Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-09-27
SNAKE STONE: or INDIA.
Curious Hindoo Superstition as to It's 1
y. 49, Curative Properties.

Curious Hindoe Superstition as to It's
Curative Properties.
In conversation with an old inhabl-
tant OF India, whose researches on
lines of science are recognized by the
Indian scholars, he showed me stone
he took from. the mouth Of a snake lie
bad killed, which he called an anti
venom jewel, but which is more gen
orally known as .tsnake stone Ger
tain species of snakes carry this stone.
which is semi-phosp horescent, in the
mouth for use as an insect or frog
decoy. The snake deposits the stone
on the ground, and conceals itself
near by, and when the light Of the
stone attracts enough insects, or the
assembled insects attract frog or
toad In search OF prey, the cunning
reptile glides upon the unwary hopper
and makes a meal Of him. The repre-
sentative Of Ewes deceiyer and the
cause of Adams downfall then s'pock-
cts" the stone and retires for a
snooze. The snake, while laying for
prey, if disturbed by the approach Of
a person will take up the stone and
try to make its escape. N ,5s
It is firmly believed by many people
in India that9the snake stone has cura-
tive and antidote qualities and that if
it is applied to a bite in time 1t will ex-
tract the poison. IL lit possesses any
virtue in this regard, it's because the
stone is porous and absorbs the poison
If it SO happens that the poison lies in
fatty tissue and has not yetsbeen taken
into the circulation. Sucking would
accomplish the same purpose. But if
the poison was injected by the snake
into a vein or artery neither would do
much good, if any. That the snake
stone has relieved snake bite can hard
ly be doubted in the face of evidence
in possession of reputable persons In
India. WAN
Indian snake charmers always have
snake stones for sale to credulous peo-
pie. They are simply spongy or porous
stones rubbed into a round, fiat shape.
The snake charmer is the prince Of
fakirs. He blows on q lute--a rude in
strument made Of the bamboo reed
and the cobra raises his head eight to
ten inches above the ground or out Of
an open basket in which the reptile is
carried about, expands his hood and
waves. his head and neck back and
forth as if trying to keep time with
the weird music. am satisfied, how
ever, after close. observation Of this
performance many times, that the
snake is not charmed by the music, but
that it has been trained TO do Its stunt
by use Of a cane, and that At expects
to be tapped with the cane lie 1t does
not raiseSits head, expand its hood and
wave its neck and head. 1t does, this
same thing when maddened in the. jun
gle. The whole movement is Its signal
of defiance; that Is angry and will
strike in self defense. The sscharmer''
almost invariably raises a stick with
one hand whenshe blows; on the reed,
and the snake places itself In readiness
to resist attack. a
This is about. the whole story Of the
Indian snake charmer, whoiis really no
charmer at. ALL but 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 to
do harm. Besides, snake can be
tanned to ascertains extent and comes to
know Its keeper and will submit quiet
" to be handled by him precisely as IS
the case in dime museum shows, where
the snake performance is much more
interesting and exciting than any thing
Of the kind to be Witnessed In India
Calcutta Cor. Sioux City Journal