Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-28
THE sNAKE-PoIsoN DEBATE.

HE O6oA16s
An odd, but very interesting debate is
going on in the press between distin-
guished doctors concerning antidotes for
the bite of the rattlesnake. The subject
is one that has received new interest, be-
cause a Mr.. Fisher of Santa Barbara has
preferred the claim that euphorbia, or
common spurge, is a positive specific
for the venom of the rattler This state
ment has been disputed by DR.. Weir
Mitchell Of Philadelphia. In response,
citizens in Southern California who are
believers in Mr.. Fishers discovery an
nounce their readiness to demonstrate the
soundness of the euphorbia treatment. DR..
Mitchelps article appeared last August in
the Century, and in it he declared that for
the consequences to the blood and the
nerve centers of injection of venom there
is no known remedy, and that euphorbia
does not possess the qualities claimed for
it.
The common remedy for such snake
bites is heavy and rapid dosing with
whisky, and if the patient survives the
application he is free from the danger TO
which the bite exposed him. But it will
be recalled that the Occidental Medicaj
Times of this city recently produced an
article over the signature of physician
in which cases were cited where whisky
proved broken reed and the patients
died. The San Francisco Call recites the
fact that DR.. Lecerda of Rio de Jaueiro
was rewarded by the Brazilian Government
with $4,000 for his discovery that iniec-
items of permanganate of potassium into
the tissues surrounding the wound neut-
rallies the poison Of the snake.
In the Indianapolis Neles of December
18th DR.. W B. Clarke takes up the sub
iect. He refers to the experiments of DR..
Mitchell, who at one time had as many as
100 rattlesnakes in his possession, and by
repeated experimenting with them found
that they are not susceptible to their own
poison. DR.. Mitchell, over and over again,
injected beneath the skin of the rattle
snake its own venom, or that of another
rattlesnake, and in no instance did death
result Opposed to this and we are sur
prised that DR.. Clarke does not refer to
it's the experience of backwoodsmen,
that rattlesnake that is leased into bit
ing itself dies of the wound, and by the
swelling of the body it is proved that the
poison has acted as in other cases. DR..
Clarke cites the authority of DR.. Higgins,
in his work on "Ophidians," as saying that
the rattlesnake does not die of its own
bite, and the reason given is that the rep
tile carries in its gall bladder the antidote
for the poison.
DR.. Clarke says that many persons have
been saved from the effects of the bite of
the rattIesnake by the use of whisky, by
tincture Of iodine, tincture of cedron seed,
by large doses of arsenic and other similar
remedies. He adds that strong alkali at
once applied to bite will neutralize the
venom, will destroy and decompose it
wherever it comes in contact with it. He
saws that Lecerda's treatment has been
proved to be sound, so far as Brazilian
snakes are concerned. But he doubts
when the venom is injected directly INTO a
vein if the Lecerda treatment will be quick
enough for the poison. But the pith of
DR.. CIarke's paper is that snake poison.
while it will destroy human life, may also
be used to preserve it. He declares that
DIR. Herring, Of Philadelphia, over forty
years ago introduced the subject of treat
ing snake bites with the venom of the
snake itself. He cites the case of DR.. Car
roll Durham, of New York, who was one
of the most noted physicians of that city
few years ago, who recovered from post
mortem examination wound through treat
ment with the venom of the lachesis. The
conclusion of DIR. Clarke's paper is that in
the rattlesnake IS to be found the true an
tidote for its bite The question now is,
Is his conclusion sound
Mr.. Frank Smith, of Whitewater, San
Bernardino county, who has taken excep-
tons to DIR. Mitehell's assault upon eu-
phorbia, challenges the doctor for $1,000
to make test, the physician to select the
reptile This challenge leads DR.. Clarke
to suggest that Mr.. Smith shall furnish
the victim. But seriously, the medical
fraternity appears to be very much con-
cerned that science shall bring to light
some reliable antidote for the venom of
reptiles that can be speedily applied and
with reasonable certainty of proving effica-
cious. When it is recalled that in one