The Baltimore County union., 1884-08-30
Remarkable Instance of Horn
Snake Venom.
H10erstopn Nears,


Mr.. Edward Wright, who formerly
resided in Allegany County but is now
citizen of HagerStown, relates a
remarkable instance of the virulence of
the horn or hoop snake. The instance
as he heard it from, Mr.. BARLEY Nee
who was personally acquainted with all
the persons concerned, is as follows: In
the mountainous region in which is To-
Gated the adjoining sections of what
now constitutes part of Garrett and
Allegany Counties, lived man and his
wife, neighbors of Mr.. Nee. The hus-
band was mountaineer thoroughly vers-
ed in wood-craft and all the arts of the
hunter and trapper. One bright fall
morning he started for the woods to
procure supply of light-wooj knots
or rich pine, from the many fallen and
decayed pine trees thereabouts. He
ssf ai 4Ff f spdse s@pdHnfEeb Of pr ha 5d
branches, giving promise of many rich
light-wood knots He had, that morn
ing, put on for the first time, a new
new pair of stout boots, made by To-
cal cobbler. He approached and en-
deavored to turn over the fallen log or
part of the tree, so as to be able to get
better opportunity to knock the knots
off with his axe. In raising the log, he
disturbed, by treading on it, large
horn snake. By chance he trod direct
ly on the sharp horn, which penetrated
the sole of his boot just forward of the
heel, and broke off, He killed the
snake, got his light-wood and went
home.
Continuing to wear his boots, in few
days he was taken with vomiting spells
and symptoms, as he thought, of chills.
He was confined to the house for few
days, but apparently recovering, put on
his boots and went TO work. He then
took long hunting excursion over sew
eral high mountains, was gone several
days, becoming, at various times, very
much heated; when he returned, he
found he was he was unable to get his
boot off. He finally succeeded however,
and observing that his heel and ankle
were swelled, put on an old shoe. The
swelling increased however, SO that in
day or so he was unable to walk. The
limb soon developed all the appearances
of reptile poisoning, and despite all
remedies the man shortly died.
The widow, being comely, soon mar
ried again, and the new boots of hus-
band No. descended to husband No. 2.
He being an active man, tramped a
good deal, became overheated, took
sick and died with symptoms identical
with those of No. I. Again the buxom
widow married, again the fate of Nos.
I and 2 was that of the wearer. Being
now for the third time widow, and
not $50 young as she used to be-" she
sent the boots to the shoemaker to dis
pose of. He, in overhauling them, dis
covered, just forward of the heel, the
sharp point of the broken horn. 1t had
Just irritated the flesh of the heel
enough to cause the pores, when open
ed by perspiration, to absorb any virus
exuded by it. Thus wehave an authen-
tic account of three deaths in one fam
ily from the virulence of the venom
contained in these singular excresences.
This is no journalistic "snake story; "
but plain statement of fact, derived
from undoubted and thoroughly truth
full authority. Mr.. Wright isaccessible
to any one who desires to interview him
on the subject, and is prepared to sub
stantiate every statement above re-
corded.