Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-07-20

How TO treat promptly the poisonous
Bites OfSHakes, Insects, Dogs or Cats.
From the New York Sun.
Dr. Dunning's patient, William Gore, the
New Jersey stOnecutter, whose case has been
attracting so much attention, was discharg-
ed from the hospital recently entirely cured.
His recovery is remarkable, and reflects cred
it on the house surgeon in charge Of the Nam
haitian Hospitable. On May 3 the yOungman
was walking near a lake, and seeing a rattle
snake beside the path he put his foot upon it
and reached down to seize it by the the tail,
intending to swing its head against the
rocks. AS he did so another snake, concealed
IN the grass, fastened its fangs in his hand
between the middle and index fingers. The
young man consulted a physician, who re-
commended the use OF aqua ammonia, and
later, when the pain became intense chlOrO-
form vas applied for relief. On the following
day the arm became swollen to twice it's nat
uraI SIZE, very much inhamed, and exceeding
~ painful. At this time he presented himsel
at the hospital and submitted himself to Dr..
Dunnlngs treatment, which consisted in
making an incisiOn in the wound allOwingit
to bleed freely, and removing the part touch
ed by the snakes fangs. To quote the doc
tors words: q next proceeded to get the
young man glOriOusiy drunk, and to keep
him so for several days. At first it required
considerable whisky to produce the required
was sufficient. At the same time carbonate
Of Ammonia was constantly used to acceier-
ate the action of the heart and counter
act the effects OF the poison. For some time
after the man entered the hospital the arm
continued to swell. the severe Painsextending
to the shoulder, head, and finally to the
other arm, being most persistent and Obsti-
nate IN the ears, and continuing there even
after the wounded arm was free from pain,
and a peculiar difusive redness extended
itself over the entire body, so marked that
when finger was drawn with slight pressure
over the surface of the skin a white line was
visible for d little time, and the wounded
arm was very much infamed. The patient
remained IN the hospital ten days before be-
ing discharged"
What is the proper treatment for snake
bite?''
The wound should be opened with a knife.
e hgature bound tight about the limb
wounded, between the wound and the body
and the blood from the cut be allowed to
flow freely. The igature, if very tight,
should not remain on more than two or
three hours, lest the death of the member
follow from lack of circulation. The wound
should then be cauterized with a red-hOt
iron or nitrate of silver, and treated with
carbOGc dressing containing one part
carbOlic acid to sixty parts water. If
very severe, q charcoal pOultice. composed Of
powdered charcoal alone, combined with fax
seed, should be bound on the wound. This
treatment may be applied without calling q
surgeon II much time must elapse before the
arrival of the surgeon, and if promptly and
thoroughly done is very. eficaciOus in saving
time. There are nc wounds so yirulent and
fatal as those caused by snake bites, for in
their faugs is secreted an extremely poison
Gus substance, which is deposited in the
wound through little grooves in the fangs.
The tangs are jOinted, and fall back into the
mouth when the animal is feeding being used
only Us a means of defense when attacked
There are far more deaths from snake bites
than from wounds given bysdOgs. If dog is
known to have hydrOphobia, the person bit
ten by him should apply much the same
treatment as in the case Of snake bite-cau-
terlzing the wound and applying the pOultice
OF charcoal Cats sometimes make ugly
wounds, not from any inherent poison in
themselves, but from yenOmOus substances
on their teeth deposited there by some food
they have eaten or decayed meat. The Vir-
ulen6e by these wounds is usually destroyed
by an application of aqua ammonia, com
monty called hartshOrn, and a pOultice of
haXseed. No more eficaciOus remedy is
known for the stings of insects, spiders, mos
quitOss etc, than ammonia or a pOultice of
common salt. if the sting is from a hornet
wasp, or bee, the salt pOUlUice should be
moistened with vinegar, and viii relieve the
pain almost instantly"