The Grit-advocate., 1901-07-26
VACCINATION FOR
RATTLESNAkE BITE

Some scientific experiments that are
now being made regarding the p0SSibil-
ity of immuning animals and human
beings from the toxic effects of snake
bites. particularly that Of the Am"ri-
can rattlcsnake. are of the greatest i'll
1creSt to those states and sections
where such dangers prevail. This is
true in Colorado in some sections.
The bites of rn,tesnakcS not only deci-
mate the herds of cattle and horses but
are Il standing menace to life. Some
of the experiments are being made by
the government and some by private in
dividllalS. a report on some of the eX-
pcriments will he 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 ii is
however admitted that horses can be
immuned from the bite and poison or
a rattlesnnlic and thus is deducrd the
theory that Il man can likewise. AS yet
no one has volunteered to be the horr-
bic 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 ycnOmous
serpentS the American rattleSnnke w;lS
not on his list. Had he used one of
these snakes he would have had a Sc
riouS check from the start. In inject
ing the venom Of Il rattlesnakc into the
veins of Il horse it was found that the
greatest degree of local irritation fol-
lowed. which cOuntcracted any good
that the experiment would disclose.
The eXpcrimeuN'rS then tried heating
the venom. At 20 degrees Calnetti
found that all Of the irritating effect of
the venom of Il cobra was lost. The
same heating by the American expert
mentrrs of the venom of Il rHttleSnakc
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
were followed by enormous edematl.
necroSes and siougls. so that after de-
ternining that no immunity to the
local action developed this method was
abandoned and the intIavcnOus used.
1t has been shown that after this
method the interior Of the vessels
showed no signs of injury, because the
Well-diutcd venom met with greater
dilution in the circulating blood. No
local or other irri,ativc 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 antivcninp
developed from the damage to the ti>-
sues as 4 result of the irritation pro
duced by the subc,ltancous injection.
Antiveninc was obtained from the
third animal. 1t met death. however.
from an accidental entrance of the
venom injection into the iuGular vein
The antivenine obtained was injected
into a rabbit. two centimeterS. and if
protected the animal against Il full
dose Of the rattlcSllake venom. From
this is dcduccd the theory that people
can be imm,lncd from Snalle-bitp poi
son. but the practical method Of oh
tanning the antivcnine with Il surety
and the absence of practical expert
ments on Il human being leaves the
matter in the ranks of theory.