Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-08-14
Rattlesnakes.

publican: Senator Newberry of
Clayton county has been bitten by
a rattlesnake and the press reports
say that ne is in a dangerous CON
dition. But the senator should take
courage in the claim made a year or
two ago that nobody ever died from
the effects Of a rattlesnake bite.
That is putting it pretty strong, for
such cases have been known in To-
wa. Where the person bitten has
strong heart action and the bite is
on the extremeties, as is usually the
case, there is little danger. So far
medical science has never been able
able to effect cure in such cases.
The swelling usually begins within
thirty minutes and continues tor
two or three days. Then the swell
ling gradually recedes and in about
four weeks, sometimes sooner, it en-
tirely disappears. The greatest
danger is in relapses. caused often
by eating pork, or food cooked in
pork IryluSS or lard.
There are number of so. called
cures, most of them claiming the
merits of coming from the Indians.
The most common one is what is
known as rattlesnake master. 1t
grows along the sides of slouehs in
native prairie grass. The early
blades look like flag, but are thick
and hard and have thorns on the
edges. At this season of the wear
they have stalks standing about Is
inches high, with three burs on the
top. In using this remedy the
blades, stalks and roots are boiled
in fresh milk and the milk is made
the almost exclusive diet. This
with the liberal use of salts, sweet
and castor oil, makes up the usual
western home diet aud prescription.
The writer was bitten by rattle
snake when boy of 10 or IL years.
The bite was on the toe. One fang
penetrated the skin and single
drop OF blood marked the place.
Within twenty minutes the swelling
began and soon one leg was swelled
till the skin seemed ready to burst
and then the other leg swelled.
Whiskey was on hand within an
hour or two and was used literally,
but had no effect Gin the way of re-
Lief. We have heard of the whisky
cure, but SO far have never known
OF case where it was of any bene.
fit. 1t undoubtedly increases heart
action, but physician should de-
termine when it is needed for that
purpose. In the case here referred
to the swelling held its own for sew
eral days, and the skin turned spot
ted up to the waist. The pain was
caused by the stretching of the skin,
which felt rs though it would tear
open any minute. Finally in about
a month, the swelling was all gone
except in the bitten toe. Then
came relapse, caused, SO it was
claimed, by eating slice of bread
fried with ham. The suffering then
was greater than before. Rattle
snake master, sweet oil and epson
salts were used until the supply at
the county seat was exhausted, or at
least it must have been unless there
was good deal on hand. After
having observed number of cases
of snake bites in recent years, we
are inclined to think that the salts
and milk were all right, but that
the rattlesnake master had no effect
except to make the milk SO nasty it
was almost uncomfortable.
Physicians laugh at the claim that
eating pork in any form will cause
a reaction, but as they have never
found an antidote for snake bites
they should be modest in the face of
numerous examples where relapses
followed the eating of pork.
Mathematics have become SO un-
common as to practically remove
the danger of people being bitten,
but there are some snakes of the
poisonous variety along the rivers,
especially where there issoutcrop-
ping rock. If person on being
bitten will suck the wound the poi
son is easily extracted. If this is
not possible. then bathing in water
and the application of mud is help
full. Anything that will eliminate
the poison before it gets general
circulation in the blood lessons the
intensity of the swelling.
Animals are more apt to be bitten
than man. Dogs are often bitten
but usually on the legs and little
swelling follows. Horses, it seems,
are more apt to recognize the rattle
OF snake than any other animal,
and will eat day after day where
snakes are numerous and never get
bitten. We knew of case where
COW was bitten and the milk was
used till the spots on the skin re.
yealed the cause of the swelling.
The milk was not affected by the
poison. A calf is apt to get bitten
on the nose and usually dies within
a short time, as the swelling closes
the breathing organs. Hogs will
eat rattlesnakes and are never af-
fected, it being claimed that they
are proof against the poison, but the
more reasonable theory is that the
skin Of a hog is SO thick that the
fangs do not reach the blood.
1t is often claimed that a rattle
snake charmes small animal so that
they will not try to get away. Not
having heard from DR.. Long or
President Roosevelt, we do not care
to venture an opinion. Two years
ago the writer killed a large rattle
snake in New Mexico which had a
young rabbit completely under its
influence. A dog disturbed them
and when seen the snake was par