Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-27

that accidents from these two species
are probably rare.
The cobra, on the other hand, is one
of the commonest snakes in India, as it
is one of the most fatal in the world.
1873 to superintend the distribution of
the cobra population of that region at
1000 per square mile. This calcula-
ton, if correct, will perhaps serve
equally for any station in the Deccan,
as, for instance, Poona, where the CO.
bra finds both board and lodging on
easy terms in the holes of the field rats,
and probably does man more service in
a year than all the mischief it does him
in a century. Throughout Bombay it.
self the cobra swarms, especially on
places like Malabar Hill and Cumballa
Hill and Parel. That the cobra is so
rarely seen is only another proof of its
extremely timid and wary disposition.
But snakes, indeed, shun man far more
than man shuns them. Their first i'm
pulse on hearing his dreaded footstep
is to run, and among Europeans who
wear boots the possibility of being bit
ten is small.
Natives, walking noiselessly with
bare feet, are, of course, much more
liable to accidents, yet the statistics we
have already referred to give the total
number of persons killed by venomous
snakes during the year 1873 at 1882,
or less than one in 10000 of the popu-
lation. And it is not unlikely that we
should be nearer the truth if we cut
down that number by half; not only be-
cause snake-bite has been, since the
days of Hamlet's father, most con-
venient explanation of doubtful deaths,
but because in hundreds of eases, where
the bite of snake would not have
sufficed to kill the man, native methods
of cure complete the work and put an
end to his life.
A correspondent, in calling attention
to the danger, sends us an example
| very much to the point that came un-
| der his own notice. A strong young
Mussulman, an energetic and vigorous
man, was turning over some rubbish
when speckled snake, about two feet
long, bit him above the ankle. No
one else saw the creature. He himself
did not stop to look at it, but rushed
headlong home, implored his friends
|
over on the floor. In a few moments
the whole neighborhood had gathered
! together, determined not to let him
perish without an attemAt at rescue. A
dozen chickens were at once procured,
and the remedy was put into vigorous
operation. Its, by the way, one of the
commonest native specifics. Then some
jungle men passing by were called in.
They were practical men, and at once
sucked the wound. They sucked and
chewed the man in half dozen other
places besides, but this might have
been designed to act on his faith and
cheer him up, and by this time he
needed cheering. Next some local
savants suggested that the poison
should be got out of the man stomach,
and a good handful of salt was given
him, with an immediate result. After
this decoction of mees,l leaves was ad
ministered, both internally and exter
nally, plenty of it being rubbed on the
crown of his head. Some other decoc
ton was smeared on the roof of hi
tongue.
All this was, we are told, only the be
ginning of sorrows. For four or fiv,
hours the wretched man was piled witt
drugs and decoctions and charms, ever,
new conner putting some fresh aboml
: nation down his throat. At the end o
that time he was quite sensible, and no
symptom of snake poison had show
itself. There was no pain in the bittel
part, nor any swelling, as far as coul'
be ascertained, considering how tn
; place had been plastered and blistere
} and bandaged. Two or three hour
: later, however, some fresh dose, pre-
) scribed by a new arrival, gave the cou
de grace. The man succumbed. becam
, insensible, and soon died. There wa
a Government dispensary in the neigh
5 borhood, with an apothecary in charge
= but no one ever dreamt of consultin
t him until it was too late. In this cas-
} there was not a particle of evidence t
show that the snake was poisonous, an
in all probability the man was simpl
3 cured to death. The victim was ur
t fortunately a popular man and muc
4 respected, aud had he had fewer friend
: he might have been permitted to rt
: cover. If the blame of half the snake
e bite cases in the Government returns
], laid to the snake account the reptil
: has probably had its due, and after a
: the annual returns give one death onl
t in each 100000 the population.-Ipd1
e Times.