The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-26

the horrible screams of its victim The little
eigbtyeaF old lad ran into his fathers office,
aud was At once treated to all the available
antidotcs. but died In commissions before
swilt-footed servant had returned from trip
TO the spring. Adults. after few DAYS fever
often manage to fight down the virus by sheer
strength OF constitution aud on an average only
three out OF dozen cases terminate fatally.
One very safe rule is 10 keep AS cool as posi-
bic, and, pending the application of remedies,
to avoid every unnecessary movement that
might quicken the pulse and thus aid the
virus in entering the circulation.
very curious illustration of the wisdom of
that rule was furnished few years ago by the
adventure of two berry picking girls in Pike
County, Pa. Roaming the woods, hand in hand.
they stumbled upon coiled up RATHER, and were
both bitten left and right before they could re-
gain their feet aud jump out of reach of the
enraged reptile One OF the girls grasped her
bitten foot with both hands aud thus dragged
herself 10 a log where she sat down and only
now and then rose up for moment To call
the name OF her brother. who was cutting
shingles IN the woods about half a mile from
the scene of tho accident. The other giri-the
elder Of tho two-had been bitten on the leg
aud after dropping her berry basket started for
home at donblo-quick, shrieking as she ran,
aud thus managed 10 reach her mothers farm,
"A distance OF more than three miles. in less than
half an hour She died before night. while her
companion got oil with "a severe fever aud an
ahscess in her foot that confined her to her bed
for couple OF weeks
Other effects of a snnke-bite are dizziness,
vomiting. flinting-fts, chils, deirum, and
occasionally bleeding at the nose. as if nature
thus tried TO evacuate portion of the tainted
blood. The bitten limb often swells alarmingly
III less than two hours; but after the internal
effects of the virus have yielded to antidotes
those swelings generally subsde in a day or
two. In rare cases the bitten person is over
come by lethargy that rapidly passes to COM
plete Inconsistencies aud death, aud may be
akin To the torpor that delivers serpent poisoned
birds into the jaws OF the reptile
REMEDIAL MEASURES.
If the bite has been inflicted on the leg or
arm, the limb should be Immediately bandaged
rs tight as possible, a little above the wound
so as To prevent the virus from entering tho
circulation, while the discharge of the tainted
humors should bo facilitated in every possible
way. especially by charging aud sucking
the wound, or spouging it necessarily with
tepid water. The antidotal effect of slim
nlauts is not limited To alcohol Opium aeon.
ite and strong black coffee have been used with
good results even after the disturbance of the
pulse gave undoubted proof of the poison hav-
ing entered the general circulation of the sys-
tenn. Cauterization of tho wound is generally
useless If more than half an hour has elapsed
since the inilction OF the bite, but if the pa
tent can reach "A human habltation in less than
that time the application of hot iron may of
fectually neutraiZe the virus. and il is curl
Gus fact That the same result can be accom-
plished with "A ttfte hot iron far more painlessy
than II the implement used be brought only
to Il red heat-the explanation being that only
Ia the former case the cauterized tissue is de-
stroyed completely enough to annul the sensi-
bility of the nerves.