The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-19
ABOUT RATTLESNAKEs.
Interesting Facts Concerning the Dan =
gerouS Reptile.
From the Philadelphia Press.


ALTOONA, PA, Oct 5.-The unusual
number of persons bitten by rattesnakes
during the summer has created more than
ordinary interest in the subject, especially
with persons residing in the mountain dis
tricts of Pennsylvania, where the snake
crop is always up to the annual demand,
serpentine goods being marketable the same
as Others productions of the country. Rat
tlesnakes command price ranging from 81
to S., according to size and condition.
Showmen and managers of museums pur-
chase them, and there are persons
residing in the country who domesticate
and utilize them as household pets Strange
as 1t may seem, there are pc ople in the
mountain regions who regard a dish of
fried snake as a most delicate and whole
some luxury. Such persons entertain the
very singular belief that diet of snake
| possesses certain medicinal properties, and
| in some instances physicians have recon-
mended it as sure cure for consumption.
| The snake is CAPTURED, killed, skinned and
| dressed the same as an eel and those who
have partaken of it declare that the flesh of
| a RATHER has a most delicate and delicious
| flavor.
SNAKE-BITTEN PEOPLE,.
The present season has furn ished a num-
| Der of real cases of snake bites, in addition
| to those which occurred only in the ima2i-
nation Of the writer. Recently a lady resid-
| ing in or near this city was bitten by a
| RATHER, while out on the hills "bsrrying n
| but fortunately recovered.
An Altoona afternoon paper told its read
ers that Prof Haverly, while ON the mount
| aims, had a contest with a large rattle
snake and came off victor by making a
| rapid and successful retreat. The snake it
is reported, jumped at him three times, and
each time the professor fired a charge from
his revolver, but the shots did not take eff :
feet. He reiterated without killing the rep
tile. 1t is needless to say that rattlers never
| jump, not even at high school professor.
| Several cases of snake bite are reported
| from adjoining counties. In Huntingdon a
| child was bitten and is not expected to re-
| cover Near Chest creek Cambria county.
| two men, woman and child were each
| twice bitten by two snakes None of these
cases proved fatal In Clarified county, a
man fishing on Lost Run near Senator
| Wallaces coal mines, was bitten and cured
| himself by keeping his wounded leg in a
stream of cold water, after having swa-
lowed pint of whisky. Bald Knob, in the
same county, furnished another victim, who
at last reports was dying. Another case
occurred in Center county. A man who
was gathering huckleberries on Ice mount
| ain, near the head of Moshannon creek
attempted to capture RATHER for a show
man, stopping in Tyrone. In trying to
force the snake into the cigar box the rep
tile struck him on the right hand. His re.
covery is reported doubtful. A man from
this city went out a few days ago and capt
ured three large rattlers-two black aud
one yellow-for the purpose of domesticat-
ing them, but unfortunately one of the
snakes bit favorite cat, which soon died.
A fearless domestic then dumped the snakes
into heating furnace, and that was the
last of them.
TO BE HANDLED WITH CARE.
Any rattlesuake eau be handled with i'm
punity and perfect safety, but the handling
must be done with care. IL is not absolute
| ly safe TO make q necktie Of big RATHER.
but It can be done by one who understands
his business. Keep the snake In a good
humor, never touch It's tail aud 10 will not
bi @. The writer has been bitten wlthout
experiencing very serious results, yet the
wound was exceedingly painful Wan power
alone is a good rened IN case Of such &C
/ cidelts. Many persons when bitten die
| from pure fright. II has been discovered
by physician u this city that "A conoen
trntet preparation u benz lin, II applied i'm
/ neliately, renders a snake bite perfectly
harmless Had this been known years ago,
many precious lives might have been saved.