points The big cats would then find river or
water hole which they would soak their wounds hours
time further healing measure.
Those who have studied animal therapeutics say that
the medical instinct does not halt at the saliva treatment
The dog for example is physician well as surgeon,
differing from his human contemporary only in the type
of remedies used When Ill a dog will try TO find couch
grass effective purgatve. Aing horses, and
mules TO seek out and swallow certain type
of clay when they are with stomach disorders
kpovy 70 he
Cattle suffering from eczema Of the hoof will often
place the affected parts in mud in order to bring about
Cats like dogs. will seek out certain plants when
ILL., The love of cat for catnip comes from an instinct
which teaches 1t that the plant beneficial to its health
Cats have been known to travel miles in order to obtain
Of this feline deicacy.
Not the least remarkable of all the achievements of
dumb creatures in the line of and medicine are
birds Dr. George M. Gould of Baltimore cited
a case of a woodcock which. when examined after being
shot found be recovering from wounds inflicted
by a previous hunter The small shot wounds had been
neatly cleaned by the bird dressed with fine
down pucked from the stems of feathers and defty
arranged about the injured The wounds we're well
the way to recovery.
DR. Gould along with other naturalists reported
of actual nesetting by birds in which the feathered
doctors had used small straws twgs with dressing
of down the way that physician would set a
broken leg in splints before applying bandages
NJ Tatio, French naturalist reported that at least
10 times in his experience he had found birds whose limbs
broken by shot and the ends of the bones had
been neatly and bound up to heal.
In Central Africa and Southern Asia where at certain
seasons year sort of fever prevails deer
the afflicted animals found to seek out lakes, in
they until only their and project
above the waters surface There they remained for hours
until the fever went down.
In India and some South American countries, it
reported wild animals If bitten by snakes,
would Immediately hunt for certain plants which they
would chew. They would then lick the neede-ke wounds
made by the fangs while their saliva still
tanned with the juice of these plants.
Surveys medicinal springs this and other countries
showed they always frequented by aing animals,
which cited as further proof of their therapeutic