The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-17
TALKING OF SNAKES
Interesting Scientific Facts About
Poisonous Snakes.
Different Effects OF the Venom of Va
rious Reptiles-The Deadly Ma
rine Snakes of the In
dian Ocean.

SCltIllSls man. III IaCUa WnC
knows what he is talking about. Such
one is DR.. Leonard Steineger, in
charge of the reptilian department. Oh
the national museum at Washington.
He said to correspondent of the Bos-
ton Transcript:
"You do not admire snakes, / sup
pose? Well, it is all matter of taste.
There was Prof. Baird, former secre-
tary OF the Smithsonian institution.
de swallowed the poison glands of the
rattlesnake one day, just to make sure
that the venom was harmless when
taken internally. The experiment was
risky one: l would have advised
him against it. At all events, it is
well that he did not try the poison
glands of cobra
"You see,'' continued the doctor,
gently stroking with his finger the
head of harmless living snake to give
the creature pleasure, "the poisons
are different. Each of them contains
two distinct active principles, one of
which produces local symptoms in case
of bite, while the other has a ten
dency to paralyze the nervous centers
Va NlAO hACNAAl4- AAC 4aIlCA DISDOu0GL-
Rtes in the cobra venom. A wound
made by the tooth of that species of
serpent is mere puncture and causes
little swelling. The person bitten is
killed by paralysis of the nerve centers.
The danger of the rattlesnake bite, on
the other hand, is from modification
of the injured part, which may pro-
coed so far that the flesh actually petri-
fes. Cobra poison in its natural state
IS one of those fluids which are able to
pass through membranes. If swallowed
it would be apt to go TIN Ugh the
walls of the alimentary tract and get
into the circulation in that way
That is python" he said, but it
is not very large one. The species
attains length of thirty feet and a
diameter of foot. If 1 met such
serpent would my scientific knowledge
give me a better chance in an encoun-
ter with it? Well, perhaps. Notwith-
standing my enthusiasm as a collector,
would certainly run away if could.
Surprising that the animal seized me,
1t is probable that ] would keep my
wits better than the average citizen
only thing to do would be to grasp the
creature by the throat and try to
strangle It. The other day read a
statement to the effect that the proper
course to pursue in an emergency of
the kind was to take hold of the tail
Of the snake and unwind the construct
ing coils from that end. IN my opinion
that would lie poor plan to adopt
with 2 python, inasmuch as its tail is
the strongest part of it, being made |
powerful for holding on.
The tooth of rattlestalze or cobra |
is so sharp an instrument that beneath |
powerful microscope the point looks
perfectly smooth, whereas under the |
same magnifer the point Of a needle /
appears rough. It often happens that /
an ignorant person will remove the
poison fangs of venomous serpent,
imagining that the operation renders
the animal permanently harmless.
This mistake IS apt TO give rise to fatal
accidents. Within a few days the next
two teeth behind the extracted fangs
move forward and establish a connec-
ton with the poison glands. Then the
snake is as dangerous as ever. Fai1irS
in India understand a more effective
process. They cut out the poison
glands and apply hot irons, destroying
the parts entirely. Even the deadly
cobra may &c rendered in that way as
innocuous as kitten.
My scientific ardor has never in
duced me to try the effects of snake
bites on my own person. But several
Of the people attached to the staff Of
the National Museum have been bit
ten Mr.. SCHNEIDER permitted 4 coral
snake to bite him in order that he
might study the results. Our taxider-
mist, Joseph Palmer, narrowly escaped
a nip from rattlesnake, which was
torpid and came to life while he was
handling it. Or. Schufeldt was bitten !
by ella monster and suffered consid-
erably in consequence. 4 man ought
always to be willing TO sacrifice himself
for the sake OF getting knowledge. \
certain person in the employ of the
Smithsonian institution. whose name l
win discreetly withhold, found a pea
nut in the stomach Of a Peruvian mum
my and ate it. He wanted to see if any.
thing would happen.
Among the most venomouS serpents
in the world are the marine snakes Of ,
the Indian ocean. They are the dread
of fishermen. and it sometimes happens :
that vessels are obliged to thread their
cables through barrels in order TO pre-
vent the reptiles from swarming on
board. Great numbers Of them may =
often be seen floating on the surface of
the water as if asleep. They are ex-
ceedfngly fierce. and viii commonly at (
tack human beings without provoca-
ton The so-called 'hoopsna1e' is a IA
vorite snake of the newspapers. It is
said 20 take its tail in its mouth and
roll like a hoop. This belief may be
for by the fact that the snake
has way of accomplishing locomotion =
by extending itself at full length.
bringing its hinder part into loop and
5pringing forward. repeating the oper-
alton with such rapiGity that 10 the s
eye it might produce the effect of roll ;
ng hoop-fashion. :
Capada's Field Pea Crop.