The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
RATTLESNAKES DO BITE.
A SNAKE CHARM EN- SURPRISED ny
DISCOVERING THE FACT.

leroy George Had Ias OF the vcnomous Crcn.
lures aud Hnd necn Handling Them win
Amazing Rcchicssnes,-'tnn ut Last WAITE
JnbbinE mn Angry Snake In tho Mouth.
Los ANGELES, July 1~2.-Lcroy George. a
country lad, has boon making shuddcrs crocp
up and down the spincs Of nervous persons hv
consortinR with 1873 live and able-tOOthct
rnttlcsnakcs and handlinS them as II they wc"S
80 many pieces of garden hose. He and his
den OF snakes arc domicilod at n waysidc saloon
on the outskirts OF the city in company with
monkeys, coyotes, horned toads, chuckawallas,
ella monstors, bears, huzzards, and other queer
creatures. George and Jack Hendce, the PIE
prietor of the place, have n sort Of working
knowledge of the ways Of their pets, but thor
knowledge Is purely empiric, and what they
don't know about natural history can be found
in any encyclopaedia. Leroy George is in a fair
way TO know n little more than he did, pro.
vided he RECEIVERS from tho combined effects OF
venom and the whiskey that has been poured
into him since a big RATHER sunk n fang into his
hand the other day and gave him a hypoder.
mic dose OF venom.
Never having been struck before, George has
handled his snakes with amazing reckless
ness and taken all sorts of chances. His dar-
ing was born of utter ignorance, not of superior
knowledge. and be could only guess that his
immunity from attack was duo to the snakes
knowledge that he would not hurt them. He
knows 30 little about reptiles that he was afraid
to pick up a harmless little lizard that got into
tho snake den a few days ago, and was per.
suaded with difficulty that tho animal was
not vcnomous. AS for the ella monster. h,
would not touch 1t, believing Jack Hendoe's
assertion that tho bite of n Gila monster will
kill in ten seconds. Jacks acquaintance with
the big lizard is only casual, but no is violently
positive in ali his misinformation, and becomes
beliseront when anybody ventures to express
q doubt OF the monsters power of inGici.ay
death.
81 toll you his bite will XIII in no time and I
his bite. but there is Walter Vail; he was BIT.
ten down in Arizona, and he would have died
that proves IT," and il the listener + not con:
amt game TO let the monster bite you OF
Gov no snswsT to that argTmen i i, possible posi- 8
convinced that ali lizards arc ".pizen.,"
Georges snakes arc un9uestionably venom:
G pipors rh from az Esc Sasdi iss iit's ssys sheS are c IT,
gems of Arizona, and that he has had them for
s ssSnt we're e se sSlp pSi 10 Los lss angeles angeles f f9a% E.a ese
dido about two months rs ago, 1t looks as it
general color is dull, red, almost a terra Gotta,
like the volcanic soil Of their home, and The
from the end Of the tail, and that six-inch sec:
snake. It is encircied with distinct bands
half an inch wide Of alternate white and black.
tends to show that Goorse's experiences sos' as
more than two or three months, His manner
OF handling the reptiles strengthens that be-
lief, for he handles them like a reckless %lunatic.
To convince visitors that the snakes are armed.
he prizes their mouths open, jabs around with "a
fangs down into view. This process is evident
ly painful to a snake. The venom sac is ten.
der, and the tootpick often bruises and lacerates
The other afternoon George acquired q jag
wanted to exhibit fangs to somebody, and ho
grabbed a snake at random out Of the pile. He
hhhi SiPFs9 be tG PICK and up s 6 sn snsl that ja ssd r Sssn s til
sore from ON P previous u b bling TT The .,s snake X S Oh
reached for a toothpfck. The snake whipped
its folds about the showman's left, arm and
and said to the spectators:
Hes mad as thunder now. See how green
Their. he jabbed the toothpick into the venom
sac and tried to pry down a fang. With a sud.
and drew back its head. The body OF the rep:
tile was still wound about the mans arm, and
tried to ,hakc the snake on and laughed aloud.
He hasn't smiled since.
into Georges left hand between the thumb ami
ioIcunScI: All inc man > urunAtn DTdNhGO
left him instantly. He tore the snake franti-
caIly from his arm and hurled it aside. Paic
and trembling he stepped out OF the pen.
staggered TO the house, and fell fainting with
terror upon n bed.
Hendee undertook to trcat George without
medical assistance. and his first move was 10
slash the hand with a jRckknife. Then ha
sucked the wound. wound n cord tightly about
tho wrist and forearm, and treated the wound
with ammonia. All night the tourniquet re-
manned in place, and in the morning Georges
arm was as big as his leg and as painful rs q
toothache. BiCarbonate Of soda washes and
key that George drank only stupeticd him.
Twenty. four hours after George had been struck
Hendee concluded that the services OF a doctor
might be useful 10 George, and he brought thc
lad to the city receiving hospital. The polico
surgeon washed the wound. but thought IL use
less to attempt to reach and neutralize venom
that had been in the blood so long. He gave
tho lad morphine to case his pain and sent him
to the county hospital. George was utterly de
jected and also utterly drunk, but drunk as ho
was he still had the fear OF death in his eyes.
Combined with his terror was a feeling OF won
dermcnt Mt the thing that had happened. He
had not believed it possible. Nobody but he
WAS surprised when IL did happen.
AT, the county hospital George was treated as
he should have been at first. Permangnnato
of potassium was injected to oSidize the venom,
and .bichloride of mercury applied To check the
blood poisoning resulting from the use OF Hen
dec's Jackknife. The doctors were not conf
aent that they could snve the man. but said lie
had q chance to pull through, and he said 10
would resume business and keep sober II no
should have the luck to recover.