A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9603, 18 December 1896, Page 2

A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.

A difficult operation was successfully performed in the Zoological Garden, Dublin, a few years ago. 'One of the finest tigerein the collection was threatened with gangrene in its paw, the claw having become distorted and grown into the foot; The ~ Bey. ;: Samuel Haughton, M.D., Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and a well-known personage in the Irish metropolis, undertook to perform the dangerous experiment of operating on the paw. It was indeed a thrilling experience. The mate of the tiger was first secured in a side den. A net, devised by " : Professor Haughton, was thrown over the tiger, and he -was drawn forward to the door of the cage. Four stout keepers then held the feet of the struggling animal while Proiessor Haughton cut away the diseased claw. The sufferingbeastfuriouslybutvainly endeavoured to get at him during the operation, bat the rage of the tigress looking on through the bars of the side den was much more terrible to behold. She roared and flung herself violently again and again against the barriers in her mad desire to go to the rescue of her mate. When the tigress was admitted to the cage after the wound of her mate had been dressed and the net removed, she turned up the paw and examined it with touching solicitude, and'then licked her mate as a cat licks its kitten, to soothe him, purring softly the while. But perhaps the most extraordinary park of the affair was the sequel. A week later Professor Hanghton was again at the Zoo. to see how his patient was going on. When the animal espied him he began to purr like a cat, allowed him to examine his paw, and seemed pleased that he should do so. Indeed, for years afterwards the tiger and tigress showed themselves most friendly and gratefal to Professor Haughton.