Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-02-27
A CURE FOR sNAKE-PoIsoNlNG.
incubation as Practicsd nv Bushmen-
Nothing New but the Forgotten"

incubation as Practiced nv Bushmen-
Nothing New but the Forgotten"
h'ca n ~, 80
Let a new discovery in science, art or
mechanics be announced, and some one
comes forward 10 show that it is very
old and has long cen used in some part
of the world. The like is true in rela-
tion to alleged new dis overies in reme-
dial agents The report Of aSteur's
discovery in regard to the prevention OF
hydrophobia by inoculating the tlerrr
With virus obtained from an animal
that had died in consequen of having
been bitten by rabid dog had been
published but few days before Mr.
Farini, distinguish rental traveller,
stated in an English Journal that the
natives of many parts of Asia and AZ
RIGA used dried snake poison as an anti
dote for the bite of serpent He states
that there dozen varieties OF snakes in
Asia and Africa which have the power
to in ect dea ly poison into the animal
system by means of their fangs.
The subtle poison is certain to pro-
duce death in man or beast in very
short time unless an antidote he imme-
diately administered. All beasts of
burden as well as human beings are in
constant danger of being bitten by these
| poisonous snakes. AS the natives gen
orally go naked, they have no protec-
ton against them Still they exhibit
no fear of them. Every man going out
in the forest or UNCLE or upon the des
ert carries in pouch hung to his side
either the dried body Of poisonous
reptile. called N'anhoo, or poisonous
sticks of the puff adder, yellow cobra,
or capello. AS soon ms they are bitten
they make some Slight missions in the
flesh close to the place whore the poison
Gus fangs entered, into which they
sprinkle some of the dried and pulver-
lied virus. The swelling, which com
mences Immediately, very soon subsidies
and the person becomes sleepy. After
few hours rest a I'd sleep he is able TO
walk, and in day or two is as we'll as
ever.
Mr.. Farini states that while exploring
the alahari three of his oxen were
bitten by poisonous snakes. He sup
posed that he would lose them all, but
a Bushman, who was their driver, in
formed him that there was no possible
danger. He proceeded to inoculate
them, and after short rest they were
able to continue their journey This
Bushman was constantly stating that he
had no fear of the bite of any snake
One day as the traveller was walking in
advance of the wagon train he disco :
cred full-grown capello lying under p
bush. He called his driver and asked
him to catch it if he was not afraid Of
being bitten He replied that he would
catch it and allow it to bite any part o.
his body for q plug of tobacco, Mr..
Farini refused to promise it to him as he
did not wish to be an accessory to his
death.
While he went to get a whip with
which to kill the horrible creature, thc
Bushman coolly went up and kicked ii
with his bare foot, into which the poi
sonous fangs were thrust. He then sat
down, drew from his skin pouch some
poisonous sacks, cut little piece from
one, reduced it to powder in his hand
rricked his wounded foot near where
the swelling had begun to appear, and
rubbed in some of the powder While
he was doing this another Bushman
killed the snake, extracted the poison
cysts, squeezed drop out, mixed II
with water, and handed it to his com
panion to drink. The bitten man fell
into sort of torpor that lasted several
hours At first the swelling in.
creased, but in a short time
it began to abate. The next
morning the incubation was repeated
and before night the swelling had al.
most entirely disappeared. ON the third
day the man pronounced himself as en-
tirely well, and demanded his roll o.
tobacco. Mr.. Farini brought home to
Europe the poison of several snakes and
portion of N'anboo, all of which he
has sent M. Pasteur to use in expert.
, ments in cases of snake-poisoning
robably the expression THE hair OF
dog will cure the bite" is older thar
"Simifa similibus curantur." Quite
likely homeopathy was practiced by ig
; norant savages in the wilds of Asia anc
: Africa centuries before Hahnemann was
born. Solomon informs us that there
| is nothing new under the sun, and a
French proverb declares that there il
nothing new but the forgotten. NJ
one should be astonished that the dis
> covery of some empiric Bushman in re
gard to incubation antedates that mad,
5 by the great French savant.