The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-07-27
THE RATTLESNAKE'S VENOM
Acts on the Human Veins Exactly
as Does Acid on Metal
Pipe

| One of the Oldest controversies
| among biologists is whether the venem
| Of the rattier is fatal. On the one
/ hand are experts, who point to in
| stances where men have survived its
| bite; on the other are scientists who
| cite long lists OF those paying elo-
| Quent tribute to the proWeSs OF the
viper.
According to chemical analysis,
writes A. w Rolker in Pearson's Mag
| azine, the poison OF a rattlesnake con-
sists OF 95 per cent of blood-destroy-
ing element and five per cent CT nerve
destroying element-a fact which ex-
plains the dreadful suffering of the
victims OF this reptile. Rattlesnale
poison acts on the human veins exact
ly as does acid when poured into a
| metal pipe LiIe the acid, the poison
attacks the walls of the veins. eating
and gnawing through them and de-
stroying the red corpuscles OF the
blood, never ceasing until the very
walls OF the heart are gnawed, bring
ing that organ to standstlil. Quick
blood poisoning is the real cause Of
this frightful death; for. into tho brief
space of two hours or less is crowded
the excrutiating pain of an ordinary
case of blood poisoning extending over
several weeks. The victims body turns
purple and black. 1t swel1s to two or
three times its size. The man cries In
agony under the torture of a burning
inside as if melted iron were coursing
through his arteries.
To enumerate more than a few IN
stances among the thousands of hui
man victims Of the rattlesnake's Ven
ON is manifestiy impossible But here
are several that illustrate the wonder
ful activity of the poison and that have
come 10 the personal notice Of Mr.. Dit
mars:
While hunting in Georgia, physi-
clan was struck in an artery in the
groin by a rattIesnake which ne star
tied when sitting down to eat lunch.
Despite the efforts Of q second physi-
clan who was in the party. the man
lay stretched IN death within ten min
utas.
Not many years ago Washington uni
WI fo:ty iCot one Us fIclCSSOtS w uo
was experimenting with young rat
tier whose head had Just been chopped
Off Supposing life extinct the expert
stopped to pick up the severed head.
when the mouth opened and the fangs
fastened themselves III death grip.
IN two hours the professor was dead
Many similar instances might be
cited, but Mr. Ditmars 5 owT, experience
with a rattlesnake's venom illustrates
even better the virulence Of the poison
One of the rattlesnakes In the reptile
house having died, the curator skinned
it and stripped the skeleton for mount
ing. Two months after the bones had
been bleached he scratched the tip Of
forefnger with one Of the fangs,
barely puncturing the saln. The in
significant prick was promptly carter-
lied and bendaged, yei within ten min
utes the poison was at work. The
finger inilamed with alarming rapid
ity; within two hours the entire arm
was attacked and was swollen to
double its natural size. and that night
the curator went to g hospital Nine
weeks he lay in the hospital and seven
times he was OIL the operating table
before It was decided that his arm.
Scared, carved and permanently stiff
ened, would not have to be aniputated.