DICK THE DOCTOR

Evening Star, Issue 20835, 3 July 1931, Page 1

DICK THE DOCTOR

BORNEO MONKEY MEDICINE

Was tho lirst doctor a monkey? Animals doctor themselves when they aro sick, but there lias boon at least one monkey who tried to doctor other animals. His name was Dick, and he came from Borneo. . , Tho story of Dick is told by .Joseph Belmont, the German novelist and big game lumter, in a new book, ‘ Gatclimg Wiki Beasts Alive,’ reviewed in the London £ Daily Express.’ One day Dick had a battle with a tapir, and soon all the denizens of tho yard were fighting. Many were wounded. . ~ “ While I was sewing and binding the wounds,” says Mr Dclmont, “ Dick never left my side. Ho assumed an air of great importance, and kept seizing my hand, puckering his lips, and lectin;iiig jno on tho way i should work, until l was on tho point of having him caged up so that 1 could get on.” Mr Dclmont bound Dick’s linger. A little later there was a scream, and lie saw Dick bolding a guenon monkey. Dick had torn off a bandage that was on tho screaming monkey, and was pressing wet clay into tho wound. “ During tho following days,” he says, “ Dick was extraordinarily busy. The big monkeys had continually to defend themselves against Ins efforts to treat them, and Dick was always m trouble. . “ Dick went very systematically to work with his cures. Ho would wash tho wounds with his longue and with web leaves off betel nut. . • Dick never used any other leaves.” One day Dick sat on a log with Ins he 1 on one side. His hand was hot and liis pulse irregular. “What’s tho matter, Dick?’ asked Mr Dclmont. Dick opened his mouth. Ho was given medicine. Next morning Dick sab in the sun with both hands to his loft cheek. “ When I came to him,” says Mr Dolmont, “ I noticed to my astonishment that ho had smeared tho left halt ol his face with wet clay and was holding a big lump of clay pressed to his leit lower jaw. His mouth was also full or “ I noticed that the lelfc half of tho orang’s face was swollen. Ho bad a severe gumboil, and was (Miring himsoll with cold clay. “ Three days later he himself pulled out the ailing tooth and brought it to me, beaming with delight. “ Dick spent a good deal of Ins time reporting to mo tho ailments of other

animals. Ho was tho first to discover that one of the orang orphans was sick with tuberculosis. Dick earned the little invalid about the whole day like a mother.” . . Tho little orang was given medicine three limes a day. Dick noticed this. One day lie stole the creosote bottle and gave tlie little orang a dose. It killed the little orang.