The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-31

member, FOR the victim does not want
to get unduly excited, thereby aiding
the poison by stimulating the circula-
ton and hindering quick, calm action
The ligature firmly secured, proceed
to treat the wound itself; if you are
accompanied, your companion can be
putting on the ligature while you are
saving time looking after the wound
If the snake has bitten squarely
there will be two wounds one made
by each fang. through which the
poison is elected into the victim. With
sharp instrument scarify each wound
to its depth, making the cut in line
with the other wound. Then scarify
again, this time across the first cut
Be sure to cut to the full depth of
the wound, so that the entire infeNAod
region will be laid open. If you notice
smaller decorations, caused by the rep
tiles teeth, scarify them also. They
Will be little more than skin deep,
while the fang of the average poison
GUS snake, excepting the Florida
species, is about one-quarter of an
inch in length. A razor is the best
instrument to use, since it cuts quick
ly, deeply and with only a tineIing
sensation, owing to its delicate sharp
ness. But whatever the instrument.
cut to the required depth.
Next, proceed to suck the wound for
neither abrasions. sore nor bad tooth
IN your mouth, through which the
poison could enter your system. The
average mouth, however is in A
healthy condition, in which case no
risk is run. Let US hope yours is
riotously healthy Spit the blood out.
and keep on sucking diligently; suck
as long as there is a possibility of
bringing blood.
Now pour into the wounds a. solu-
ton of permanganate of potash; it is
easily obtained. A four-ounce vial of
this solution is sufficient and enough
crystals should have been dropped in
TO boiled water to make il wine red
a few will do the work Thoroughly
saturate the wounds, getting the solu-
ton away down into them; it oxidizes
the poison and destroys it's toxic pow
er. If you have a hyperdermic syringe
Mandy, follow up by injecting a very
little OF the, solution around the
wounds about three quarters of an
inch away.
The wounds thus bathed, take
enough whisky to stimulate you, and
no more. In the case of a man this
is about half a wineglassful, and for
a woman or child perhaps not more
than tablespoonful. Do not take an
other drop until you begin to feel de-
pressed or blue. Then renew the slim
ulant, being careful not to take more
than before, and so continue.
The popular mind holds that the only
correct thing to do when bitten by a
snake is to dose the victim with whisky
until he is dead drunk. Such treatment
is the worst that could be imagined.
The reaction always following a too
liberal indulgence in whisky tends to
paralyZe the heart. That is also the
effect of the snake poison, so they
both join hands to bring about the vic
TINS destruction. Do not let anyone
force any more whisky down your
throat than enough to stimulate you
comfortably.
Perhaps you have supplemented this
treatment by applying a second liga-
ture on the arm above the other, when
swelling was noticed above the first
ligature, showing that some of the poi
son had got ahead of you. This second
ligature should also be above the
swelling and the ligature, or liga-
lures, as the case may be, should be
taken off at the end of half an hour,
to prevent any possibility of gangrene
setting in. At any rate, you have
done all you can, and you should start
for the nearest doctor.
Don't wait for a doctor to come to
you. Time will be lost, and equally
as important, the exercise of walking
will keep your blood stirred and
stimulated naturally, which is the
| prime object in combating the poison
| You will also perspire, and thus per-
| haps throw off some of the poison
through the skin. Walk energetically,
but do not go so fast that you will
| overstimulate yourself and later bring
| on a harmful reaction.
When you reach the doctor YOU are
in his hands. He will dress the wound
with antiseptics, and undoubtedly adj
minister stimulants. He could inject
strychnine If the nerves were numb.
as 1t Is terrific eXcitant. Whatever
he does, your responsibility ceases.
But If you are so located that YOU
| cannot get the assistance of a doctor.
there is no cause for despair. Keep in
as cheerful and normal a frame of
mind as possible; regularly, whenever
you feel yourself becoming depressed,
take fresh dose of whisky, and it is
more than probable that you will re-
} cover, even though you may have ia
keep up the treatment for a week or
more.
Mr.. Ditmars knows of several men
who have saved themselves in this
manner.
Peter Gruber of Rochester. gen.
orally known as 'Rattlesnake Pete.
has been bitten, perhaps, two dozen
eradtcates the poison by means of this
treatment" said Mr.. Ditmars. II also
know of a case of a snake charner in
| New York who was bitten three times
| by diamond-back RATHER, and he
too, is alive and we'll to-day. thanks
to this same treatment. There are
other well authenticated cases of cures
| likewise effected"
Mr.. Ditmars holds that while this
method is pretty certain to combat
the poison successfully aud that while
| other treatment a doctor may give a
| victim may prove thoroughly eff1ca-
cious. 1t is still the proper thing n
subject the patient. if such a thing is
possible. to injections of the anti
venomous serum that the British gov
eminent in India has used quite effec-
lively against cobra poison Any well
informed physician can tell how n
may be secured. This serum works
like an antitoxin, fortifying the svs-
tenn against the poison and setting the
kidneys. Emphatic glands and Other
secretive organs theoretically to work
10 rush the poison out of the sytem.
Every person should have q
thorough knowledge Of what the pois.
onous snakes look like, so that NO
mistake will be made in the treatment
of bite he may be so unfortunate tc
| receive.
The RATHER, of course. is easily iden-
tilted. No one can mistake the wbir.
ring sound of its tail even though he
has not heard il previously. The con.
| ri ha