Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-03-27
BY A. w. RoLKER


rounded by more myth and supersti-
ton than that relentless, deadly
enemy of man, the rattlesnake
The information contained in this
article was obtained at first hand
from Curator Raymond l.. Ditmars,
of the New York Geological park,
famous authority on snakes who sew
eral times has spent months in the
great alllali desert, studying the king
of all ''rattlers"-those gorgeous
skinned olive and yellow diamond
backs" which attain length of seven
feet and girth as big around as
mans forearm.
One Of the Oldest controversies
among biologists is whether the
venom of the RATHER is fatal. On the
one hand are experts, who point to
instances where men have survived
it's bite; on the other are scientists
who cite long lists of those paying
eloquent tribute to the prowess of the
viper. AS matter of face, while the
mere bite of the rattlesnake is not al
ways fatal, the venom is one Of the
deadliest poisons known.
According to chemical analysis the
poison of rattlesnake consists of 95
per cent. Of Notwithstanding element
and per cent. of Notwithstanding
element-a fact which explains the
dreadful suffering of the victims Of
this reptile. Rattlesnake poison acts
on the human veins exactly as does
acid when poured into metal pipe.
Like the acid, the poison attacks the
walls of the veins, eating and gnaw-
ing through them and destroying the
red corpuscles of the blood, never
ceasing until the very walls of the
heart are gnawed, bringing that or
gan to a standStill.
Quick blood poisoning is the real
cause of this frightful death; for, into
| the brief space of two hours or less
| is crowded the excruciating pain of
an ordinary case of blood poisoning
| extending over several weeks. The
| victims body turns purple and black.
1t swells to two or three times its
size. The man cries in agony under
| the torture of burning inside as if
melted iron were coursing through his
| arteries.
In it's incomprehensibly swift at.
tack lies the answer why sometimes
! the bite of RATHER is not fatal. For,
| SO wonderfully swift is the attack,
that bite may be imperfect, leaving
| only pair of tiny needle punctures
with just enough venom to make a
| victim seriously ILL.,
4 Another reason why rattlesnake's
bite is not always fatal is that, tenn
rorarjly, the reptile may be without
venom. The snake may have ex
hausted its poison on previous en-
envy, in which case it would have tt
| wait several days before the deadly
fluid has reaccumulated. Or, again
the viper's fangs may have suffered
accident. They may have been broker
off, and require time for new growth
In any case, certain it Is that rat
tlesnake's poison applied in the proper
way will do its work, and that onl.
the most expert and prompt assistance
will save victim.
Despite the efforts of an army o
scientists, no practicable antidote 70
the venom of a rattlesnake has beel
discovered.
| Whisky, applied in heroic doses o
one or two, or even three, quarts, ha
saved many rattler's victim; bu
the spirit does not pretend to grappl
with the poison. It simply counter
acts its effects by stimulating tn
heart, which threatens to stop. and
the stimulation can be kept up unit
the worst effects Of the poison hav
been worn off, the patient has at leas
an even chance of recovery.
In this wide world there are sew
eral things that are swifter than
rattlesnake, but they can probably b
counted on the fingers of one hand
One of these things is bullet; where
by hangs the explanation why 1t Il
easy to shoot the head off rattle
although marksman finds 1t Difficult
to place bullet along the fat, seven
foot line between the neck Of the rep
tile and the tip Of its tail.
| 1t has long been regarded as curl
Gus coincidence that even the mai
not famed for accuracy has had nj
trouble in blowing the head off dia
j. mond back In the diamond bacl
country, only one explanation is OF
fered for this-it is the snake and no
the man that does the aiming.
4 At close quarters, the instant tn
muzzle of six-shooter is thrus
toward a rattlesnake the infallibl
!, eye catches the range and in the frac
ton of twinkle the deadly head ha
aligned itself AS the gun roars an,
the creature is torn clean as If severel
with knife and the viper lies with
ing, emitting defiant rattle even a
darts its tongue of flame, the head O
it's grim, relentless heart ceases 1t
beat.
.
| Among the popular myths SUI
rounding the rattlesnake is the on
that rattlesnake commits suicid
when hard pressed. AS a matter o
fact, as has been proven again an
i. again, the RATHER is immune to hi
own poison and to that of his ow,
species. At bay, beside himself will
rage, or in the heat of a fight, rat
tlesnake may strike right and left
biting Unfortunately, and acct
dentally he may sink his fangs int
his own wicked sides and thus xii
himself. In no case, however, is hi