Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-03-19
From the Southern Medical Journal. I
BITE OF THE RATTLESNAKE.

MEssRs. ED1ToRs / believe as vet no distin-
guished authority has elevated the claims of Alco-
hol to the character of specific in this terrible
malady; character to which l think it justly
entitled, as the following case will show:
1 was summoned in haste on the evening of the
Goth September, 1852, to see Miss R, a young
lady aged II, living five miles in the country, who
q was informed by the messenger,) while taking
a stroll in company with her mother, was bitten
by Rattlesnake. l arrived at half past seven
o'clock, two hours and a half after the accident.
l found my patient almost moribund, pulse wavy
and scarcely perceptible at the wrist, surface cold
and bathed in perspiration face swollen with be-
sotted expression, mind wandering, pupils dlated,
could not see declaring that it was very dark, al
though candles were burning in the room, asked
frequently if it not raining hard, although the
night was calm and clear Upon examination 1
found that the bite had been inflicted on the instep
of the left foot; two little punctures were very
perceptible around which there was greenish areoa,
with some pufiness.
Having heard of the marvellous efficacy of "spir-
its in the relief of similar cases, at once deter
mined to give the remedy a full and fair trial
Reason and analogy sustained it. The nervous
system was overwhelmed by swift and deadly Sc
dative poison, it must be supported by an equally
powerful difusiJIe stimulant; accordingly l gave
half glass of whiskey, which was swallowed with
avidty. Meanwhile the wound was freely scarifed
and cupped, and the extremities placed in hot
saline bath twenty grains of carb. ammonia was
then given which was Immediately thrown up, to-
gether with the contents of the stomach, colored
bright grass green. A common sized glass full of
whiskey was now given, the patient draining with
eagerness the last drops and begging with the
energy of instinct for more thus glass of whis-
key and twenty grs. of carb. ammonia were given
alternately every half hour, until three pints of
the former and eighty grs. of the latter were ia
ken; and what is remarkable, not the slightest in
toxication ensued on the contrary, the urgent and
alarming symptoms gradually gave way, warmth
was restored to the surface the pulse returned to
the wrist, the mind was called back from its wan
behring's, and she fell into quiet Sleep from which
she awoke at five o'clock, A. NJ, complaining of
intense pain in the foot, shooting up the inside of
the leg to the knee ordered, morphia ooe-fourth
or, lamentations of laudanum and camphor, fol-
lowed by poultice of lin UNI lin with the effect of
entire relief of pain. The following day castor oil
was given from that hour she suffered no further
inconvenience from the bite.
The instructive avidity and impunity with which
this delicately nurtured young lady took so large
quantity of spirits sufficient under ordinary cir
cumstances to have killed regular habitue, would
excite astonshment, if we did not reflect that it
was antagonized by the depressing effect of the
poison on the nervous system.
But the most interesting feature in this case re-
mains to be stated Miss R, at the time she
was bitten, was the subject of well marked hoop
ing-cough, which was then epidemic in the neigh
borhood; she had had the disease about three.
weeks, consequently it at its acme, but on re-
covering from the effects of the poison to her great
surprise, and qualification, her cough had disap-
peared also, did it return being essentially a
spasmodic disease, it was swept away by the pow
erful impression made upon her nervous system.
This interesting and novel fact, it seems to me,
furnish hints in the treatment of this hitherto
intraetable malady, hopping cough, some remarks
upon which reserve for future communication.
Yours truly,
THOMAS A. ATCHISON