Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-10

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the lower animals, as well as in man
Paralyzed BY fear, the victim is often in
capable of flight, and stupidity awaits it
| fate.
These dangerous snakes are extremely
common in New York State, and especially
in the mountainous and secluded parts O
| Pennsylvania. On the shores of Lake
! Champlain they are also very abundant
and some years ago two men, in thres
days, destroyed over 100 rattlesnakes or
the sides of Tongue mountain, In Boltor
township. n. Y. One of the vasaries O
fashion is to have card-cases, bags, belts
pocketbooks, etc., of the rich skins of these
animals. Their oil is also quite valuable
as well as the living snakes themselves fol
museums. So an extensive business i.
now carried On, and many men are engaged
as professional rattlesnake hunters.
Especially in Sullivan and Ulster coun.
ties is this curious business followed and
snug sums are made every year in the sale
of rattlesnake oil, which is believed to pos
sess wonderful curative powers by large
proportion of the inhabitants of not only
those but of adjoining counties. Many
snakes are killed during the summer sea.
son. but the grand gathering of the crop i:
IN the fall, when they have returned to
their dens and wintering places. These
retreats are well known to the snake
hunters, and they choose sunny DAYS in
October and November for raiding them
On such days the reptiles crawl out Of
their dens in the rocks and huddle to-
gether by the score, different varieties fire.
quently being found massed together. The
snakes are dull and sluggish at that time
of the year, and come out to bask in the
sun. The hunters arm themselves with
the old-fashioned fails, and when they
come upon a pile OF snakes proceed at
once to thrash the life out of them, but
few escaping.
The rattlesnakes are assorted from the
other species and carried home, where the
oil is tried out as lard is from pork. No
treatment of the oil is necessary. 1t is
bottled up and is ready for the market.
As high as 81 an ounce has been paid for
it by believers in It's value as liniment
for rheumatism AMI all kindred ills. In
the winter months these snakes enter upon
a state OF Information, burying themselves
in the ground, entwined or singly, coming
out in early spring.
A strictly Southern species OF the rattle
snake is the diamond, found on the
Atlantic coast south of the Caro!inas. 1t
grows TO a length of eight feet. In the
same locality is found the ground rattle
snake, about thirteen inches long Others
are the red, MitchelPs, horned, side
winder," tiger, st. Lucas, banded, Arizona,
spotted scutulated, continent and the back
tail rattlesnakes, all of the genus crotalus.
In the genus cdndisona are found the Mex
lean ground, the Southern ground, the
Sonora ground, and the black rattlesnake
"a ferocious array. The bite of nearly
all OF these is extremely dangerous, though
in the smaller it is not necessarily fatal.
Almost all animals succumb to them. and
man, if proper remedies are not at hand.
1t is general belief that the hog is
exempt; but this is at least not the rule,
and where these reptiles are common these
animals are often killed by them.
1t is stated that De Lacerda, of the
French Academy of Sciences, has estab-
lished the fact that pe5nldganate of potash
is the best antidote TO the poison OF snakes.
The experiments were exhaustive and
deemed satisfactory. The scientist injected
the active venom of a deadly snake,
diluted with distilled water, into the cell
ular tissue and veins of dog, and found
that the antidote stopped the manifesto
tons of venom injuries. The experiments
were made in the presence of the Emperor
of Brazil and large company of scientists,
and the fortunate experimental has been
decorated by the Emperor for his valuable
discovery.
Certain rules should be observed in case
of snake-bites, and perhaps will not be
out of place if recorded here. Generally
the wound doe-mines the character of the
snake; thus, the marks left by the teeth
are arranged. in two lines OF punctured
wound, there Is no need of anxiety, as the
snake is not poisonous; but if the wounds
are two punctures, remedies should be i'm
medlately applied, as in nine cases out of
ten the animal is venomous The follow
ing Is the treatment TO be adopted a. If
the wound is on the arm or leg, two liga-
lures should be made above ii as tightly
as possible, thus preventing the absorption
of the poison; (2) the wounds should be
Immediately opened to the depth of the
puncture, so that the blood may readily
flow, and for this purpose apply hot water
if at hand; (3) the wound should be
sucked Immediately, either by the patient
or some one else, or cupping- glasses, if at
hand, applied; t4) wash the wound with
ammonia, and rub the vicinity with it:
cauterize with red-hot iron or sulphuric
acid, butter Of anthony or nitrate of sill
ver-all these are good if used imme-
diately; ~ take large doses of ammonia,
one, two or three wineglasses of the eau
de-luce; if this cannot be had, take from
one to six glasses of brandy or whisky at
short intervals, or sufficient to bridge over
the prostration, as for this it is that whisky
is used-it is not in itself an antidote; (6)
mad-stones, or charms, ETC., are only to be
nsed in case the patient wishes to die.
OF all the poisonous snakes of this
country the copperhead (Ancistrodon con-
tortrir) is the most dreaded. 1t is also
known as the cotton-mouth, moccasin and
red-eye in the South. 1t is common from
the Catskill region to the Gulf States. 1t
attains length Of two feet is of hazel
hue, the head having bright coppery
luster. The copperhead conceals itself in
shady spots in meadows of high grass,
feeding upon small animals, and rarely at
lacking large animals unless stepped on.
In this way horses are sometimes killed by
them. The mother copperhead has also
been observed TO take IT'S young in its
mouth when danger threatened them
The water moccasin (41acistrodon pisoip-
oras), from its pugnaeious disposition, is
also much dreaded. While the rattle
snake will stink away from danger. the
moccasin will attack man or brute with
savage ferocity, and thus is treated with
respect by the negroes of the South. 1t is
found from the neighborhood of the Pedee
river TO the Gulf States, and to some ex-
tent in the Mississippi valley; while an
other species-the Aactstrodoa pisctcorus
pagua1-is found in Texas, and called the
Texas moccasin. But the stronghold of
the moccasin is in the vast swamps OF
southern Flor ida, where the members OF a
recent expedition state that they exist in
enormous numbers, having to be pushed
aside as they advanced, and crawling into