424 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
“ Careful observation makes a skillful practitioner, but his skill dies with him. By re - 
cording his observations, he adds to the knoxvledge of his profession , and assists by his facts 
in building up the solid edifice of pathological science. ” 
CASTRATION OF AN ELEPHANT. 
Operation Performed by Drs. Walter Shaw, Dayton, O., and W. G. 
King, Dodds, Cincinnati, O. 
The patient was the property of the Wallace Circus Co. 
For many months he was so vicious as to imperil the lives of 
his attendants. This elephant (Pilot by name) was thirty-five 
years old, an age at which refractoriness should yield to obedi¬ 
ence and docility. Pilot weighed 9000 lbs., and was ten feet 
high. His unruly disposition made it dangerous to exhibit 
him, and the devising of some means to subdue him was im¬ 
perative. After due deliberation, his proprietor decided to 
have him castrated. 
In February, 1899, Mr. Wallace advised us of his decision, 
and we visited the winter quarters of the circus on his beauti¬ 
ful farm by the classic banks of the Wabash, Peru, Ind. 
Having surveyed the situation, we gave instructions for 
making excavation, platform, operating table and all other ar¬ 
rangements necessary for the completion of the operation, in¬ 
cluding instruments. The manner of confining the elephant 
and the mode of operation was as follows : Having secured two 
railroad rails on ties placed in the excavation, four large iron 
bands were fastened around each rail and tie beneath, for the 
purpose of attaching cable chains, block and tackle ; the space 
between the rails was filled with cement and this was overlaid 
with heavy oak planks. His care-taker placed a large cable chain 
around his girth, in which was a strong ring just below his 
chest. To this ring another cable chain was fastened and 
passed through a ring safely attached to his tusk ; then about 
the anterior of trunk through another ring on opposite tusk 
back to ring immediately under the body. In addition to this 
(as a guarantee of safety) a strong rope was passed several 
times around his trunk and tusks. In this condition he was 
conducted onto the platform, which he held in place by means 
of his own weight. To each foot a large cable chain was se¬ 
cured, slightly slack ; this was accomplished to warrant safety 
in the event that the block and tackle should break. His front 
feet were then drawn forward and outward and his hind feet 
