The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-25
THE CHA MONSTER.
The Reptiles Bite Proved to Be Pois
OnOus.

The Reptiles Bite Proved to Be Pois.
OnOuS.
Editor of the CdIl-SIR: note the very life
like picture in the CALL of June % of Hello
derma horridum, the ella monster and also
the statement that the bite of the creature is
not venomous.
Nature has not been kind to the ella mon
ster. She has not endowed 1t with beauty, nor
yet with any such position in the field of use
fulness as might enable it to base claim for
handsomeness upon even humble service 1t
seems almost shame to add to the burdens
the poor creature has to bear, but having the
public health in view. beg leave to call atten-
ton to the fact that the creature has been
proven poisonous
The writer of the article in Sundays CALL is
in error in stating that the monster is gener-
ally regarded as poisonous. Scientists have all
along been inclined to contend that it is not,
and while ugly enough to poison by sheer
malignancy of appearance it has generally
been considered harmless. The principal
reason for according the ella monster this in
nocent character is the fact that up to very
few years ago it was not known that any liz
ards are poisonous. Disgusting. hateful,
shudder-promoting reptiles many of them are,
but biologists would promptly laugh to scorn
the idea of their being poisonous.
But, in addition to the testimony of many
Me1icans and Indians that death has fire.
quently followed the bite of Gila monster.
the creature has been by modern scientists sue
cessfully proven to be venomous. 1t is dozen
or fifteen years since Sir John Lubbock pro-
cured one of these reptiles and presented it to
the London Zoo. Tradition followed it from
its home in Arizona, giving it bad name, but
the English naturalists were loud in their as
sertions that no lizards are poisonous, that the
Gila monster was lizard, and that therefore.
the ella monster could not be poisonous. It
was handled freely, was easily tanned, and
while sluggish and stupid seemed quite harm
less.
DR.. Gunther, however, of the British Museum.
in examining the creature, found its jaws to
be very thoroughly equipped with poison
apparatus.
poisonous snake, like, for instance the rat
tier, possesses two elongated and hollow
"fangs" borne on its upper Jaw. These fangs
are merely large teeth and their hollow in
teriors each communicate by means of a canal
with the poison gland. This gland. placed in
front OF and below the eye on either side, is a
modified salivary gland. Now, examining the
ella monsters mouth DR.. Gunther found. to
quote the report of DR.. Andrew Wilson.
F.R.S.E., F.LS., "that its teeth formed q literal
series of poison fangs Each tooth appar-
emily possesses poison gland" Now.
HasuIe uoeS hoI provide useless ap-
paratus In any creature. Rightly Judging
that where there was so much smoke as was
indicated by this elaborate equipment for
poisoning there must be a little fire. the British
Museum authorities tried few experiments
They made the monster bite frog and then q
guinea-pig. The frog died in one minute. the
gutnea-pig in three. There can be no ones.
tion," again to quote DR.. Wilson, "judginp
from the analogy of serpent bite that the
poison OF the lizard would affect man."
In some one of his travel sketches. too. Mr..
Frederic Remington has a characteristic
account of the sufferings of man bitten bv a
ella monster. Tee man only escaped death bv
the prompt application of native remedy.
and he was pretty sick man for some time
after.
When doctors disagree no iayman may ven.
ture to decide. but with what is actually
known of the ella monster to guide us in form
ing an opinion of his harmlessness, it is not
wise to pronounce the ugly reptile innocuous.
He may, perhaps, be handled with impunity
nine times, yet infict venomous wound the
tenth. The question may not be regarded as
settled, but prudent people will do well 10
avoid handling creature which experience
shows can be dangerous.
TUE aTITp rcr Am T .p1u