The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-18
WORSE THAN RATTLESNAkES.
Skunks Which Attack Sleeping Campers
Their Bite Causes Hydrophobia.

Skunks which Attack Sleeping Campers
Their Bite Causes Hydrophobia.
"It is not the rattlesnake or tarantula
whose bite is most dreaded by campers
out on the far western plains. The
hunters and cowboys are Tar more
afraid of the skunk, and that for "a
reason that might astonish a great
many people who do not know the
plains country"
The land surveyor from New Mexico
was talking.
Like the prairie dog and badger,
the skunk of the plains makes its
hole in the open prairie. in size and
markings and characteristic means OF
defense and offense it closely resembles
its relatives in the east. Like them 1t
is carnivorous, and prowls about at
night for small birds and mice and IN
sects, and when occasion serves, Is an
inveterate robber of poultry yards. Il
person comes upon it away from Its
hole. the skunk doesn't waste It's ener-
gies in trying to run away, but lInpo-
litely turns it's face from the intruder
and stands it's ground with confidence
tnaJ no one WILL Dt tClAAiHCN HP
proach too near. 1t is its fearlessness
of man that makes this wretched little
beast such terror. for 1t will boldly
enter a tent or come anywhere that
persons are asleep on the ground, and
if. it finds nothing about that
better suits its taste, will be-
gin without hesitation to eat
at the hand, face. or any other part OF
a sleepers person that chances to be
exposed. This would be bad enough
of itself. for the creatures weasel teeth
/ are as sharp as knives, and man may
! find himself badly lacerated when he
( fully wakes to what is going on. but
! the mastering horror of the skunk 5
! bite comes from the fact that 1t almost
+ invariably results in hvdrophobia to
! the victim Why this should be | can't
pretend to explain, and probably no.
| body else can tell; but every plainsma n
/ knows it, and the cowboys dread the
! beast worse than they do the rattle
snake.
The period shown by the army rec
ords in which the greatest number OF
people died from this cause on the
/ plains was between the years 1871 and
1878 During this time many persons
were bitten. most OF them fatally. Col.
r. J. Dodge. OF the regular army, who
died the other dav, knew by report OF
sixteen eases, every one OF which
proved fatal. One army doctor, Assist
ant Surgeon Janeway. stationed at
Fort Hugo. reported in the Medical
Journal eleven cases that he treated
or knew of in ten of which the patient
died OF hydrophobia. II was IN those
wears that the buffalo practically was
exterlninated. and the hunters and
their outfits OF helpers. living upon the
open prairie and sleeping IN the open
I air. were peculiarly exposed TO the at
lacks OF these vicious n;Eht prowlers-
For four wears the plains country was
I noisome with the carcasses Of buffalo
killed for their skins and tongues and
left on the prairie. Gray wolves and
COYOTES and foxes had unwonted feast
ing in this vast slaughter yard. ans
that circumstance NAV have had
something 10 do with the fact that
many o. these beasts ran mad. some
times dashing into settlements and en-
campmeuts, attacking every living
thing they met and causing great havoE
OF human a. we'll a brute lie As q
whether skunI<S run mad which sofn'
plainsInen hold To he the cause of thel'
frequent invasion OF sleeping people %
a. least OF the venom OF their bite. ha
never been fully determined But tn
expectation OF finding meat ready z
hand 20 feast on. with 10 trouble Z
themselves. which condition ex.stet
twenty years ago wherever bufal'
, hunter had been shooting. might natur
ak have made them unusually fear
less. and made them unwilling 20 han
for their natural foo1 when tney coul'
find - good chance As would 4
offered by sleeping man
still every year numbers u person
are bitten hy sizunlzs on the plains cas-
, o. the Rockv mountains and wcsi G
the uinetr- seventh meridian and soEa