Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-06-01

Having secured an additional So
oD0oC in bonds from the State Legis.
hture. the Drainage Board has con-
cludei that 1t can do It's own thinking
~ to needed improvements of the Chi
Gag, River. So Wednesday the Citi.
zcns' Expert Commission. appointed
some time ago by the board to act as
au advisory body in this problem. was
told that its services were required no
longer. a communication asking the
termination of the commissions work
was presented by President Jones Of
the Drainage Board. seconded by
Trustee Smyth. and adopted without a
dissenting vote. The dismissal was so
sudden and unceremoniOus that
meeting of the experts set for wednes.
day was called of at the last minute.
The commission of experts had been
given no opportunity to make Its final
report. After weeks of labor three dis
tinct plans for the widening and deep
ening of the river and the diversion Of
all sewage from the lake by the an
aexation of the Evanston and Calumet
districts were outlined. each scheme
accompanied by exhaustive data. The
cost of each plan was figured to the
cent and ranged from S1S.OOO.OOO to
$A.OOO.OOO. Now 1t Is frankly admit
ted by the Sanitary Trustees that this
commission was created merely Ito
stir up public sentiment" so that the
Legislature might allow the Drainage
Board more money to carry out river
plans. Though the plea for an add.
tionai tax Of one-half Of per cent for
This purpose was defeated, the bill
allowing the bonded Indebtedness of
tue Sanitary District to he raised from
$i5.OOOOOO to S2O.OOO.OOO. was hailed
With delight when its passage was Sc.
cured.
The Committee on Legislation" ap-
pointed by Chairman Hopkins Of the
Democratic State Central Committee,
b ia for lively roast at the hands Of
Democrats.
II Is claimed that this committee In.
stead Of devoting Its time to appOr-
tionment matters. gave the Republl.
cans free rein In this direction and con-
tented itself with securing the passage
OF the big bond appropriation for the
Drainage Board.
40
A series of experiments with snake
venom has recently been completed In
this city. says the Philadelphia Ledger.
These experiments We're under the su.
oe m. IN
with view to ascertaining the exact
chemical nature Of snake poison. main
tanned a large collection of living, ven.
omous snakes. The manner Of handling
these formidable creatures Is as dan.
gcrous as 1t Is interesting. \ sake Is
taken from its cage and placed upon
an operating table. As the reptile Is
over its head. firmly pinning 1t down.
The angry creature Is now grasped by
the neck, Immediately behind the head,
thus preventing It from turning AM
biting from either side. II the reptile
IL no, srasped in exactly the right place
Of the grasp Is not firm enough 1t may
quickly turn and produce a fatal
'hC Vh'hc SSAssS W. A~''
Langmann's experiments, in which
nearly 100 snakes We're constantly
handled by him and his assistants, not
single accident occurred.
DR.. Langmann's paper on the venom
% serpents, read recently at the New
Yorl. Academy Of Medicine, excited
great interest. He described the poison
% IA. p.ntiln. TINT II
vas In no way connected with the
tongue, or "stInger," as most people
imagined, but consisted Of two teeth in
the upper jaw. These are long and hol-
low, connecting with a gland or sack
otuated behind the eye. When at rest
they lie folded back toward the throat.
4, the snake bites these teeth or fangs
spring forward, while the venom flows
from a narrow opening at the tip Of
each DR. Langmann, in speaking of
the venom, describes 1t as a pale yellow
fud, subject TO rapid decomposition,
IN which state II emlts a most re-
pugnant OdOr. When excluded from the
air he says that II has been known To
retain It, full vitality for more than
twenty years. II may also be quickly
dried and stored away in coarse,
graduated condition, and when redls-
solved in salt water stlll retain Its full
toxic power. It's effects upon a warm
blDoied animal are very peculiar
The venom may DE roughly separated
into two parts-one acting upon the
blood and the other upon the nerves.
when injected It Immediately begins 10
create terrible destruction IN the blood
vessels the walls of the veins are eaten
away and an internal hemOrrhage takes
place, While this Is going on portion
of the venom Is attacking the nerves,
Particularly susceptible 10 its ravages