Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-10-30
DOOMED BY A sERPENT's BITE.

OOOMEaD o1 a SEhE Elm . Dill.
Mrs. John Green, au aged resident of
Milford, Conn, is physical wreck
from the effects of snake bite received
two years ago, and is slowly failing,
with no probability OF relief.
The singular feature of the case is
that the woman was poisoned by fiat
headed adder of a dirty brown color,
snake that is very common in Connect
cut, and which hitherto, has not been
feared as a poisonous reptile. Mrs.
Green is now confined to her bed and
suffers the most excruciating pain from
the wound, which was inflicted on the
right ankle.
The whole right leg is now badly
swollen and infamed, and at the ankle
large hole has appeared which dis
charges continually. Other holes are
also appearing in the diseased member.
Mrs. Green is now unable to sleep in
consequence of the terrible pain she
suffers, and must certainly wear out,
and that speedily, unless relief comes
from some unexpected quarter. She is
being attended by DR.. w. S. Putney,
but medical skill seems powerless in her
case.
In addition to the inflammation in
the leg the cords are becoming knotted,
and amputation would be resorted to
were it not for the fact that the wom-
ans system is so permeated with the
poison as to render it useless.
Mrs. Green talked yesterday con-
cerning her case. She is the wife of
retired fish dealer, and they live in
small house on the north edge of Miles
meadow. The Consolidated railroad
runs close to the house, and its embank-
ment of sand spreading out on the
meadow forms favorite place for fat
headed adders to lie and bask in the
sun.
They are quite fierce in hot weather,
and as they will make no effort to get
out of ones way, are generally partial
ly hidden in the sand, and strike quick
ly when trodden upon. They have al
ways been dreaded by Milfordites.
at was three years ago one hot Sep
tember day." said Mrs. Green, "that
left the house to go up the embank
ment on my way to the Methodist
Church. I was walking through the
sand, and saw one or two adders at
some distance from me. / bent over
to pull brier off my dress when a
snake that 1 must have stepped on
stung me on the ankle. 1t disappeared
as quick as flash in the sand, and
hurried home.
'My stocking was torn open where
the snake struck me and on my ankle
were several little prints from the SER
pent's fangs. These prints seemed full
of greenish matter, and presently the
flesh about them began to turn red and
become inhamed, which has caused me
great suffering ever since. ana usual
ly worse in hot weather, but this fall
when the cold weather came on /
seemed to have grown still worse in
stead of better.
81 wish something could be done for
me; my body seems on fire, but the doc
tors do not help me-"
DR.. Putney, who attended Mrs.
Green, said yesterday that this was the
first case of the kind that he had ever
known Mrs. Green suffered great
pain, but he could not tell how long
she might live. He ssid the bite of the
| tlat,headed adder was not considered
| poisonous.
Mrs. Green's injured limb is now of q
blue black color, having previously
been of light greenish tint, and grows
daily darker.