The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-26

ed upon the rnoccasias. One by one the
were lifted from the floor upon the Ell
of a stick and dropped into a trunl
Fully half an hour was consumed In til
work. Finally the last specimen wa
found hiding beneath some boxes. It wa :
dragged forth. with open mouth. showins
the cottony white interior of the same
which gives this snake in many portions:
o. the South the name of 'cotton-mouth.
All through these anxious moments the
rattlesnakes never stepped their uncanns
music. They were all at last Gagged a!lcs
watered, and / retired with a due sense
of appreciation that in this collection OF
death dealers / possessed d white ele-
phant' of the most emphatic description.
CELEBRATE DEPARTURE.
With the utmost speed the laboratory
Wa. made ready for the snakes. The
netehbGrhood celebrated when the reptiles
left the cellar on their way to expert
rfntinS quarters. Here the glass-front-
ethcages were Immediately filled and ex-
periments begun. A table was placed IN
the middle of the ROOM constituting the
only piece Of furniture. For handling the
Snakes we procured several STATS. These
were curved at the ends and in many
Wye resembled shiny sticks. They were.
employed in lifting the snakes from their
cages TO the table. The method employed
IN extracting the poison was simple and
OF our own invention.
"A piece of thin channels was tied tight
~ over the top Of a graduated glass or
a. tunhler. This comprised the extract
ing apparatus. a snake was placed on
the table, when its head was pinned
down firmly by stick being placed di-
then srasped by the neck, Immediately
behind the head. Held in this position, the
snake was rendered ipowerless to turn and
bite.
her, hold in, :, nc to
invariably threw its jaws wide open, dis
closing the poison-bearing pangs, which
are elongated. hollow teeth on the upper
jaws. discharging their venom through
a narrow opening at their tips. In fact.
these are instruments for incubation de-
Tsed by nature. and copied by man to
play an important part in the practice
of medicine in the shape OF the hypoder-
mic needle.
Holding the snake in firm grasp, the
operator applied its distended jaws to the
edge of the chamois-covered vessel. With
a vicious lunge the reptile would close its
jaws. sending the sharp fangs through
the channels. With this act a muscle sit
uated over each poison gland in the back
OF the serpent.s head was contracted. The
'nrnsrllre of these muscles against the
gland PARTIAL emptied them of their
contents, and two jets Of a clear. yellow
fluid were precipitated into the glass.
The quantity taken from a single snake
varied from six to eight drops in the case
a teaspoonful from -rattlesnake of twice
that length. Incidentally it might be
stated that it takes only a few drops of
this formula BILE liquid to cause death in
man if nothing be done to stop the fear
full ravages of the venom as it enters
the blood
SWALLOW POISON. WITHOUT HARM.
An afternoon was generally consumed
in extracting the poison. and during this
time the venom was often smeared upon
the fingers of the opera tors, but they were
careful that no scratch or cut existed
upon their hands when an afternoons
study began. The poison is ha rmleSs upon
the skin. and. strange to say, may be
swallowed without producing i'll effect,
providing it meets with no inf1amed sur
face CT abrasion in the int erior of the
scientific perso> who attempts such an
experiment
The extracted poison was used in sew
eral ways a portion was devoted to
analytical work. certain quantity was
used for injections. While small portions
were sent to scientists interested in the
subject. During the experiments an anti
venornous serum was tested. This serum.
manufactured on the same lines as the
various antitoXins. was found to be eff
ca cious in many instances.
IAN Interesting result of the expert
r,a,-s was the GONNA ,-ieon of virrlence
of the poison in the different species Of
venomous snakes of the United States.
It was found. after repeated injections.
that the rattlesnake ranked first in power.
Following came the copnerhead. and next
the water moccasin. The slender and
beautiful coral snake of the southern
United States was poorly represented IN
the collection. and. in consequence, only
a few drops of its poison could be OBJ
tanned But these few drops fully demon
strated that this extremely dainty REPTILE
was a fitting illustration of the adage.
Beauty is only skin deepn Chicago IN
ter Ocean.