The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-07-05
The Ola MONSTER.
ssme Experiments with tho Poison OF This
venomous Lizard.

Same Experiments with tho Poison OF Th
vonomous Lizard.
''Is he poisonousp" said q young ma
behind the newspaper stand at the M
deau. well, should say he was
isn't his breath, though. A man fror
Arizona said that the forked tongue wa
the sting.
"You're wrong" said listener, "it
breath is what kills people. I heard
woman say that a single blast Of it
breath was sure death"
"That may be-" said another, "but
saw man die from the bite of one, an,
that is the secret of it. I'd rather hav
o rattler bite me any day."
"Where was it?" queried startle,
listener.
"Over in Arizona" was the reply
"a friend Of mine had one in box jus
outside of saloon, and one day chaI
came along who was so drunk tina
he was ready to eat up the earth
He was afraid of nothing, and whei
he saw the box and the sign
Hands OFF, Poisonous he swore ht
could handle it, and before they
could prevent him ne ripped off the stats
and made grab at it. The thing twisted
around and bit him on the finger, and tt
make long story short, saw him die
| in the middle of the street short time
after"
The subject of all this conversation was
pale yellow-and-black, blunt-headed
lizard about foot in length, that rested
upon bed of sand in small wooden
box. 1t was the famous Gila monster of
Arizona. the only poisonous lizard in
the world. and as ugly and disagreeable
looking creature as one could imagine.
The head was long and blunt, the eyes
black and beadlike, the tail half the
length of the body, thickset and club
like. The entire body seemed incased
in thinly coated armor, marked Curl
ously with yellow and black.
The Gila monster is sluggish and slow
of movement, in this respect being en-
tirely different from the tribe in gen.
eral. In its own country the animal
shows more activity, especially in the
dry, hot regions continuous to the Gila
river. In confinement it has the habits
of a young alligator more than any
thing else. The interest which centers
in the heloderma, lies in the poison that
is supposed to lurk in its bite, and per-
haps no animal has given rise to so many
weird and wholly imaginary stories.
The natives and some ignorant whites
suppose that its breath is poisonous.
Others think that to have one touch the
body is bad sign. The heloderma is
simply lizard, and the only one
known that can poison other animals by
its bite: a discovery made few years ago
by some naturalists who were travelling
through the country. The story was
not at first believed but several were
sent east, whore the poisonous proper
ties were soon demonstrated. A natur-
alist at the Smithsonian was bitten, the
the poison taking effect SO quickly that
he had barely time to call for help.
Small animals soon died after being bit
ten, and it was shown that human be-
ings, under certain conditions, might
easily die from the effects of the bite.
The poison of tho heloderma has been
carefully examined by Messrs. Mitchell
and Reichert, the experts, who an
nounce that the phi astrological action of
the poison is entirely different from
that of snakes The latter destroys life
by paralyzing the respiratory center,
while the poison OF the heloderma at
once attacks and affects the heart, par
alyzing it.
Among the interesting experiments
that of injecting the poison subcu-
taneously has been tried. There was no
local effect, the heart being at once af-
fected, slowly contracting, the spinal
cord finally becoming paralyzed.
1t is probable that the condition of the
victim or his general health would have
much to do with the question of death.
IL a man was in poor condition and run
down he would possibly die, while
healthy man would not be seriously
troubled.
Specimens sent to Europe were ex-
perimented upon by Sir John Lubbock.
A frog bitten by the lizard died in few
seconds in convulsions. A guinea pig
bitten in the hind leg passed away in
three minutes, and other animals died
equally as quick, creating in the minds
Of the observers decided respect. II
the teeth of the specimen at the Ma
ieau House are examined they will be
found to have curious assures, and a
further and closer look into the mouth
Of the monster will show at the base of
the grooves small dents from which the
poisonous saliva flows The heloderma
Is an interesting creature, and while not
always sure death, 1t is we'll to keep it
1T distance and handle it with the care
md respect due its unsavory reputation.
Los Angeles (Cal.) Tribune.
To Restore Worn CI thing