The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-15

To the Editor of the Union:
was as much surprised mortified reading ac-
count in the New York papers yesterday OF the death oil
Doctor Wainwright from the bite Of raltlesnake Al
though he was Immediately attended by three physicians
Of note they could not arrest the rapid progress Of the
uoson from the orefnge OF the right hand to the citadel
81 life Is the poison OF snake thus to be the oppro-
brium of medicine? and must we infalhbly die upon
being bitten By venomous serpent! Ihls inquiry comes
home to us all for we know not how soon so common
an incident may happen to one OF IS reproach to
the medical science-at least in New York-that they
cannot find antidote to this animal poison; while the
unetered Indian, and the southern negro, Ia
mar with many simple plants to counteract the danger
of snake bites II is be hoped that this lamenae oc
currence will stimulate the faculty to more particular IN
yesgaton OF the of the poison and of the discovery
of the appropriate ant,dOtes. Is it acid or an alka
Upon the discovery Of that the successful remedy greatly
depends cannot Tor one believe that ihe microscopic
Of tooth as fine almost as needles point can, IN
few hours corrupt the whole mass OF venons blood OF
human body and thus produce death oee eye ina. ne
sys:sm and by the shock which it imparts to IT, ex-
tending from the extremies TO the BRAIN through Its nn
merabe branches, causes this sudden cessation OF the VI
tai function On that theory would base my treatment
by nerirritans difusble stimuli AT thus sea-
son OF the year, when the usual botanical andoes are
tlesnake weed are cut down by the winters rost-when
delay would be fatal would Immediately pour down the
sufferers throat large draughts Of hghpoof rum or bran
dy Upon the supposon that the system is
ated or paraysed from the effects OF the poison, would
thus rouse it above its sedatve and depressed state,
until 1t resumed us neatny energy, anu mus ell
able it to overcome the lehargy and the torpor
of the system. In medical journal OF Charleston,
some wears since, | read OF two cases in point, IN
which large draughts of rum, Immediately after being
bitten by rattle-snake, saved the patients One was
that OF countryman, who IN passing through piece OF
new ground, trod rattle snake, and was severely
bitten the ankle Expecting death to follow before he
could reach his home, and happening to have bottle OF
West India rum in his pocket, he took a heavy drink
ofmore from purpose Of bringing on inoxication and
thus rendering him unconscious oil his desperate suaton
than from any knowledge OF its remedial effects HE lay
down under the shade of tree, fell into sound sleep,
and, on waking up, felt i'll effects from the wound.
Upon his case being made known, stimulus came into
repute and used in the neghborhood with success
in other instances OF the kind. The next number OF the
Medical Journal gave another example OF Its powerful
counter rant influence in the of negro man who
bitten in the hand oy rattle snake, and, sending
poison towards his vals, and lain down to die, on be-
inc treated with several swallows of raw rum in the
course of hour after the infection Of the angs, and at
sound nap OF three hours DURATION his master had
the satisfaction OF seeing him wake mp sound man
thus proving that the effects Of the virus acts through the
system, and that the proper remedy is speedy
and active stimulus
Upon the hypothesis that the poison is acid prop
externally and internally, leaving the practitioner to
lect from the list in his maeria medica.
Spirits of harshorn suggested among the num-
ber and many other convenient forms Of the substance
may be found in the shops. ready for exhibition we
provided with suitable remedies for all the physical
ills with which, in his inscrutabe providence, he has
surrounded us and that he has also invested in man
and by which to apply them, if he will only
make proper use of them while he has at the same
time been mindful of his poor brute creation, and of his
creatures but little removed above them, to whom he
has given instinct 10 keep out OF the way of the poi
reptile tribe, and also 10 seek the best remedy in
case of being hurt by coming in collision with them.