The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-01-08
MONEY IN SNAKE OIL.
How Connecticut Folks Grew Rich in q
Curious Way.

nam Durgn, Conn, there are nail
dozen men who are accumulating money
from the sale of the oil and grease that
they extract from the various reptiles
and animals that they capture among
the hodges and along the streams
The muskrat, the polecat, and the
rattlesnake yield the most valuable oils
that they get, and of these three the
finds ready sale and brings from s25
to $50 an ounce, according to its purity.
This oil is procured from the eggs Of
the snake, and the process of getting it
is tedious one. In capturing the snake
care must be taken not to beat it upon
the middle of the body, for by so doing
the hunter runs risk of breaking the
eggs that the snake may be carrying
and thus rendering them valueless
The snake hunters have become
adopts at the business, and they go
armed with pole or staff about eight
feet long, into the end of which is set
sharp steel blade from six to eight
inches in length. When snake is dis
covered the hunter stamps upon the
ground and alarms it. The snake erects
its head, and like fash the staff swings
around, and the serpent's head is popped
off by the glittering blade.
II the body Of the snake is found TO
contain eggs they are removed and
placed in kettle of water, under which
q fire is built.
The water is always boiling before
the eggs are put into 1t, aud 1t is kept
at boiling point as long as oil rises
from the eggs to the surface. 1t often
requires forty-eight hours of steady
boiling to extract all the oil from If
teen eggs
Every half hour the oil is SKINNED
from the water and placed in small
iron kettle that is about eight inches in
diameter and eighteen inches deep.
Considerable of the boiling water is
carried into this kettle with the grease.
When the oil has been extracted from
the eggs and placed in the kettle lid is
placed upon it and Theoretically sealed
with red sealing wax. A slow and
steady fire is then kept under the kettle
until all the water in the oil has evapor-
ated through small pipe that enters
the side OF the kettle near the top and
which leads to a worm that rests in a
barrel of constantly running water.
From tube at the bottom of the worm
the condensed water drops into glass
jar. To the top Of this, small particles
Of oil rise, and when it has cooled it is
taken off
When water ceases to drop from the
/ k,.h Ut +l,a - - l..
evident that there is no more water in
the kettle, and the fire is Immediately
drawn from beneath it, and it is deluged
with cold water until it is thoroughly
cooled.
From this kettle the oil is removed
and placed in shallow tin pan with a
handle and wide spout in it. The pan
is placed over fire, and when the oil is
thinned it is poured through cloth,
linen of very fine texture, into glass
jar. When thus clarified 1t has the ap.
pearance of vaseline. In this shape il
10 marketed.
RattlesnaSe oil is used as a remedy
for rheumatism, and it is one of the in.
gradients employed in the manufacture
of some of the patent medicines found
in the market for neuralgia, rheuma-
tism and obscure diseases of the joints.
1t is powerful irritant, and when o
drop of it is applied to the flesh it has
about the same effect that the applica-
ton of a coal of fire would. For this
reason the manufacturers of this oil are
obliged to exercise the greatest care,
and while working at the kettles they
invariably wear gloves, and when their
face is not protected by beard they
cover the lower portion of it with a
loose cloth fastened in place by an
elastic band.
So persistently has the rattlesnake
been hunted in this vicinity, he is now
but rarely found Now and then one is
captured in some isolated locality among
the lodges and in the swamps. In the
central part of the state this species OF
serpent is common, and hunters there
procure great deal of rattlesnake oil
during the year.
Next to the rattlesnake in Importance
to the hunter is the polecat. The pelt OF
this obnoxious animal brings from 81. 80
to So readily, and the fat Of the animal
| produces grease that sells for from 80
to IS cents pound. A great deal OF
this grease is consumed by New En-
gland people, who believe it to be a
sovereign remedy for Group in children
and hoarseness and soreness of the
chest in adults. The grease is applied
warm to the throat and chest of the pa
tient, and as virtuous remedy it has
triumphantly stood the test of many
generations
AS healing article this grease pos
sesses great merit, and it is used by
apothecaries in the manufacture of
ointments. The pelt IF the black pole
cat is quite valuable, and it is often
manufactured into muffs and boas and
sold for monkey skin.
The men who follow this business of
hunting are very retiring In their habits
of living They dwell in poorly con-
sNucted huts among the hills, and are
only seen in towns when they have
something TO sell. II Ii estimated that
each one of them is worth ten thousand
dollars. and it has all been made at this
peculiar business in the last dozen
years philadelphia Times
Kitchen Utensils.
There are great many kitchens that
| are not possessed of the luxury OF a