http://www.nynewsday.com/news/health/ny-
hskoko103924942aug10,0,1157751.story?coll=ny-health-headlines
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T53822329
Koko asks for a dentist
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
August 10, 2004
WOODSIDE, Calif. - When Koko the gorilla used the American Sign Language
gesture for pain and pointed to her mouth, 12 specialists, including
three dentists, sprang into action.
The result? Her first full medical examination in about 20 years, an
extracted tooth and a clean bill of health.
About a month ago, Koko, a 300- plus-pound ape who became famous for
mastering more than 1,000 signs, began telling her handlers at the
Gorilla Foundation in Woodside that she was in pain. They constructed a
pain chart, offering Koko a scale from one to 10.
When Koko started pointing to nine or 10, a dental appointment was made.
Anesthesia would be involved, so her handlers used the opportunity to
schedule a head-to-toe exam.
"She's quite articulate," volunteer Johnpaul Slater said. "She'll tell
us how bad she's feeling, how bad the pain is. It looked like it was
time to do something."...
--
Fred Stone
aa# 1369
Cthulhu for President! Why vote for a lesser evil?
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