Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-02
a BOON TO MANKIND.
That Is What an Old Settler Makes Out
the RattIesnake to BE.

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the Rattiesnake to BE.
Andrew Akers, a white-haired ex-
miner, who occasionally comes to town
from his lonely home away up in the
San Bernardino mountains, tells as
that the rattlesnake is, in its way,
blessing to mankind ST reckon I
ought to know something about the
serpents," said he the other day, s'for I
have earned the whole living of myself
and wife for several years in catching
rattlers and getting the oil out of them
/ 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 rattler. occasionally get nervous
among the rattlers, but I 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 a 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 bust
ness of hunting rattlesnalxes up and
down the mountain sides and through
the canyons. He catches from one hun
dred and fifty to two hundred snakes in
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 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. I wear boots up
above my knees so as to protect me
from any rattler l may tread upon, and
/ always go with a strong forlled stick
or club in my hand. 1 have to keep my
wits about me constantly, and to think
quick when / am in snake locality
and hear a RATHER. 1 always try to get
the rattlers by putting the fork of my
stick over their neck as quick as q flash,
and then l have the critter just where
I want him. 1 next strangle the snake
by pressing my fingers down upon the
neck. get the rattlers in this way SO
as to keep then from biting themselves,
and thereby letting the poison into the
oil that am after. In nine cases out
of ten rattlesnal1es will bite themselves
if they have q chance, and they are the
smartest things alive except human
beings. Once in a while l 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 l ever been bitten? Yes, five
| times, and I suffered SO much the last
time that all the money on earth would
not induce me to be poisoned so again.
That was four yeare ago, and 1 can feel
pains from it to this day. l don't be-
lieve any one ever fully recovered from
a dose of genuine rattlesnake poison.
1t is the most awful stuff on earth. !
have seen great big cows die of drop
of the poison in an hours time. -
Pomona ICa1 PrOrreSS