The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-03-03
a BOON TO MANKIND.
That Is What an Old Settler Makes Out
the Rattlesnake to BE.

That Is What an Old Settler Makes Out
the Rattlesnake to BE.
Andrew Akers, a white-haired ex-
miner. who occasionally comes to town
from bis lonely home away up in the
San Bernardino mountains, tells rs
that the rattlesnake is, in its way, a
blessing to mankind 81 reckon 1
ought to know something about the
serpents," said he the other day, ''for I
have earned the whole living of myself
and wife for several years in catching
rattlers and getting the oil out of them.
l know some folks are mighty scary
about rattlesnakes, and for one who
don't know about the critters ways it
is pretty risky business getting fanged
by RATHER. occasionally get nervous
among the rattlers, but have TO keep
steady nerve and quick eye in my
business"
The old gentleman tells US that he
had always heard how valuable pure
rattlesnake oil is, and that several
years ago he got the oil from n dozen
snakes that he came across in his wood
cutting operations in the mountains.
When the summer was over he had
twenty ounces, and got three dollars
an ounce for all of it from a Los Ange-
les druggist He has since made a bust
ness of hunting rattlesnakes up and
down the mountain sides and through
the canyons. He catches from one hun
dred and fifty to two hundred snakes in
a summer and generally gathers from
three hundred dollars to four hundred
dollars worth of oil from them. The
market price for the product is now two
dollars an ounce, and there is little
fiuctnation. Rattlesnake oil is used in
rheumatic cures and in ointments for
some skin diseases The oil when sold
has a pearly white color and is free
from any odor. 1t tastes much like
tallow. A good-sized rattlesnake will
furnish from one to two ounces of oil.
How do catch the snakes Well,
that is easy enough. wear boots up
above my knees so as to protect me
from any RATHER l may tread upon. and
l always go with a strong forked sticl,
or club in nv hand. have TO keep nv
wits about me constantly, and to think
quick when l am in a snake locality
and hear a RATHER. | always try to get
the rattlers by putting the fork Of my
stick over their neck as quick as fash,
and then have the critter just where
1 want him l next stranCle the snake
by pressing my fingers down upon the
neck. get the rattlers in this way so
as To keep theu from biting themselves.
and thereby letting the poison into the
oil that | am after. In nine cases out
OF ten rattlesnakes will bite themselves
if they have ? chance, and they are the
smartest things alive except human
beings. Once in a while get the rat
tiers by smashing them in the head,
but don't like that way, for it Is more
dangerous and the oil Is not so good
Have | ever been bitten? Yes. five
times. and l suffered so much the last
time that all the money on earth wouH
not induce me to be poisoned 50 again.
That was four yeare ago. and 7 can feel
pains from it to this day. I don't be-
lieve any one ever fully recovered from
4 dose of genuine rattlesuaNe poison
1t is the most awful stuff on earth. 1
have seen great big cows die of 4 drop
of the poison in an hours time. -
Pomona Cali Progress