Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1902 — Branding Seals by Electricity. [ARTICLE]

Branding Seals by Electricity.

The surgeon’s electric cauterizing wire has been used by the United* States Fur Seal Obmmlsslon with much' success for branding female fur seals. A dynrftno, driven by a gasoline supplied the current, which heated a platinum wire to incandescence. By, moving this once over the animal’s body, the hair and fur were virtually; moved away. A second sweeping of the wire across the surface destroyed the cells so that no more fur can grow, there. This destroys the value of thsi pelt, and this operates to prevent the* killing of female seals at sea. > 1