The state herald., 1901-07-26
VACCINATION FOR
RATTLfS AXE BITE

Some scientific rlments that are
now being mahc egalding the POSSIBLE
ity of immuning animals and human
beings from the toxic effects of snake
bites. particularly that Of the Ameri-
can .lattlesnake, are of the greatest in
teresf'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 standing menace to life. Some
of the experiments are being made by
the government and some by privatein-
dividuals. A report on some of the eX-
perlments will be made mt the coming
convention of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science in this
city and the question will be freely dis.
cusscd, as the topic Is one that admits
of number of views. In general it is
however admitted that horses can be
immuned from the bite and poison OF
n rttlesnake and thus is deduced the
theory that man can likewise. AS yet
no one has volunteered to be the ,horri-
Dle example, but scientists are patient
and long enduring.
One great difficulty has stood In the
horses from the venom of the rattle
snake. When the famous Calmette
made his experiments on venomous
serpcnts the American rattlesnal,e was
not on his list. Had he used one of
these snakes he would have had Il Sc
rious check from the start. In inject
ing the venom of Il rattlesnakc into the
veins of horse 1t was found that the
nf tr,.it it,tt FOL
lowed, which counteractcd any good
that the experiment would disclose.
The expcrlmenters then tried heating
the venom. At 30 degrees Calmetti
found that all OF the irritating effect of
the venom of cobra was lost. The
same heating by the American expert
mcnters of the venom of rattlesnake
disclosed the fact that 1t then lost all
Its toxic properties. 1t was found nee.
essary TO inject the dried venom in its
normally active condition. The injec-
tions were given simultaneously and
Were 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 ntravcnous used
1t has been shown that after this
hi''hoh thc HlttTluT OI tnt Vessels
showed no signs of injury, because the
wcll-diluted venom met with greater
dilutlon in the circulating blood. No
local or other irritatlve disturbances
followed the intravenous 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 result OF the irritation pro-
duced by the subcutaneous Injection.
Antlyenine 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 ccntimeters, and 1t
protected the animal against n full
dose OF the rattlesnake venom. From
this Is deduced the theory that people
can be lmmuned from snake-bite pol
son, but the practical method of OBJ
tanning the antiveninc with a surety.
and the absence OF practical expert
menis on human being leaves the
matter In the ranks OF theory.