The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-12-01
KALlDA PUTNAM COUNTY, OHIO FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1854
TUE VENOM OF sERPENrs.

A recent number of the 81. Louis Me
dical Journal contains one Of the mos
interesting articles which we have eve
read, concerning venomous setpents. -
The article was written by DR.. s. Gilman
Dir. Gilman says that he has learned, by
the disseelion Of great numbers Of differ
eEt specits Of Sefpenis, that the anaiomi
cal construction Of the poisoning appara'
lus is similar in all the various varieties
II consists Of a strong frame work fbonc
resembling somewhat pair o(jaws, bul
placed externally to the jaws proper, and
much stronger. TO the lower part OF this
frame work are attached, on either side
one OF more movable fungs, capable o.
being erected a, pleasure. These fangt
arc very hard, sharp, and crooked, like
the claws oI cal, and looked backwards,
with hollow extending from the base 10
near the poiat. Unless erected for bat>
tie, they lie concealed in sort Of sheath
in the upper part Of the mouth. Al their
base is small sack, containing two or
three drops Of venom, which resembles
thin honey. The sack is so connected
with the fang that the motion Of raising
the latter forces tho venom into the caVi-
ty of the fang, and elects il with consd>
cradle force form q small slit or opening
near The point, SO that i, is invariably
carried 10 the bottom of any wound made
by the fang. There is no doubt that
these fangs are, as the head grown broad
or, frequently broken of, or shed. In
the mouth of one large ratilesuake Dr..
Gilman found no less than five fangs in
each side, in all the diifefen, stages Of
formation. Three fnngs on either side
are frequently found in copperheads, vi>
,pers, and others. -a-a q
The process Of robLing serpents Of
their venom is easily accomplished by
the aid of chlorolorm. A few drops arc
spfficien, to stupfy them, and if they are
then seized carefully by the neck, the
fang may be gently pressed upwards, and
the venom absorbed in bi, Of sponge,
or caught in vial, as il issues FORTH
Several serpents which had been robbed
in this manner were found, after the lapse
of two days, TO be as highly charged as
ever with venom Of equal intensity with
that first taken. In attempting TO pre-.
serve few drops of venom for future ex>
periments, in small vial with two or
three parts Of alcohol. Dr., Gilman found
that it very soon lost its venomous pro>
periies. This confirms the general be-
liefiflat deoh0l isanr aniitloio. He found,
however, that when mixed with aqua
ammonia, Spirits Of turpeutine, oil ofpep-
permint, cinnamon, or cloves, it would
con,inueto act with undiminished energy.
Dr.. Gilman succeeded in making sew
en- venomous serpents fraternize and
dwell amicably in one den. A beautiful
pair of loug>bodied King snakes, known
to be fangless, and consequently without
venom, were duly installed as members
oflhe family. The older member mani
tested some uneasiness, but made no at
tempt 10 destroy The inlruders; aud the
next morning four Of the venomous ser.
pents were found dead, and a fifth was
Gaping in the audocating coils Of the
King snakes. The Two others remained
stupid and apparently ihdiffe rent TO then
fate, and could no, be made TO offer the
slis hiest resistance to their enemies
One Of the King snakes was afterwards
inoculaied with The poison ofa rat,lesnake
which he had destroyed, and died imme-
dialely, thus eveDcing that they mus
have exercised some power besides ply
sical force 10 overcome their fellow rep
tiles. AZ
In short, the resul, ofa great numbe
Of experiments performed by Dv. Gilman
were such as to warrant, ia his opinion
the following conclusion: That the ven
ON Of all ,serpenls acts as poison in sim
liar, though not always in an equal man,
nor; tina, variety Of the colluber known
as the coiton-mou,h IS the most yenem,
GUS reptile in Arkansas; that the venom
Of serpenis destroys vegetable as well as
animal life; that alcohol, If brough. in
contact with the venom, is 10 certain
extent un an,idoie; iha, serpenis do pos
sess the power of fascinating small ami
mails, and the blood Of small animals de-
stroyedLy the venom Of serpen,s bears a
close resemblance 10 .ba, of animals de-
stroyed by lightning, in as much as i,
looses its power Of !coagula,ion, and can
not be kept long from putrefaction.
10 the course ofhis scientific research
es, DR.. Gilman observed the following
singular scene, which is remarkable il
lus'ration Of fthe ienaci,y oflife in animals
Of the serpent tribe:
"a large ratilesnake, beheaded instant
ly with hoe, would, an hour and hall
after, strike at anything tina. pinched his
tail. or several persons who were test>
ing their 6lmness Of nerve by trying to
hold the hand steady while ,be serpen,
struck at il, not one could be found
whose hand would not vecoil in spite Of
his resolution; and one man, great bul-
lY, blythe way. was struck on the naked
throat with considerable force by The
headless trunk Of the serpent, and stag
gered hack, tainted. and fell from terror
FNs