Chap. IV.] 



THE ELEPHANT. 



155 



So little was he apparently inconvenienced by the presence 

 of the strange body in his palate that he was accustomed with 

 his finger partially to undo the screw, which but for its extreme 

 length he might altogether have withdrawn. To enable this 

 to be done, and possibly to assist by this means the extraction 

 of the breech itself through the original orifice (which never 

 entirely closed), an attempt was made in 1835 to take off a 

 portion of the screw with a file ; but, after having cut it three 

 parts through the operation was interrupted, chiefly owing to 

 the carelessness and indifference of Capt. Fretz, whose death 

 occurred before the attempt could be resumed. The piece of 

 iron, on being removed after his decease, was found to measure 

 2f inches in length, and weighed two scruples more than two 

 ounces and three quarters. A cast of the breech and screw 

 now forms No. 2790 amongst the deposits in the Medical 

 Museum of Chatham, 



