Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-18

were disappointed in the hopes of admission
they bad entertained.
The Melancholy Death oS Dr.. sva,nr,sh,
from the Bite of . snake.
The New York papers give the following
particulars of the melancholy death of DR.. Vain.
wright from the bite of snake -
On Thursday afternoon Dr.. w. received
from bro'herin law in Alabama. through one
OF the packets, . number Of rare plants, &c,
the productions Of that section Of the Union
end. probably, for the purpose OF furnishing .
subject for more scientific experiments, rat.
,lesuake. six feet long, was contained in the
invoice.
The reptile was securely boxed. but it seem.
that Dr.. W.. for the purpose Of exhibiting i, to
some friends in the evening, took the box to the
Broadway House. corner ot Grand and Broad
way, where. Knocking of the top, the snake
was let loose upon the bar.room floor. Throw
ing itself into q coil, the dangerous creature
Immediately commenced that low hum, or spe.
cies Of ringing, (not the rattle,) which is pecu
liar to the spec es, and seemed inclined to re.
procuc"d SORT Of toroor, and it was repes tedly
tessed with stick. without be,ray,ng much vi
ciousness. Indeed. one gentleman venturcd 40
far as to raise it with the toe of his boot esca.
| ping unsca,hed.
| After being exposed come twenty minutes to
the gaze Of those present, D1nWainright ut.
tempted to return the snake to the box, and for
that purpose inconsideratcly seized the vcno
mons thing with his NAKED HAND! when, in an
instant, with only the slightest premonitory rat.
tie, the reptile raised his head. threw back his
upper Jaw, snt srRVcK-lhe tangs entering be.
tween the fingers, snd fastening on the inside
of tho ring. finger Of the right hand! immedi.
ale measures were taken to prevent the sprest
OF poison through the system. The flesh in the
neiehborhood Of the wounded part was cut out,
and Dr. Wsinright removed to his house in
Crosby street, where other medical and surgi.
ca aid was CO lied; withou, delay. and in few
minutes the room WAS filled with his prnfes.
sonsl friends. among whom were Drs. Whd,a.
ker, Parker and Caldwell. Of the Institute -
|
the effect Of the venom, but unaccountnbly. all
known remedies seemed to be of no avail, and
the entire arm commenced swelling mO-t fear.
fully. At this jnncture we are informed tina,
DR.. Wsinright, with much presence Of miod.
begged TO have an amputation Of the whole arm
performed, but, after consultation. this course
was deemed inadvisable, and the victim. endu.
ring the most excruci cia'iug agony, continued ia
sink, and finally expired at half an hour alter
midnight--,he lamp of life going out q, las, qui'
etly. and with. apparently. no struggle
The unhappy man seemed To possess his fn
faculties almost to the last moment, snd wal
perfectly aware OF the fate To which hc was in
evitsbly Fastening. Some iIieen minutes be
fore his dccesse. turning to a friend who wal
supporting him, "lhs is horrible !" said he. q
he telt the extreme pain leaving his hand, ant
the sensation of ease slowly creeping up ,h'
arm from the seat of the wound-"ihis is horri
BILE to know that death is gradually feslin:
his way to my vitAls that arm is dead slres
dy! and"-plscing the unnjured hand over hi
/, hesrt-"ihe destroyer will soon bs here ! !!
This acute knowledge of his sure dissolution
. which, as medical man, he must have pos
sessed, could have been nought else than trul
. fearful.
The body. after death. presented ,he usus
u appearance Of decesss from the bite of thos
d hideou. reptiles, it being frghtfully swollen an
It mottled.