TRIPOLI’S SPONGE FISHERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 57, 21 October 1911, Page 4

TRIPOLI’S SPONGE FISHERS.

Sponge gathering is one of the chief industries of Tripoli, great sponge colonies stretching along the coastline From Tunis to the Levant. The Tripoli grounds extend a distance of 250 miles, and at the close of the rainy

season each year the Greek sponge divers visit the 'Tripoli .grounds, plying their trade by the use of the Scaphandra diving machine. It is a hazardous occupation, and it lias been stated that out of 70U scaphanders; working on the 'Tripoli coast form (id to 100 die yearly from diver’s paralysis, and sooner cr later hardly a man escapes from it in one Form or another. These conditions are due, according to an American writer, to the ignorance and

brutality of the men engaged in the industry. The common diver, the man who dives naked, suffers only slight affections of the ears; with the helmcted diver, the great danger occurs in the rapid ascent, producing sudden relief of pressure, the dangerous symptoms only making their appearance as the diver emerges into the fresh air. Most of the sponge boats Hy the Greek flag. A few fly the crescent flag of Turkey, and it has keen usual for Turkey to maintain a warship in the waters of Tripoli in order to protect tho sponge-fishing, which is carried on under conditions generally which sometimes hardly conform to the ideas of twentieth-century civilisation.

SURGERY.

Reports to hand show that during the discussion on surgery at the Medical Congress in Sydney, certain speakers expressed the opinion that events had not justified the popular belief that this branch of the healing art was making very rapid progress. These speakers were aide; however, to mention some notable advances and to applaud the courage and skill of those who had made them possible. It is interesting to note that the allied profession of veterinary surgery also is making advances which are due very largely to the unfailing courage and increasing skill of its members. A contemporary points out that a striking instance was furnished a few weeks ago by a remarkable operation, performed in the London zoo by Prolessor Wooldridge, of the Royal Veterinary College. Thirteen years ago the Hon. Walter Rothchild presented to the zoo a famous reticulated python, which has the distinction of being the largest reptile of its kind in captivity. The python was making one of its usual hearty meals when it had the misfortune to fracture its jaw, and as it was impossible for the beast to live many days in' its injured condition, Professor Wooldridge decided that an operation must he performed at once. The python’s length is 27 feet, and as it is easily capable of crushing a man to death within its coils, the operation required very courageous and delicate handling. When the serpent was resting, its tank was covered with stout boards, a gap being left just largo enough to permit of the passage of its head. As soon as the python’s curiosity prompted it to discover what was going on outside the boards a number of men secured its head, holding it firmly until the maddened reptile ceased struggling. Then Professor Wooldridge began the surgical operation. Placing the bioken hones in position, ho hound the jaws securely with a long bandage smeared with plaster of Paris'. Over this another coating of plaster was placed, care being taken to leave the python’s nostrils free of obstruction. Professor Wooldridge stated that the reptile ,would have to carry the bandage for seven weeks, and at the end of that period lie hoped to bo able to announce the success of the operation. As the python swallowed a goat and other morsels of iood a lew days before the operation it will not ho inconvenienced by the seven weeks’ fast.