Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-01
GIVES REMEDIES
FOR SNAKE BITE
STRONG AMMONIA BEST FOR
LOCAL APPLICATION
"oLD KENTUCKY" MENTIONED
Physician Says Kit for Woodsmen
Should Contain Ammonia, Car
bolic Acid and stryehnIa
AS a Protection

"snake bite" has come TO mean so
many things that to the average per-
son the subject calls to mind a favorite
brand of "old Kentucky" Since the
death of Edward Rabe the popular
keeper of the Eastlake zoo. however,
the subject of the manner in which II
should be treated has become topic of
general conversation throughout the
city. In answer to the demands of the
people for information on the subject
Herald reporter ascertained the fol-
lowing from a we'll known local phys
ician yesterday:
80 much depends upon the condi-
tions under which the victim is bitten
by ratt1esnake," began the doctor,
that it is hard to give rule which
will always be applicable. Aqua
ammonia the strongest that can be had,
is probably the best first aid remedy.
1t should be applied directly to the
wound and will do more toward neu-
tralizing the poison than anything else.
"If the wound is opened slightly with
knife and sucked by the victim, or
better by some one accompanying him.
If he be one of a party, great deal
of the poison can be drawn out. The
person doing the sucking should eject
the poison from the mouth between
each breath. If this is done there is
practically no danger. Then the am
monia can be applied and it will tend
to neutralize the poison remaining in
the wound.
Use Heart StimuIant
"Some heart stimulant should also
be used, as the poison from the fangs
of rattler is one of the most power
full narcotics known. Strychnia is of
course, the best heart stimulant, but is
dangerous. At first it can be given in
ternally in quantities of a thirtieth of
a grain or less, better little less. This
dose should not be repeated for some
time unless it be absolutely necessary.
"The better way to administer the
medicine is with a hypodermic needle.
A little vial of about per cent solu-
tion of strychnia can be easily carried
when in the woods, and for injections
one-siXtieth of grain is sufficient. The
dose can be repeated when necessary,
but great care should be exercised in
it's use, as it is dangerous in the hands
of inexperienced persons.
whisky is also used as heart stim-
uant, but many times too much is
given and the opposite effect to that
desired is produced. The whisky should
be taken in small quantities and the
dose not repeated oftener than is nee
essary.
Another useful remedy is carbolic
acid. An injection of small quantity
of or 10 per cent solution directly
around the wound will prevent the alb
sorption of the poison into the blood
and thus save the patient.
"Permanganate of potassium is all
right for local application, but should
not be injected. The difficulty is to
get the solution strong enough to do
any real good.
For treatment i'll the woods the best
kit would contain a vial of ammonia.
one of carbolic acid and one of strych-
mia and a little hypodermic syringe.
Then should one of the party be bitten
the wound should first be sucked thor
oughly, then the ammonia applied local
ly and a little of the carbolic acid in
jected around the wound and some of
the strychnia at some other point on
the body-the arm would do.
"The ammonia and the strychnia or
little whisky would probably do the
trick unless it was an aggravated case.
where a man is bitten on the bare
flesh, such as in the hand or on the
face, it complicates matters, and the
poison is injected by the snake in larger
quantities than should the fangs have
passed through some of the victims
clothing.
81 was connected with a case at one
time in which rattler bit a man in the
calf of the leg. 1t frightened him near
ly to death, and he opened the wound
with his knife and let it bleed until he
reached his house. He then bandaged
1t with strong ammonia and repeated
the application a number of times His
leg swelled to enormous proportions
and he was pretty sick, but 1 believe
the ammonia killed the poison entirely.
and the amount of it he put on so in
famed the leg that 1t swelled and made
him sick"