Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1911 — “BIG ANNIE" IS A MOTHER [ARTICLE]

“BIG ANNIE" IS A MOTHER

Largest Snake In the Zoo Gives Birth to Fifty-Seven Offspring and All but Nine Are Living. New York.—Perhaps It was because there were only a few visitors at the soo the other afternoon and only a few discreet attendants In the reptile house. Or maybe that had nothing to do with it Anyway, at about three o'clock there was a portentous thrashing and writhing In the cage Big Annie. the prise 12-toot anaconda, shares with Rex, a royal python. Assistant Curator Dltmare heard the uolae and looked in. Then he ran out and gathered up 14 keepers. “1 want you to come with me," be told them. “Big Ancle is—or rsther she will—Never mind, come on quick and get her out of the cage.” It took only a tew minutes to untangle Big Annie’s It feet —length-r----and get her in another cage. And then, before the legendary Jack Robinson could earn mention, there were K 7 new Utile anacondas at the soo. Dr. W. Reed Blair, who liras hurried over, said he’d be gosh dinged, or something Uke that. If he'd ever seen the like before. Nine of the 57 didn't seem to appreciate the breathing world and'left It The others perked right up. and now they are crawling all over each other as lively as flame. Blair said they were “doing fine." R. H. Mole, a newspaper editor la Port of Spain, Trinidad, who sent Big Annie to the soo, got on the cable almost at the moment of Annie’s good fortune, and swat word that he had found the 1» toot matt of Annin, nnd

should he send him along. Mr. Ditmars cabled “Sure." But if things keep cm the curator fears the soo may have more anacondas than It rosily needs. Old-Time Consumption Curs. London.—The publication of the llnal report of the royal commission on tuberculosis recalls the elaborate “cure” for consumption In the past. There Is the French “cure." tor Instance. which Sterne survived. Stems was taken 111 In Paris and the hoot medical advice was sought The verdict was consumption. And tbi prescription proved worse than the malady. First of all. a cockerel had to be procured to be flayed aMve and pounded In n mortar. This exequted. the result was bofled together with poppy seeds, and to the broth thus spoiled a crawfish was added. Moreover. It was absolutely necessary that It should be s male crawfish, otherwise the doctor would hot guarantee the “cure." And Sterne took his gruel like an Englishman and still lived on!