Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-08-15
BITTEN BY A SCORPION.
A Doctors !, orrible Experience in
the Wilds of Mexico.

DIR. George Mallet, of BROOKLYN CITY.
who is on his way to the mining CAMPS
of the interior of Mexico, writes from
Las Yedras the following story of his
journey and his experience with O scor-
pion:
81 started across country on mule
back with dangerous-lo looking guide,
whom feared at any moment might
cut my thr, at while sleep for the little
money l had; fortunately, he did moth
ing of the kind and turned out to be a
very good man. The third night out
had an experience that would not re-
peat for all the wealth of Mexico. II
was Just dark, about 730, when discov-
cred a light by the side of mountain
and thought it would be a good time tc
camp, as we had been in the saddle al.
most constantly since o'clock that
morning. We made for it and found q
little shanty inhabited by two horrible
looking specimens of humanity in the
most abbrevia ed of costumes.
''The guide told them we wanted to
stop all night and the female prepared
a rncake for me. AS they of course
had no chairs, L sat ON low stool in
front of the fire to eat it. 1 was scarce.
ly seated before felt something on my
neck, and putting my hand up, felt an
excee lingly severe sting on my left in.
deX finger. 1t almost made me howl.
Immediately tied my handkerchief about
it and stopped the circulation and then
sucked it, and the old woman parted
with chew of tobacco for it. In about
ten minutes the singing ceased and ]
thought it was all over, when intense
vertigo came on with much vomiting
and retching, then sense of great
weakness and collapse, accompanied by
profuse cold perspiration, then SHARP
tingling began in the bitten finger, ex.
tending over the hand and up the arm,
then the other arm and hand, then both
feet they tingled and stung like an cleo
trical current, and yet they were com.
pletely dead to all external impressions,
and l could scarcely move them; then
my face began to feel the same way. 1
called for water and was terrified to find
that | had lost all sense of taste and my
jaw was getting stiff and could scarce
1y artcu ate mt all.
'Just imagine my feelings one
near but those almot savages, and they
understanding not word | said, and
the horrible sense Of impending death
due to the depression caused by the
poison. 1 tried to ask if there was q
doctor anywhee near, but could not
even speak English now, and of course
they did not understand me. 1t was
simply horrible, and l thought surely 1
was dying, for the dead feeling seemed
to be extending, and L could scarcely
move muscle. With great effort 1
made signs for a bottle of claret that
happened to have in my bag, to use in
case of bad water. Most of this drank,
and it braced me up some so that
made them understand that / wanted
hot water, and it seemed almost year
before they got any. When it came,
although they could not bear their
hands in it, L put both hands and feet
into it without feeling it. Then l made
them rub hard, and this they did all
night, and by morning l slept for about
two hours, being perfe ;tly exhausted.
On awaking / felt much better; my
limbs tingled just as though they were
asleep, but / could use them; by mov-
ing about the sensation began to return.
''As soon as | could get up got into
tle saddle again, hoping to reach some
civilization in case / should get worse.
The journey was just half over, 80 /
pushed on for Yedras and soon found
that the exercise was of benefit; the tin
Cling ceased, and by that night could
taste the food. 1 ate the next morning
and had no signs of the previous nights
experience, except loss of sensibiliiy
in my left arm and hand and feeling
of great weakness. Now, five days aftor,
am entirely we'll, except that have no
feeling at all in my left index finger and
half OF back of forearm up to the elbow.
/ was told here that it was scorpion
that bit me and that was lucky in get
ting out of it so easily. 1 am all right
now and apprehend no further trouble. II