The Grenada sentinel., 1906-03-31
BY A. w. ROLKER.

VI all the reptiles, none is sur
rounded by more myth and supersti-
'ion 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, a
famous authority on snakes who sew
eral times has spent months in the
great alkali desert, studying the king
OF all "rattlers" gorgeous
skinned olive and yellow diamond
backs" which attain length of seven
feet and girth as big around as a
mans forearm.
One of the oldest controversies
among biologists is whether the
venom of the rattler is fatal. On the
one hand are experts, who point to
instances where men have survived
Its 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 a rattlesnake consists of 95
per cent. of Notwithstanding element
and per cent. Of nerve-destrOying
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 a 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 its incomprehensibly swift at
tack lies the answer why sometimes
the bite of rattler is not fatal. For,
so wonderfully swift is the attack
that bite may be imperfect, leaving
only a pair of tiny needle. punctures
with just enough venom to make a
victim seriously i'll.
Another reason why a rattlesnake's
bite is not always fatal is that, tenn
rorarily, the reptile may be without
venom. The snake may have ex-
hausted it's poison on previous en-
emy, in which case it would have to
wait several days before the deadly
fluid has reaccumulated. Or, again.
the vipers fangs may have suffered
accident They may have been broken
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 it's work, and that only
the most expert and prompt assistance
will save a victim.
Despite the efforts of an army OF
scientists, no practicable antidote for
the venom of a rattlesnake has been
discovered. =:
Whisky, applied in heroic doses OF
one or two, or even three, quarts, has
saved many a rattler's victim; but
the spirit does not pretend to grapple
with the poison. 1t simply counter
acts it's effects by stimulating the
heart, which threatens to stop. and if
the stimulation can be kept up until
the worst effects Of the poison have
been worn off, the patient has at least
an even chance Of recovery.
In this wide world there are sew
eral things that are swifter than a
but they can probably be |
counted on the fingers of one hand |
One of these things is bullet; where
by hangs the explanation why it is !
easy to shoot the head off a rattler |
although a marksman finds it difficult |
to place a bullet along the fat seven |
foot line between the neck of the rep |
tile and the tip of it's tail.
It has long been regarded as curl
ms coincidence that even the man |
not famed for accuracy has had no |
trouble in blowing. the head off dia-
mond back. In the diamond back |
country, only one explanation is Of
fered for this-it is the snake and not |
the man that does the aiming.
: At close quarters, the instant the
nuzzle Of a six-shooter., is =. thrust
coward a .rattlesnake the infallible
,ye catches the. range and in the frac-
ION of a twinkle the deadly head has
itself. AS the gun roars and
he creature is torn clean as if severed
y;th a knife and the viper lies writh-
NO emitting a defiant rattle evenras
,arts its tongue Of flame, the head OF
ts grim, relentless heart ceases its
;eat.
Among the popular myths sur
.ounding the rattlesnake is the one
,,a+ q rattlesnake commits suicide
h -.oc.od Aca matter of