Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-08
NEW SERIES, No. Iss.
WEDMG 81, SO strictly IN advance
IEIUNlO, s2,0O at the years end.
Rattlesaakes and their Venom.

Rattlesnakes and their Venom.
The editor Of the I" Philadelphia Journal"
shows great familiarity with rattlesnakes, and
his authority on this subject will not hereafter
be questioned. He refers to the recent horrible
death of woman in Rath, N. Y, from the
bite of this venomous creature, and expresses
the opinion that this result might have been
averted by the use of preventatives which are
almost always within reach The Journal
says -
'We have seen good deal of this reptile
and have repeatedly known persons who have
been very badly bitten to recover without the
aid of any medical men. Perhaps the most re-
markable case of recovery, from the bite of
this snake, is that of Mr.. Dean, the surveyor
Of the large Bnigu.nn estate tins Northern
Pennsylvania. While far in the dense pine
woods, moro than a half days walk from any
habitation, he was bitten upon the feshy part
of the leg, close to vein, and in moment af-
terwards was seized with the most agonizing
pains. Being an inveterate smoker, the idea of
applying tobacco to the wound suggested it.
self but on searching his pouch he found that
not fragment remained He had, however, an
old hlackened clay pipe that he had used for
many months, and, dragging himself to fat
rock, he reduced the pipe to powder, which he
wetted and bandaged upon the wound An
hour afterwards he removed it, and found that
a single globule of greenish fluid had exuded
from the puncture made by the fangs Of the
snake a second application of the same
cataplasm completed the cure ; and although
he suffered from excrutiating pains for some
hours afterwards, he reached home the same
night. We believe it was not doubted that the
poison in the instance had been taken up into
the circulation.
" The case of Dr. wainwright, of New York,
himself a physician of distinction, who per-
ished from a bite upon his finger, we always
believed might have been cured had the use of
internal remedies been dicarded and a local ap-
plication made to the wound. Dr. wainwright
had Just received the snake in question by cx-
press, packed in plain box; and in transfer
ring it to suitable cage was bitten in the
hand. And although the most eminent phys
icians in the city were in prompt attendance,
'he expired in few hours afterwards. The
whole pharmacopeia appeared at fault for al
most every Official remedy was Intellectually tried.
Yet we could almost assert that had he been
bitten in country settlement in North Penn
sylvauia, with no Physician within fifty miles,
his life would have been saved by the unpreten-
ding medicaments which the simple old ladies
keep ready for such contingencies.
"These serpents are most dangerous in
August, when they become blind, for then they
strike at hazard and are more frequently seen
than under ordinary circumstances. Happily,
the snake is sluggish in its motions, and is cas-
lily killed with small switch. Did it possess
the activity and pluck of the common black
snake, the countries which it infests would be
absolutely uninhabitable. Occasionally, how
ever, we have killed them only after an OBJ
stinate battle and when it finds that escape is
impossible, the snake in his sluggish fury, will
sometimes bite itself, and then it becomes pois-
onous to the touch. In other cases, when de-
capitated, its body cannot only be handled with
impunity, but the country people attribute a
marvellous degree Of efficacy to the oil, which
they prepare from its fat.
:" We have often been amused at hearing
he )olness of Providence illustrated by the
remark that even the poisonous rattlesnake is
furnished with rattle so that it may give
warning before it makes the dreaded strike ?
This is simply obsurd. When the snake in
licts blow, its tail is motonless. The rep
tile lies in coil with It's head cleaning from
the middle, and in springing to an attack,
straightens itself out but it cannot leap from
the ground as many other snakes do. When it
sings as country people characterize the
vibration of his rattles, which sounds not un-
like the noise made by the harvest locust-it is
expressive of wish for peace, and if not fur
ther molested, there is no danger to be appre-
hended. But if trodden upon or suddenly en-
countered, the rattle is never heard the snake
will then strike in the manner we have de-
scribed, but can take effect only providing the
object of the blow be not further distant than
the reptiles length.
Where they are very abundant in the
country, people usually wear wOolen stockings,
in which, if they bite, their fAngs become
caught, and slight blow instantly kills then"