The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-02
WORSE THAN TBE RATrLEsNAKE
Skupks which Attack Sleeping Campers.
Their Bite Causes Hydrophobia.

Their Bite Causes Hydrophobia.
1T is not the rattlesnake or tarantuls
whose bite IS most dreaded by campers
on; on the far Western plains. The
hunters and cowboys are far more afraid
OF the skunk. and that for reason that
might astonish a great many people who
do not know the plains country"
The land surveyor from New Mexico
was talking. a Sun reporter, who was
| one OF the group sitting with him at q
table IN the Murray Hnl Cafe. at first
| thought he was "queering" the party
but the surveyor went on In perfect Sc
| riousness.
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
ofense II closely resembles its relatives
IN the East. Like them, II is carnivorous
and prowls about at night for small
birds and mice and insects, and, when
occasion serves, is an iuyetcrate robber
Of poultyyards. If q person comes
upon II away from its hole. the skunk
doesn't waste its energies In trying TO
run away. but impOlitely turns its face
from the intruder. and stands its ground
with confidence that no one will be
tempted TO approach too near. II is rs
fearlessness Of man that makes this
wretched little beast such n terror. for
IT will boldly enter q tent or come any
where that persons are asleep on the
ground. and II It finds nothing about that
better suits Its lasts, VIII begin without
hesitation 10 eat at the hand. face, or
any other part Of a sleepcr's person that /
chances 20 be exposed. This would be |
bad enough Of itself. for the creatures |
weasel teeth are as sharp rs knives, and /
a man may find himself badly lacerated |
when he fully wakes 20 what is going on. |
But the mastering horror Of the skunks
bite comes from the fact that It almost
invariably results in hydrophobia TO the
victim. Why this should be- can't pre-
tend 10 explain, and probably nobody
else can tell; but every plainsman knows
II. and the cowboys dread the beast
worse than they do the rattlesnake.
The period shown by the army records
In which the greatest number OF people
lied from this cause on the plains wan
between the years 1871 and 1915. During
his time many persons were bitten.
most Of them fatally. Colonel K. J.
Dodge. Of the regular army. who died
he other day, knew by report Of sixteen
,ases. every one Of which proved fatal.
)ne army doctor. Assistant Surgeon
ianoway, stationed at Fort Hugo, re- |
ported IN the Medical Journal eleven
'ases that he treated or knew of. IN ten
4 which the patient died Of hydrOphohia.
I was in those years that the buffalo
practically was exterminated and the
unters and their outfits Of helpers. ljv-
ng upon the open prairie and sleeping
n the open air. were peculiarly exposed
b the attacks Of these vicious nigbt
rowlers For four years the plains =
ountry was noisome with the carcasses }
buffalo killed for their skins and q
lngues. and left on the prairie. GRAY Il
olives and coyotes and foxes had I'M
onted feasting in this vast slaughter
lrd, and that circumstance NAV have
I'D something 70 do with the fact that
any Of these beasts ran mad some a
mes dashing into settlements and en- y
.mpments, attacking every living thing | !,
ey met, and causing great havoc Of -
imam as well ms brute life AS TO y
neither skunks run mad, which some \
ainsmen hold TO be the cause OF their ,
eQuent invasion Of sleeping people, or n
least OF the venom of their bite. has
yer been fully determined But the
pectation OF finding meat ready at f
md to feast on. with no trouble 10 c
emselves, which condition existed ~
'enty years ago wherever n buffalo hun y,
r had made shooting, might naturally q
We made them unusually fearless and VI
ade them unwilling TO hunt FOR their y
tural food when they could find so -
cd a chance as would be offered by a
epng man.
'Sull, every year numbers OF persons
q bitten by skunl,s on the plains east
the Rocky Mountains and west Of In
= 5lth meridian, and some cases prove
al, but ! am inclined to think that
re are fewer deaths from skunk bites
" than there used 10 be- Since the 81
trf no
2 vast cattle range, the poisonous m
lie beasts have been killed off to some :,
ent for their skins. and the fact that uo
y are hunted may have made them 10
'er. Perhaps, also. their bite is less Al
lomous than in the days Of indis- WI
inmate buffalo slaughter. bu
II Is now about twenty years since no
cowboy Of the Texas Panhandle made no
famous ride for life He was hitten
q skunk while sleeping by his camp Sc
, ana realized all his danger. Some Of no
companions remembered 10 have lin
I'd that 800 miles away. in a town of III
stern Kansas, there lived tho owner
4 famous maidstone" reputed TO nos CHI
the power Of drawing the poison from IN
lnds made by snakes or rabid animals are
NJ ana day the cowboy rode at fun are
20 TOT THIS town and safety. At every CHI
ch where he halted he found 4 WILLING
NS' nurse lot MS tired -,
nal and his journey was tireless VII
vas race for life. and he won. He n
'hed his destination on the third dav. mo
MAIDSTONE was applied to the "
ma and. after adhering for DAYS. ha'
asst fell of and would stick no longer. the
the owner Of the stone pronounced I
cured Whether through this treat sus
l. or from natural causes. the wound OF
cd with no further trouble. and he In
rned to his herding in the Panhandle N
firm faith in the maidstone and spe
thankfulness Of one who has escaned EN-
'rrible death."-New York Sun. Nj
~,