The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-02-03
SNAKES IN THE BLOOD.
A small white Serpent Found In Huma
Veins.


While 1t has long been known that a
man who follows strong drink may
arrive at u milestone where the way is |
bcsiegnd with all sorts of serpents and
fiery dragons medicine and science are
now able to demonstrate that snakes
live and move in ones being. An i'm
portant discovery in this direction only
few months old in Europe and just
announced in this country was told the
other day by DR. c. w. Stiles, of the
bureau of animal industry, Mt the de-
partment of agriculture. IL is n small
white enake that lives in the veins, Sc
curing entrance into the body through
the IN adium of drinking water. 1t
wriggles about and chases up and
down the avenues of the blood at its
pleasure. These little reptiles have
stcaage domestic habits. The male is
about four -4fths cf an inch in length
and curves himself into che form of a
half circle. On the inside OF the curve
he forins n little canal with the edges
of his body and there he keeps Mrs.
Snake. He isn't larger than a cotton
thread nor longer than the breadth of
ones finger, but together they are
capable of working great deal of
DANA. to healthy mans circulation.
1t Is certainly not Il comfortable
thought to know that you may have
few pairs of these animals tucked away
inside your jacket The medical men
have another name for the disease
which results from their dcvasta tions,
but it would be popularly called poor
Blood
The story of this parasites existence
is curious. Its name has long been
KNOWN, but it's life history, which is
the most interesting and the most i'm
portans thing to know, was only re-
Gently discovered by Prof. Sonsino, a
learned man of Pisa, Italy. In some
respects this snake is like tiulIe worm.
The eggs or Larvae from which it
matches are found in the water, whittier
they have come from some mans body.
They swim about there until they find
certain kind of microscopic crab.
This crab they seize upon and live
with. They stay inside of him till some
one drinks the water and the crab.
which is nothing but harmless ami
malcule, and then the human snake is
I in its element. 1t grows and grows,
and bores its way through the walls of
the intestines with the persistency of a
wood worm till it finds u lodgment in
the veins.
As this pestiferous reptile infests
cattle as well as human beings. some
knowledge of it is necessary for the
farmer 40 well as the physician, and
DR.. Stiles has been searching vigorous
ly for its existence in drinking water
since tie discovery was announced, and
is prosecuting his search at the bureau
of animal industry.
The disease is best known in south
ern Europe and Africa. An Egyptian
at the worlds fair who danced with
one of the attractions in the Midway
Plaisance was afflicted with this dis
ease and became a patient at the
United States Army hospital. Aside
from this case the parasite has proba-
bly, never been recorded in this coun-
try. but DR.. Stiles thinks it by no
means improbable that it will be found
among the negroes of the south. In
fact, the original slaves imported from
Africa brought with them kindred ills.
| and through them, perhaps, this snake
has been living for 200 or 300 years. Sc
long as the affliction spreads with such
| wor derful rapidity it is not improba,
BILE that Chicago may have siege of il
on account of the luckless Egyptian.
1t Is difficult to conceive how the Chi,
cagD water could have escaped pollu-
| ton, as the larvae are given off readily
and in great numbers.
| Indeed, there are many species OF
| snu.kes that wander about and find pas.
ture in the blood. and so far as they
are concerned in America their his
tory is intimately connected with the
negro race. All appear to have come
out of the east. One of the most pecu
liar is the fiery dragon of the Children
of Israel. DR.. Stiles has one of these
Biblical monsters at the bureau O.
animal industry, which can be seer
face to face. II throws a deal of ligh
upon the Scriptual version of the stor,
and leaves one no longer to look at i
darlly through the glass. The Mo.ai,
narrative says that the Lord sent hi
plague upon the people as they jour
neyed in the neigh hborhood of the Rec
Sea, but this is the favorite land fo
the idiosyncrasles of the fiery dragon
TO this day They are long. slim, whit,
creations. and they get into the bod,
in the same manner as the nal.es frs
mentioned, through drinking water
The scientific men reason that as Israe
journeyed camps were often pitched
beside the waters, and there was littl
means of tiltering what was drank
The Larvae from which the dragon de
rives it's existence has an uniqu
friendship also for minute cral
whose home is in good drinking water
So the people of Israel became Athlete,
and Moses devised the cure of tn
brazen serpent, upon which they nigh
look and live.
Some of the scientific men have a
explanation for Moses cure. They he
lieve it to have been a physician's knit
fashioned like unto serpent and use
for extracting dragons from the body
These dragons have a curious way c
, breaking out ut the groins, throug
} which they rear their heads defiantl
and gnaw away the muscles. If e,
tracted whole the sufferer may live
/, But if the dragon be parted in twai
t during the operation of taking hin
! out the patient dies a most eMcruci,
ting death. These monsters have man
I characteristics of the dragon of tn
world, and Israel was probably wa
| ranted In TINS callinp them nv nam,