Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-02-04
THE CABBAGE SNAKE NOT POISONOUS.

Some time ago we sent to Clemson Col
lege specimen of the cabbage snake"
asking that it be examined and report
sent us in regard to its accredited poison
GUS qualities. We received notice that
ferred to the proper department for exam
nation. We have never, however, re-
ceived report on the matter.
The North Carolina Department. of
Agriculture has taken the matter up re-
Gently, and we publish the report as given
in "The Bulletin" as follows:
cabbage Snakes.-The sea-serpent of
mendacious renown seems to have been
forced out of business this year by land
serpent which has located in the western
part of North Carolina, where it has
taken to frightening the owners of cab
bage patches. Many stories have been
published concerning the deadly venom
of this creature, usually referred to as
the cabbage snake Several of these
'serpents' have been caught and sent to
the North Carolina Department of Agri-
culture for Identification. In every case
these have proved to be the common and
harmless water-worm or 'hair-snake'-
Gordius variabilis.
Snakes and serpents belong to the
back -boned series of animals. This crea-
ture is a nematode worm belonging far
down in the scale of created beings. 1t
has a soft, boneless body, with only rudi-
mentary organs. 1t does not bite or
chew, but absorbs its food in liquid form
through any and every part of its body.
1t is normally an internal parasite of
grasshoppers and other insects. Its
presence in cabbage-heads is rare and
accidental, due to the previous abundance
of insects upon the plants. The Gordius
worms are never found parasitic upon
or vertebrate animals. The stories con-
corning the deaths supposed to have been
caused by these worms are untrue and
ridiculous. There is no venom in them.
They may be eaten raw or cooked with
out any danger to the eater.
"The serious part of these stories is
that such publications may cause consid-
cradle loss by preventing people from
eating the cabbage they have raised or
purchased. Such fears are wholly ground
less. The worms are not common, and
when they do occur upon cabbage, they
will do no harm to any one eating the
vegetable. They are at worst no more
hurtful than the worms so plentiful in
apples and peaches some seasons.
"The SO called cabbage worm, or Cor
dius variabilis, is slender, white bodied
worm, from four to twelve inches long,
and about as thick as an ordinary knit
ting-needle.
which have published the misleading
stories concerning this worm will repub'
lish this refutaton, and thus help to pre-
vent needless loss of good food"
We gladly comply with the request OF
the North Carolina Agricultural Depart
ment as to publishing the result of tn,
investigation, which shows that the 'cab
bage snake'' exists, but is harmless, like
the apple or peach worm. This is exactly
what we desired to ascertain and sought
to obtain when we sent tho "thing" tC
Clemson for examination.
Years ago people hooted at the idef
that the world was round, but it is gen
orally conceded now that such is the
case. When we stated, some time ago
that there had been found such thin}
as a "snake worm in some heads of cab
bage, our friend, the Anderson Mail, re
marked that ''The Courier could believ,
there were snakes in cabbage, monkey
in turpips," ETC., if we chose to do so
but the Mail would never believe that ;
'snake worm six inches long ever go
into a cabbage head. We appreciate til,
Mails permission to believe what w,
please; and we still believe there ar
occasionally "snake worms" in cabbage
heads and "wheels'' in the head of tn,
editor of the Daily Mail at times-botl
entirely harmless.