The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-08-19
Cn the Venom Of Seri cnts.

eaton OF the soil is sometimes the effect Of
the most terrific storm DE VALOIS.
Cn the Venom Of Seri cnts.
There is much in the history and habits
of the reptile tribes, however rcpulsive they
may he in appearance, that is very interest
ing. During sojourn Of two or three
months in the interior Of Arkansas, which
appears to me to be the paradise of reptiles
! paid some attention to thaa: branch Of nat
urai history called ophiology found four
d'...nct varieties Of rattlesnakes (crotaluS,)
Of which the Crotalus llorridus and Crota-
luB Crtlandii are by far the most numerous
The former is the largest serpent in North
America. The family Of moccasin snakes
CCollubcr) is also quite numerous; there be-
ing not less than ten varieties most Of which
are quite az yenomous as the Iattlesnakc.
BY dissectng great numbers of different
species, learned that the anatomical struc-
turc OF the poisoning apparatus is similar, in
all tie different varieties Of yenOmous ser.
ponts. II consists OF strong framework
oi bone, with It's appropriate muscles, in the
upper part Of the head, resembling, and be-
ing IN fact, pair Of jaws, but externally to
the jaws proper, and much stronger. TO
these is sn,tached, by ginglymo'd articula
tion ono or more movable iangs, on each
side, just at the verge Of the mouth, capable
OF being erected at pleasure. These fangs
are hard, sharp, and crooked, Ike the Claws
Of cat, and hooked backward, with hollow
from the base to near the point have oc-
casioaally seen thin slit of bone divide this
hollow, making two. At their base is found
small sack, containing two or three drops
Of venom, which resembles thin honey
The sack is so connected with the cavity of
the fang, during It's erection, that slight
upward pressure forces the venom into the
fang, al It's base, and il makes its exit at
small slit or opening near the point, with
considerable force thus il is carried to the
bottom Of any wound made by the fang
Unless the iangs are erected for battle, they
lie concealed in the upper part OF the mouth,
sunk between the external and internal jaw
bones, somewhat like pen-kniie blade shut
up in its handle, where they are covered by
a fold Of membrane, which cnclOses them
Ike sheath this is the cdgiad dentts-
I hrrc rurr be no doubt tfat these fangs are
frequently broken of or shed, as the head
grows broader, to make room for new ones
nearer the verge of the mouth for within
the ragtHd dentG Of very large crotalus
horridus, found no less than five fangs on
each sidc--in all stages Of formation-thc
smallest in n halfpulpy or cartilaginous state,
the aext something harder, the third still
more perfect, and 80 on TO the main, well
So. perfect fang Each ofthcse teeth had
well-deiincd cavity, ike the main one. Three
fngs on each side were frequently found in
copperheads, yipers, and others.
G LII - e h.i
venom is easily accomplished by the aid Of
chloroform, a few drops of which Supplies
them. II, while they are und rlts influence,
they are carefully seized by the neck, and
the pogiH0 deBts held out OF the way by
an assistant, with pair Of forceps, and the
fang be erected and gently pressed upward,
the venom will be seen issuing from the fang
and dropping from lis point. 1t may then
be absorbed by bit Of spunge, or caught
in a vial, OF on the point Of a lancet. After
robbing several scrpcnts in this manner,
they were found, after two days to be as
highly charged as ever, with venom ofcqual
intensity with that first taken.
During the process Of robbing several
species of serpcnts, inoculated several small
but vigorous and perfectly healthy vcgcta-
blcs with the point OF lancet well charged
with venom. The next day thcywcre with
cred and dead, looking as though they had
been scathcd with lughtning. In attempt
ing To preserve few drops Of vc' ON for iu-
ture experiments, in small vial with two
or three parts of alcohol, il was found in
short time, to nave lost its vcnomous pro-
pcrtics But after mixing the venom with
aqua ammonia, or spirits of turpentinc, or
oil Of peppermint, or Of cinnamon, or Of
cloves or with nitric or sulphurc acid, it still
seemed to act with undimnished energy
1t is best preserved, however, for future use,
by trituration with refined sugar or sugar of
milk.
\ very fine, large, cotton-mouth snake,
being captured by putting shoe-string
around him, became exceedingly ferocious,
striking at even the crack of a small riding
whip. Finding himself prisoner without
/ hope of escape, he turned his deadly weap-
ons on his own body, striking repeatedly his
well charged iangs deeply into his tcsh.--
Notwithstanding this he was put in small
basket, and cal ricd forward In one hour
after he was found dead, and no amount Of
| irritation could excite the least indication Of
life. Four hours after while removing the
! skin for prcScrvatian, the blood oozcd slow
!
violence was done to his snakcship, except
what he did to himself
Another mocasin, shot by pistol about
two inches back Of the head, and skinned
Immediately, gave decided evidence ofvitali-
ty four hours after being flayed, by writhing
the body whenever it was irritated by a
scalpcl
A large ca!.lesnakc, bcheadcd instantly
with hoe, would, an hour and a half after,
strike at anything that pinchcd its tail. Of
several persons who were testing their firm.
ness of nerve by trying to hold the hand
steady while the serpent struck at it, not one
could be found whose hand would not recol,
in spite of his resolution; and one man "a
great bully, by-thc.by) was struck on the
naked throat with considerable force by the
hcadlcss trunk of the serpent, and staggered
back, tainted, and fell, from terror. Mr..
Stewart, ofMississippi, tells me he once wit
messed similar scene. An old hunter shot
a rattcsnake's head of, and after re-loading
his gun and standing some time, he stopped
TO pml off the rattlcs, and the bloody but
hcadlcss trunk of the snake struck him in
the temple, and he tainted and fell down with
terror
Seven venomous scrpcnts, belonging to
five different species, were mad, to tratcr'
nizc and dwell nmicably in one dcn A
beautiful pair of long bodied spcckled snakes
known as king snakes, found to be iangless,
aud consequently without venom, were du'
" installed as members Of the family Some
uncasinrss was pcrceiyable among the oldeI
members, but no attempt was mace to dc
{ stroy the iutruders, though they might have
, | l,,c L ,ll,t ;nat,, t,r The next morning
four of the yenomous serpcnts were found 4
, have been destroyed by the king.snakes
and one was still within their coil, and th'
two remaining ones would make no eiior
4 at se4.dcfence. A large rattlcsnake seemed
Q stupid and Indifferent to his fate lie coul'
I not be made TO threaten or give warning
even with his rattles. The smallest king
, snake was afterward inoculated with tn
a poison Of one Of the serpants he had destroy
J. cd, and died Immediately aMcr-,,thut evinc