Republican News Item

New Way of Branding

Almost any humane person would be glad to know of some way of branding which would not be so cruel as many of the old methods. It seems that Walter A. Cameron of Stacy, Mont., has invented an instrument to be used with an indelible fluid instead of burning. It would seem that it would be an effective and permanent marking and probably as convenient, or more so than most of the old methods.

The branding instrument, as described by the Scientific American, consists of two levers pivoted together and provided with jaws. On the lower jaw a soft metal impression block is secured, and on the upper jaw a block is carried, having a chamber communicating by means of a tube with a reservoir containing the indelible fluid. The tube incloses a plunger operated from the upper lever and is provided with lateral ports at its upper and lower ends. The lower ports permit the fluid to flow into the chambered block when the plunger is raised and the upper ports permit the liquid above the plunger to be forced back into the reservoir. Symbol carrying plates are removably secured to the chambered block.

The symbols consist of letters, figures or other characters, and are formed of tubular pins. In using the instruments the levers are used to separate the jaws. By reason of this motion the plunger will be drawn upward to permit the liquid from the reservoir to flow into the chamber. After placing the impression block carried by the lower jaw against the outer side of the animal's ear the levers are operated to force the tubular pins into the ear, thereby causing the plunger to inject the liquid into the wound. A spring within the tube holds the plunger normally below the lower ports, so that the liquid will not escape when the device is not in use.