The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-10
Experiments with Rattlesnake Poison.

An Indianapolis (lnu.) paper says
A series of experiments was recently
made in this city by DIR. I. r. Haynes
with the view of studying the effects of
snake poison upon the blood and tissues
of the animal system. The experiments
we're witnessed by Professor II. U. Pi-
per, of Chicago, who caused a descrip-
ton of the same to be published in the
Times of that city. One object of the
experiments, as stated by the Times,
was to note the effects of the poison
with reference to it's use as remedial
agent in certain cases of disease. The
chief factor in the experiments was fine
rattlesnake about eleven years old and
three and half or four feet long, which
DIR. Haynes has confined in wire cage.
Some thirty animals were used in the
experiments, such as rats, hens, pigeons
and rabbits. They lived varying peril
ods after being bitten, death not follow
ing in any regular sequence of time, as
is generally believed. One rat died in
eight minutes, one in twelve, and the
next rat lived twenty-seven hours, the
next one surviving twenty hours. A
pigeon died in seventy-fve minutes. A
hen, which was struck three times,
lived for three days in a stupid condi-
ton, and finally recovered.
The symptoms were labored breath
ing, paralysis of the hind extremities in
the quadrupeds, and absence of blood in
the extremities. After death the hearts
were found gorged with blood in fluid
state. This non-coagulation of blood
Professor Piper was inclined to attribute
to fright or excitement just before death.
It was noticed during the experiments
that the snake appeared capable of strik-
ing from several different positions, ac-
cording as it suited his convenience, but
when about to strike there were always
two lateral curves OF the body, one back
ward and one forward. The rattlesnake
springs only two-thirds of his own length,
and always strikes at the neck, or as high
up as he can get. In the experiments
in this city every animal put into the
snakes cage was struck in the neck, ex-
cept one that received the fatal blow
Immediately over the eye. The snakes
fang makes very small wound, and but
little blood escapes. Inflammation sets
in at once. The animal struck seems to
suffer very little pain, but to be rather
in stupefed condition. Human beings
are said to suffer acute pain from the
wound. In the course of the investiga-
ton here Professor Piper tried to get an
idea of the method in which the snake
struck, but it was impossible. The
snakes motion was SO rapid that no eye
could follow it. Lightning was not more
sudden in its movements.
s. me additional facts concerning the ex-
periments in this city are described in the
Times as follows: "Dr. Haynes cut of
the points of the teeth of large rat that
he had put into the cage, lest the snake
should be rendered incapable of perform.
ing any experiments. The rat tried t.
keep away from the snake, but the latter
felt that his premises were invaded, and
struck at the rat. The latter, partially
disarmed as he was, at once turned
round and made sturdy fight for few
seconds. He bit the snake, and the
snake struck him three or four times.
At last he felt the effects of the poison,
and walked off as far from the snake as he
could get. He lived for twenty-sever
hours after this. A dove put into thu
cage exhibited no fear of the snake, ant
showed no signs of suffering after being
struck. Nor, in fact, did the wounC
seem to have any effect on the bird for {
time. About an hour after the woun(
was made the birds breathing was shor
and hard. This was the first symptom
of poisoning, and in fifteen minutes NOR
the bird was dead. In the case of al
these animals no blood flowed afte
death, and yet the blood at the hear
was not coagulated. The authoritie
differ as to the liability of the blood t.
coagulate after a snake bite, but in al
these cases the blood was uncoagulated.