The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-07-25
SNAKE STONE OF INDIA.
Curious Hindoo Superstition az TO It's
Curative Properties

Curative Properties
In conversation with an old inhabi /
tant Of India. whose researches on
lines Of science ar. recognized by the
Indian scholars. he showed me a stone
he took from the mouth Of a snake he
had killed, which he called an anti
venom jewel. but which IL more gen.
orally known ns a snake stone" Ger.
tain species of snakes carry this stone.
which Is i-phosphoresccnt, In the
mouth for Use ~ an insect or frog
decoy. The snake deposits the stone
on the ground. and conceals itself
near by, and when the light Of th.
stone attracts enough insects, or the
assembled insects attract a frog or
toad In search OF prey. the cunning
reptile glideS upon the unwary hopper
and makes Il meal OF him. The repre-
sentative Of Ewes deceiver and the
cause Of Adams downfall then "pock.
cts" the stone and retlrcs for
snOoze. The snake, while laying for
prey. II disturbed by the approach OF
a person will take up the stone and
try to make It's escape.
II * firmly believed 10y many people
In India that the snake stone has cura-
tive aud antldote qualities and that II
II Is applied 20 bite In time It Will ex-
tract the poison II Il possesses any
virtue IN this regard. II ia because the
stone Is porous and absorbs the poison
If II 50 happens that the poison lies I'm
fatty tissue and has not yet been taken
into the circulation. Sucking would
accomplish the same purpose. But If
the poison was injected by the snake
into vein or artery neither would DO
much good n any. That the snake
stone has relieved snake bite can hard.
ly be doubted IN the face of evidence
I'm possession Of reputable persons In
India
Indian snake charmers always have
snake stones for sale to crcdulous pcO-
pie. They are simply spongy or porous
stones rubbed into n round. Gat shape
The snake charmcr is the prince os
fakirs lie blows on utc-a rude I'm
Strumcnt made Of the bamboo reed
and the cobra raises his head eight to
ten inches above the ground or ont of
an open hnskct In which the reptile Is
carried about. expands his hood and
waves his head and neck back and
forth aS if trying tn keep time with
( the weird music. ! am satisfied. how
over. after close observation OF this
performance many times. that the
snake IS not charmed by the music but
that II has been trained to do It's stunt
10y use of cane, and that It expects
10 be tapped with the cane If II does
not raise rs head. expand It's hood and
wave Its neck and head. II does this
same thing when maddened I'm the jun
gle. The whole movement Is It's signal
Of defiance; that 1t is angry and will
strike I'm self defense. The "charmer"
almost invariably raises stick with
| one hand when he blows on the reed.
/ and the snake places itself in readiness
To resist attack
This Is about the whole story Of the
/ Indian snake charmcr, who is really no
/ charmor AT ALL hut n humbug. He
handles the cobra and other kinds of
snakes, but one may rest assured that
the fangs have been extracted and that
[ the snake he handles is powerless 20
| DO harm. Resides. snake can he
tanned 10 n certain extent and comes TO
know lis keeper and will submit quiet.
/ " 20 b. handled by him precisely as Is
the case in dime museum shows. where
the snake performance is much more
intcrcAting snd exciting than anything
Of the kind 10 he witnessed In India
| Calcutta Cor. Sioux City Journal.