One of the things most people don’t know is that the danger of any animal attack (and bites or scratches) is infection. Animal claws or nails and teeth of exotics or wild animals are the worst. Early in my career we were instructed to tell any doctor not to sew up the wounds when possible so they could drain.
Anyway, my point is that Jim Hamm was flown down to San Francisco for care as serious infection had set in.