Gilpin observer., 1901-07-25
VACCINATION FOR
RATTLESNAKE BITE

Some scientific experiments that are
now being made regarding the POSSIBLE
ity of immuning animals and human
beings from the toxic effects of snake
bites, particularly that of the Ameri
can rattlesnalle, are of the greatest in
terest to those states and sections
where such dangers prevail. This is
true in Colorado in some sections.
The bites of rattlesnakes not only deci-
mate the herds of cattle and horses but
are a standing menace to life. Some
of the experiments are being made by
the government and some by private in
dividuals. A report on some of the eX-
periments will be made at the coming
convention of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science in this
city and the question will be freely dis
cussed, as the topic is one that admits
of Il number Of views. In general it is
however admitted that horses can be
immuned from the bite and poison OF
rattlesnake and thus is deduced the
theory that a man can likewise. AS yet
no one has volunteered to be the horri-
ole example. but scientists are patient
and long enduring.
One great difficulty has stood in the
way of experiments of immuning
horses from the venom of the rattle
snake. When the famous Calmette
made his experiments on venomouS
serpents the American rattlesnake was
not on his list. Had he used one of
these snakes he would have had n Sc
riOus check from the start. In inject
ing the venom of a rattlesnake into the
veins of horse it was found that the
greatest degree of local irrita ton fol
lowed, which counteracted any good
that the experiment would disclose.
The eXperimenters then tried heating
the venom. At 40 degrees Calmetti
found that all of the irritating effect of
the venom of cobra was lost. The
same heating by the American expert
menterS of the venom of n rattleSnake
disclosed the fact that it then lost all
its toxic properties. 1t was found nee
essary to inject the dried venom in its
normally active condition. The injec-
tions We're given simultaneously and
We're followed by enormous edemata,
necroses and sloughs, so that after de-
termining that no immunity to the
local action developed this method was
abandoned and the intravenous used
1t has been shown that after this
method the interior of the vessels
showed no signs of injury, because the
well-diluted venom met with greater
dilution in the circulating blood. No
local or other irritatiye disturbances
followed the intr;lvenouS injection, but
the nervous impression was profound;
the horse often fell and remained un-
conscious for several minutes. Two of
the three horses died before antivenine
developed from the damage to the it's
sues as a result of the irritation pro-
duced by the subcutaneous injection
Antivenine was obtained from the
third animal. 1t met death. however,
from an accidental entrance of the
venom injection into the jugular vein.
The antivenine obtained was injected
into rabbit. two centimeters. and it
protected the animal against full
dose of the rattlesnake venom. From
this is deduced the theory that people
can be immuned from snake-bite poi
son, but the practical method of OBJ
taining the antivenine with surety
and the absence of practical expert
ments on a human being leaves the
matter in the ranks of theory.