The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-04-19
SMELLED THE SNAKE.
Strange Instance of a Remarkable
Hereditary Faculty.
A Mystery Which Puzzled II Hospital Sur
reon for some Time. But Was Final
ly Solved to His Subtraction
The influence of Heredity.

EeOn for some IIhles huI ""S '"A
Iy Solved to His Satisfaction-
The Influence of Heredity.
A few years SINCE" said the hospital
steward to Il Now York Sun reporter,
81 was employed in one of tho two hos
pitfalls supported by n wcll-known min
ing company in Arizona for the care OF
its sick and injured employees. We
were remote from settlements, and 1T
was sometimes difficult to get mon, No
that interest as we'll as humanity re-
auired the company to taxi good care OF
its miners. They had Owe n thousand
employees, and tho casualties, great and
small, sometimes averaged n every
day, SO that The surgeons office was no
%sinecure. The company was not, how
v entitled to credit for bcnevolenco,
for It levied a tax of o dollar a month
on zach of its employees, stopping it out
of their pay to support tho hospitals
SURGEONS and nurses. Tho head of tho
service, DIR. Eckerson, contracted 10
bear all its expenses, 80 that 1t was a
good thing for the mon, tho company
and the physician, although tho mon
paid 1t all.
''Dr. Eckorson was n young man for
such u responsible position. Ho was a
Swcdo who had boon thoroughly edu-
Gated in his own country and In Cor
many, and possessed tho mechanical
skill and manual tact that mako a good
surgeon, and tho d~iagnostio intuition
without which no man can DO q success
full physician.
THE assistant in tho other of tho two
hospitals was u young French Canadian
named Pcrot. He was n reticent young
follow, very pallid but vigorous. Ho
possessed remarkable eyes. Tho iris
had a singular way of changing color
under tho influence of his physical,
changes perceptibly altered the entire
expression of the mans face.
'One day the doctor had an uncom
monty difficult operation to perform, and
both Perot and myself were summoned
to assist. When Perot entered the OPP
erating-room l noticed that his eyes
changed color repeatedly and rapidly as
II he were under some great excitement.
In q few secondsh he complained of being
dizzy, and before we realized the urgency
OF action In his behalf no had dropped
to the floor in a dead faint. The ordi-
nary means of restoration were imme-
diately applied, but without avail, and
DIR. Eckerson ordered him removed to
one of the hospital wards and laid upon
O bed. Here to our surprise Perot at
once came to himself without further
aid and declared himself ready for duty.
Upon our return to the Operating-room,
however, Perot's disturbed symptoms at
once returned. His eyeballs became
fixed and glazing, his breathing sterto-
rious, and no would again have swoonod
had we not caught him and removed him
from the room The experiment was
tried the third time, with the same
phenomenal result
1.-THE doctor set seriously to work to
investigate this strange case. lie soon
came to the conclusion that the influ,
cnce which disturbed Perot was external
to himself, and as he had these attacks
only in the operating room, began To
examine its contents, condition and sur
roundings for the cause OF this extra,
ordinary affection. What seemed fur,
ther to complicate b case was the fact
that Perot had for months ~freguented
the room without experiencing any un,
usual sensation. At last | said to the
doctor: Has any change been made in
this oom recently?' At first no said
Mo-
Suddenly, with n half-smothered TX.
clamation, he ven to his geological
cabinet, and, taking down u jar which
contained a 1.-Two rattlesnako which ho
had purchased u few days before from
an Indian, he examined 1t with q curious
expression on his face.
1.-THE reptile was in this large jar, over
the mouth of which u wire-gauze cover
had been bound to permit tho admission
of air. The cabinet stood behind a cur
tain, and no one but the doctor knew oil
the snake In the room.
"The doctor caused tho jar to DO ro,
moved from tho operating-room and
called Perot In. To our astontshmcnt,
one OF the previous unpleasant eymp.
toms appeared. Then tho jar was car.
ried into another room and secreted.
Perot was summoned, and upon entering
the room the former distressing symp.
toms at once required. Whenever tn,
Canadian MAS brought near the reptile
he went into this trance,
'Dr. Eckerson believed firmly In the
influence Of hereditary on individual
characteristics, and he began question.
ing Perot about his family a~ntecedents.
Perot said that his father was a Cana
dian Of mixed blood; his mother u
French woman, who had died whom he
was about twelve years old. Ho recol,
lected her as % woman OF yiyacious and
happy temperament. Ho said that she
had u great passion for flowers, and
would In tho autumn gather and dry
large bouquets, declaring hat they
smclled ss sweet to her rs when fresh;
she also liked to smell flowers which
were perfectly tnodorous. These facts
had been riyeted In Perot's m by
his fathers scoiling at her strange
tastes, and by her persistent defense OF
tho same. This singularity seemed To
havo beon the cause of no small conten-
lion in tho family md talk among tho
neighbors.
Tho doctor was nov convinced that
with his special hereditary sense Poroi
had smelled tho snake. Ito ut once
drowned tho reptile with alcohol, stop.
pered tho jar tightly, and called Pcro;
into tho room. TO his delight tho man
exhibited zone OF the unpleasant symp,
toms. Tho jar was then placed before
him, but without affecting him In the
least. The mystery was solved. Poroi
had smelled tho snake"