The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-28 00:00:00

SNAKES VIPERS, AND ADDERS.

On the subject of Snakes, Vipers, and Adders, a "Devon-
shire Dumpling" writes to the Daily Chronicle :
Sir,—As much misapprehension exists about the
above reptiles indigenous to Englana, I thought it
desirable, for the benefit of those who may be bitten
by any of the venomous ones, as well as to prevent the
harmless ones being condemned with the venomous,
to write you what 1 know of them and their poison.
The venomous ones are the adder, the black viper,
and the red viper ; the harmless ones the snake and
the slow-worm. The adder is about two feet long, of
a slate colour, and striped in two shades, and its body
suddenly becomes smaller about two-thirds of its length
from the head. The black viper is smaller and shorter,
about eighteen inches long, is a dull black, with a
bright yellow V, immediately behind the haad, the
point of the V being towards the head. The red
viper is smaller still, being about a foot in length,
of a bright red colour, and scaly. The snake is
frequently three feet, and once I saw one four feet
long, is green and black mottled, and tapers
gradually from end to end. It. is quite harmless,
and is easily tamed. I once tried to tame an adder,
but did not succeed. It would allow me to put my
hand on it, and, although it killed a half-grown
mouse while I had it, I could not get it to eat, and it
died of starvation. The slow-worm is about the same
size and length as the red viper, but its colour is paler,
and its skin is always smooth and shiny, whilst that of
the red viper is al ways distinctly rough and scaly; its
head, too, is much shorter than the red viper's, and
the nose more rounded.
I have killed some red and black vipers and many
adders in Devonshire, where the latter abound on the
sandy hills, among the furze and heath, and in the
copses on the hill sides. Snakes, on the contrary, are
found in the valleys, usually near water, to which
they readily take. They are very fond of frogs, which
they gorge. Black and red vipers are much lesa fre-
quent than the other reptiles.
I have cured several dogs that have been bitten by
adders by applying solution of ammonia, diluted with
water, externally, and giving internally carbonate of
ammonia (smelling salts) in frequently repeated doses
of from two to five grains dissolved in water; and I
have no doubt the aame treatment would cure human
beings when bitten by them, The poison fangs are
situated one on each side of the upper jaw, outside
the other teeth, and surrounded for about half their
length with a small bladder of the poison, by which
means the poison is squeezed out whenever the rep-
tile bites its fang into anything. The fangs lie down
on the bladder, pointing Lachwards, when not in
action. The red viper's fangs are too short to wound
t'aroagh a thick kid glove, I have proved it more
than once.
The poison is an acid—l have tested it with litmus
paper—and that, I presume, is why the volatile alkali
ammonia is its antidote. The same facts apply to the
poison of the bee, the wasp, and the hornet.
Lower Norwood, Sept. 23. •