The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-08-01
CAUSES MANY AILMENTS.
Rite of the Rattlesnake Produces Varioai
Disorders of the Human System.

Rite of the Rationale Produces Nariout
Disorders of the Human System.
San Jose doctors have been greatly
puzzled lately OYER the peculiar ae.
yelopments in a remarkable case OF
blood poisoning, the result of a rattle
snake bite. Nearly three months ago
Fred D. Wieland, an Englishman, 40
years old, was bitten by rattlesnake
and for tine his life was despaired OF.
The effects of the venomous fluid were
finally overcome, at least to the extern
that the patients life was no longer con.
sidered in danger. But scarcely haa
the pain and swelling begun to SUB
side than large carbunele began To
make its appearance on the back OF the
neck. It grew rapidly and in a short
time attained enormous proportions
causing the sufferer most eXcruelatlng
pain. 1t was one evening in November
1895, that Wieland, while handling a
rattlesnake in San Jose store, was
bitten near the end of the second finger
of the left hand, close to the finger
nail One fang struck the nail while
the other penetrated the flesh deeply,
making a puncture like that of darn
ing needle.
Wieland at once tied a string around
the finger and commenced sucking 1he
blood from the wound. The proprietor
of the place piled Wieland with whisky
and treated the wound with patent
compound ofwhich he was the proprietor
and advertised extensively as warranted
to cure everything from snake bites te
measles. Wieland suffered intensely
and early the next morning his wife
sent for a physician. He could afford
no relief and another physician was
called in to consult. All this time VIE
land was delirious from the effects oil
the whisky. His hand and arm and
even his shoulder and neck were ter
riblv swollen and of a dark blue color
| The bitten finger was purplish ane
showed signs of gangrene. The inner
side Of the arm from the elbow upward
soon became a dark purple and similar
patches developed between the elbow
and wrist. Finally cuts were made by
| DR.. Johnston on the finger and arm ane
strong solution of permanganate o
potassium was constantly applied tt
the limb. Remedies to ease the pair
and restlessness were also given. Mex
day there were commissions, but on thu
third day Wieland became more ration
al. The swelling subsidized slightly ant
| the pain was less severe and the eonNul
sions became less frequent.
From this time on Wieland improved
steadily The swelling went down, ant
the diseolorations became less marked
On the seventh day the patient was abb
to dress and go about the house, al
though still very weak. 4 week late.
he began to gain strength very rapidly
and a sensation of life had gradual,
returned to the fingers, except at tn
end and around the finger nail, at which
! place sloughing occurred. On Decem
! Der 6, or II days after Wieland was bit
ten by the rattlesnake, the finger wa
nearly healed over, but an angry look
ing spot was developing on the back o
his neck. An incision was made and a.
antiseptic dressing applied. Soon afte
| the finger became a matter of secon
Diary interest, for the spot on the bacl
of Wieland's neck grew rapidly into
immense carbuncle. In a few days TIL
carbunele had grown TO the size of
goose egg and required constant atten
ton. Incisions were made and disease,
matter removed and antiseptic dress
ings applied frequently. But in spit
| of everything that could be done tn
swelling continued to spread and eigh
days after its first appearance was a
broad as a mans hand and formed
straight line from the back of the hea
down the back. The pain was intens
and the patient was delirious a goo
part of the time. Immense incision
were now made in all directions, and a
much as possible of the diseased tissu
removed, while antiseptic dressing
were applied every hour. During tn
next few days great masses of tissu
were removed and the patient then bt
gan to regain his strength. The finge
has long since healed and a new, bu
deformed, nail is growing in place c
the one lost during the process c
sloughing-San Francisco News-Le
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