Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-12
HAS BATTLE WITH
BIC RATTLE5NAkE
NEWHALL RANCHER MAY DIE
OF WOUNDS
Mans Dog Saves Him from Further
Attack Of eptiIe-Fiqhts for
Life at the County
Hospital

AS the result OF WOunuS IGttlNtu III i
fierce battle with a monster rattle
snake at Newhall ranch Wednesday
afternoon, Lawrence La Frank, an en-
ploye of that place during the last four
teen years, now lies at the point of
death at the county hospital, while
physicians are fighting hard to combat
the frightful poison which was injected
into his veins.
La Frank is unconscious, but is con-
tinually moaning as if suffering the
most awful pains. Before losing colt
seriousness the man was able to tell
physician at Newhall who was the first
to attend him the story of his fight with
the snake.
II was repairing fences at the ranch"
said La Franki, "and was about two
miles from the ranch house. AS L was
walking through the tall grass / sud-
denly heard a kissing sound, and at
the same moment felt my foot press on
something soft. 1 jumped to one side,
but as l did so l saw the head of a big
rattlesnake rise from the grass and
shoot out at me. It's fangs fastened in
my left leg, just below the knee, but l
tore loose endeavoring to get away.
AS I did so 1 slipped and fell to the
earth, and the snake at once Sprang on
me and it's head reached my shoulder
just in front of my arm. The snake
struck me again, this time fastening
its fangs in my arm pit. I was over
come with fright but succeeded in rls-
ing from the ground, and as L did SO
my dog Pup an animal which al
ways accompanies me when 1 am on
the ranch, sprang at the snake, fast
ened his teeth in its neck and drew it
from me. The snake endeavored to
twine about the brave animals body,
but Pup held on to it, and, 1 think,
succeeded in killing it. Had it not been
for Pup L would never have lived to
have reached the ranch house, as it
would probably have struck me in the
throat next time, and that would have
meant sure and sudden death.
Snake Monster One
when the dog tore the snake from
my body I wasted no time in getting
away from the vicinity. 1 hurried to
the farm house and then went to New
hall to get medical attendance. The
snake was about three and a half feet
long and was as big as my arm"
The physician at Newhall decided
yesterday to send La Frank to Los
Angeles for treatment, but when he
was taken to the county hospital
SlIytIllld III d SutllCltlll dIllOullI ~
keep up the heart action was at once
given him and a solution of perman
ganate of potassium was also hypoder-
mically injected. Either of these treat
ments is looked upon by physicians as
the most powerful antidote for snake
poison.
Had La Frank received the proper
treatment within a few minutes of the
accident there is no doubt that his life
would be saved" said one of the ply
sicians who was attending the man
yesterday.
THE proper thing for him to have
done in the case of the first bite was to-
have bound the leg just above the
wound with his handkerchief in such a
manner as to have stopped the flow of
blood. He should then have cleaned
the wound with water and cut away the
flesh Immediately surrounding the
wound with his knife. He should then
have hurried to the nearest physician,
where a solution of chronic acid should
have been injected.
THE average person who is COM
PEELED to go into the country where
there is the slightest danger from
snakes should learn something about
their bites and how to treat them.
"A number of strychnia tablets should
be carried in the pockets at all times.
and should be taken whenever a person
is bit, The only thing against these
tablets is that soon after a person is
bitten the glands in the throat are liu-
BILE to swell so that it is impossible to
swallow.
The wound should always be sucked
if possible, and that was one of the
things which made it so hard to attend
to La Franks injuries. The wound in
the leg could have been sucked had the
man known enough to do it, but it was
impossible for him to reach the wound
in his shoulder. Another thing, he be-
came greatly excited, and as this over
worked his heart action, it made the
treatment much more difficult"