Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-12-10
non-coagulation of the blood to f. ,ipht

or the bl0Od TO right or
excitement just before death. This, he
thought, perhaps, explained toe old tri-
al for murder by the ordeal. OF touch.
According to this ordeal, the suspected
person was compelled to touch the body
of the victim, and if the blood flowed
from the wounds it was regarded as a
verdict against the accused. If the blood
in the victim of murder was not
coagulated, a very slight touch would
make it flow even more freely than wa
ter.
DR.. Piper said the rattlesnake appear.
ed capable of striking form several posi-
tons, according as it suited his convent
ence, but when about to strike there
! were always two lateral curves Of the
body, one backward and one forward.
The rattlesnake springs only two-thirds
of his own length.
AS to the remedy for the bite of the
rattlesnake, Prof. Piper had not paid
particular attention to the matter, but
physician in western Pennsylvania as
sured him that whisky was specific.
In this case bite from the serpent of
the still proves the antidote for bite
from the other serpent. Similia simili-
bus curantur. This Pennsylvania doc
tor told him that he treated twenty or
thirty persons a year for rattlesnake
bites rarely and the bites proved fatal
when whisky was in season. In one case,
a man reaching for piece of bark was
struck by snake concealed under the
bark and died in two hours, No remedy
was applied. This man was struck in the
neck. The rattlesnake always strikes at
the neck, or as high up as he can get. In
the experiments at Indianapolis every
animal put in the snakes cage was
struck in the neck except one that re-
r. ceived the fatal blow Immediately over
the eye. The snakes fang makes We
ry small wound, and but little blood es-
e capes. Inflammation sets in at once.
The animal struck seems to snffer very
A little pain, but to be rather in a stupefi-
ed condition. Human beings are said
/ to suffer acute pain from the wound.
1t is not known whether or not the
: rattlesnake peisons the animals that it
desires for food, but it is known that it
can swallow its own poison with impu,
y nifty. 1t is said also that a human be-
! ing may swallow rattlesnake poison with
- perfect safety if there beno wound about
j., the mouth.
There is one animal that appears tc
;, be invulnerable SO far as the rattlesnake
is concerned, and that is the hog. The
hog not only appears proof against the
d rattlesnake's bite but it cherishes feel
ings of the bitterest hostility against al
% snakes. innocent and poisonous, and de
stroys them with eagerness.
It DR.. Haynes cut off the points of thu
teeth of large rat that he put into The
re cage lest the snake should be rendered
incapable of performing any more ex
- periments. The rat tried to keep away
from the snake, but the latter felt tina
his premises were invaded and struck a
as he was, at once turned around and
made sturdy fight for few seconds
He bit the snake and the snake struck
~ him three or four times. At last he fell
the effects of the poison and walked of
:, as far from the snake as he could get
10 He lived for 81 hours after this.
The snake seemed to strike only il
e selfde-fence, or when he might naturally
>. suppose he was to be attacked.
Il The dove showed no signs of fear o
i the snake, and showed no signs of suffer
ing after being struck, nor, in fact. die
!, the wound seem to have any effect or
u the bird for time. About an hour af
e ter the wound was made the Bird
lee breathing was short and hard. Thi
u was the first symptom OF poisoning ant
in fifteen minutes more the bird wa
le dead
J, Inthe case of all these animals nc
/ blood flowed after death, and yet tht
u blood at the heart was not coagulated
- The authorities differ as to the liability
L L of the blood to coagulate after snake
q bite, but in these cases the blood wa
]; uncoagulated.