New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-27

Ordinarily, the rattlesnake is extremely
sluggish, and unless molested there is little
to fear from it during the greater portion OF
the year. Just before and just after its win
ter sleep, however, it is more active, and
often assumes the offensive. In order to
strike, it must lie in a close coil, with its head
and neck erect. In this position it throws
itself forward about three-fourths its length,
supporting its weight entirely upon the re-
naming fourth. When molested or alarmed,
or when about to attack, the rattle is violently
shaken; but practically this serves little pur-
pose as a warning, since when excited the
creature strikes at the intruder with the
quickness of lightning, and almost stimuli
| taneously with the sound of the rattle. The
statement that the noise of the rattle is pc
culiar, and once heard will never afterward
| be mistaken, is emphatically denied, the wri-
ter averring that he has known the opinions
of those who had frequently heard the sound
divided as to whether certain ominous
clicking arose from the grasshOppers, which
were there in great numbers, or a rattle
snake" Contrary to the common belief, the
reptile also often leaves its hole and moves
about after shutdown, not seldom crawling
into tents, and even into beds, during the
night. The notion that yenomous snakes do
not bite twice in immediate succession is also
pronounced erroneous, the writer mentioning
a case where he saw the rattlesnake strike
three times with electric quckness, each time
leaving the marks of its fangs on the trousers
OF the person attacked.
But with all its quickness and irri.ability,
the snake frequently refuses to bite, even
when crowded to the closest quarters. 1t is
related that often when trod on it fails to re-
taliate and one remarkable instance is given
where gentleman on coming out of the river
Platte after bath, and entirely naked, sat
down upon a rattlesnake, and discovering his
mistake suddenly resumed his legs, without
suffering any harm beyond a severe fright
The peculiar Odor ofthe rattlesnake is vOuched
for, and we are told that when one is irritated
and made to bite the rake or hoe with which
it is intended to kill him, the implement will
retain the same unpleasant smell for months.
Once known, the odor is always recognizable.
The bite of the rattlesnake, according to
this observers experience, is neither so rap
idly fatal nor so incurable as most people
suppose. OF thirty persons bitten by the
rattlesnake, he states that all recovered but
one, and he lived twelve days after the acct
dent. Of the whole thirty, this was the only
case which received surgical advice; but
whether il was the bite or the advice that
killed the patient we are not informed.
Whisky the writer regards as a specific
for the bite of the rattlesnake, and relates
numerous instances which illustrate the Won
dcrful power of this agent when administered
in sufficient quantity. 1t is well known to
physicians that persons suffering from diseases
attended with severe pain will often tolerate
much larger doses of opium or other narcotic
than could otherwise be borne. Persons
poisoned by the bite Of a rattlesnake mani
fest a similar tolerance for immense doses Of
whisky, quantities sufficient to make well
person stupidity drunk. or even TO destroy
life, often producing no visible effect upon the
sufferer from snakebite. Yet, to be of any
service to the patient, it is asserted that he
must be made thoroughly drunk before it is
safe TO suspend the administration of the
remedy. \ quart or more Of raw whisky is
frequently required TO bring about this condi-
ton but when once it is attained, no further
danger need be apprehended.
While the rattlesnake is found spread oyer
a large portion Of North America, il is much
more abundant in some localities than in
others. Texas probably holds an Infinitely
larger proportion of these reptiles than any
other State in the Union. The district lying
between the Rio Grande and the Nueces, two
streams which flow in the same direction and
some sixty or seventy miles apart, is desert
region, literally swarming with poisonous SER
penis. In summer" says our writer, zone
cannot go fifty yards in this locality without
seeing rattlesnake. In other parts of the