San Diego Zoo #5

S.D. Zoo-5, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. In 1923, Frank Buck was retained as director of the San Diego Zoo. (This was years before his books and movies made him a national celebrity.) Friction soon developed between Buck and Wegeforth when Buck had the two elephants oiled. According Wegeforth, the oiling caused the elephants to develop Bright’s disease. Wegeforth (who became something of an authority on the doctoring of zoo animals) had them fed a mixture of Epsom salts and bran and, by using alfalfa meal, was able to cure them. Later, while Wegeforth was out of town, Buck again had the elephants oiled. As a result, his employment with the Zoo was terminated.