Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-12-11


any effect internally and vice versa. Thus
tee most deadly snake venom can be
swallowed with impunity, the juices OF
the stomach presumably decomposlng 1t
and rendering it harmless, Many exper-
imcnts have been made to prove this On
one occasion recorded by Humbolt one
person swallowed the whole Of the poison
that could be obtained from four Italian
vibers without suffering any bad conse-
ouences. In the same way the poison
from the cnvenomed arrows OF South
America Indians can be swallowed with
safety provided only that there is no
wound in the lips or inside the mouth.
Among all peoples the sucking OF the
wound has ever been considered the most
effective remedy of immediate application
for snake bites. In Africa a cuppiDg in.
strument is employed in emergencies of
the kind to draw out the poisoned blood.
The anccnts followed the same method,
and when Cato made his famous expedi-
ton through the serpent-infested African
deserts he employed many savage snake
charmsrs, called Psylli, to follow the
army. They performed many mysterious
rites over men who we're bitten, but the
efficacy of their treatment appears to
have consisted in sucking the wounds.
Stake poison will retain its properties
when dried for an indefinite period. 1t
is readily soluble in the blood of the
victim struck with an arrow or spear that
has been dipped it it, and the exertions
of the luckless animal or man to escape
by flight only hastens the operation OF
the venom, the accelerated action Of the
heart soon distributing the fatal fluid
through the system. Mr.. Campbell, in
an account OF his travels, narratcs that
one of his attendant Bushmen in Africa
was shot with a poisoned arrow between
the shoulders. His head swelled up to
an enormous size and be soon died. The
weapon was probably armed with poison
extracted from the puff adder or some
other desert serpent. The Bushmen and
also tie Australian natives commonly cat
the flesh OF snakes, which is said to taste
much like veal, the meat being white
aud firm. Snake poison is transparent
fluid, of a yellowish color and of about
the same consistency as human sal va.
1t is most easily examined by irritating
the ophidian and causing it to bite the
rim of saucer, thus depositing the
secretion in the receptacle. After hav-
ing been dried 1t becomes very beautifully
crystallized.
Probably not less than $4,000 people
are killed by snakes in India ever year.
They are one of the chief causes Of NOR
tally in that country. Great efforts
have been made by the British Govern
ment to destroy them, but with very lit
tie success. Unfortunately the natives
regard them as sacred. They consider
the cobra in particular as embodying
some sort OF divinity and it is customary
for them to allow these frightful crea-
lures as pets on their premises. Offers
of bounties for serpeuts' heads have been
discouraged by the discovery of the
practice pursued by many low-caste Hin
docs Of breeding snakes artiiciallY to
supply the official demand. In that
warm climate snakes propagate their
species very fast, and their venom accu-
mulates rapidly. Although the cobra is
the most dreaded of all, the kraft and
other varieties are hardly less deadly.
They swarm everywhere. The cobras
are especially fond of taking up their
residence in gardens and under veran
das. No cure for a cobra's bite is known
to science, although there is good evil
dence that the native doctors sometimes
rescue victims by remedies which they
keep secret.
If any reader of this article should
ever be so unfortunate as to experience
the embrace OF q boa constructor it is re.
commended that he try to release him
self by taking hold of the creatures tail
and unwindng it from that end. 1t can
be easily unwound in that way, bu.
otherwise it is not possible. The way to
kill snake is not to attempt to crush its
head, the bones of which are very hard,
but to strike the tail, where the spinal
is but thinly covered by bone and suffers
readily from injury. 1t is the same way
with an eel. Hit the tail two or three
times against any hard substance and it
quickly dies. The boas are not ven
omous, but their fangs are sufficiently
nowerful to inaict serious wounds, and
large specimens have been known to
swallow men whole. The case is related
By the Traveller oironieye d criminal IN