The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-03-12
STORIES ABOUT oENTrpEDEs.
Cutting Ont Pound of Flesh to Re
move the Poison.

move the Poison.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
A few days ago Lucien Alexander re-
ceived from a friend in Arkansas a spec
men of that venomous animal the cent?
pede. Mr. Alexander placed the articu-
late in jar of alcohol and has it on ex-
hibition at his store. Almost every one
who has been attracted by it has related
remarkable incidents about its family.
The centipede is known to be one of the
most poisonous reptiles in existence. 1t
is claimed that it's sting is sure death,
and an anti dote for its poison is among
the undiscovered wonders of the world.
One of the stories related of this species
when among the Ozark mountains a
companion felt one of them crawling up
his leg. He knew its sting was sur5 and
fatal, but the varmint was on him.
What must he do to be saved was the
question. He knew it would be impos
sible to shake it off. because at the least
disturbance it would plant It's fangs
into his flesh. He felt it crawl
ing, and as it came higher
and higher on his limb the per-
spiration boiled from every pore of his
body. Every moment was one of agony,
and he began to realize that his life hung
or slender thread. Finally an idea
suggested itself. He dealt the centipede
terrific blow, killing it; but of course
at the first touch its fangs were inserted
in his flesh. Almost instantly he dis
robed and with common pocket-knife
made an incision around the affected
part and removed about a pound of flesh.
This was twenty years ago, and the man
carries an ugly scar to this day, but to
that scar he owes his life.
Another story, more remarkable, is
briefly told. A company of immigrants
had camped in New Mexico and one
night one of the party, who was sleeping
on the ground, was awakened by pc
culiar sensation on his toes He looked
and saw a monstrous centipende crawl
ing across his foot. Only a few feet
from him was the camp fire and he
could see every fiber of the reptile.
Knowing its peculiarities and the effect
of its sting, he, too, was in a fever of ex-
citement. Afraid to move a muscle, he
dared not attempt to shake it off. After
a seconds pause he reached under his
head, gothis pistol and, taking deliber-
ate aim, fired. It was a life-saving
! shot for the man; the centipede divided
and dropped in two parts on either side
of his foot. But here comes the most re-
markabie part of the story. Within an
| hour after the shot was fired the men
heard a terrible groaning from one of
their mules, picketed only few yards
away. They went to them and found
one of them with his left fore leg swollen
to an enormous size. The swelling in
creased, SO did the agony and groaDs of
the animal, until it died in about thirty
minutes thereafter. An examination
was made, and it was discovered that
the bullet which had severed the cent?
pede had entered the mules foot just
above the hoof and inoculated it with
| poison from the reptile.
The person who related the above in
cident bears splendid reputation for
truth and veracity, and he emphasized
that it was true story, but his audience
nevertheless, gave him look of suspi-
cion. 'It may be true, said one, ''but
| I'll be blamed if believe it,"