Arizona republican., 1907-12-11
NAIURE'S ANIID0If
 FOR SNAKE POISON
Euphorbia Aibo Marginata Is the Plant That Grows Here in Abund . ance and Affords Relief.

In a casual conversation recently with pr. R. E. Kunze, the writer chanced to be standing over a dry ir- rigation ditch which was carpeted with a creeping weed that ordinarily does not attain a height of more than two inches where it grows along ditches and roadsides. but which in moist sandy arroyas. where shaded by large shrubbery, may attain the height of six or seven inches. Every observing person who has long haunted the back streets of Phoenix or is familiar with the country. has seen lots of it. Mir Kunze who is horticulturist, natur- alist and botanist Cf national repua. and an author of scientific works. was asked what the name of the weed is. He replied that it is Euphorbia albo- marginata, and one Of the most valu able natural plants in the southwest if people only knew it. as il is an anti dote for rattlesnake poison and the only one that has been discovered as a native of the southwest.
 It is not generally admitted that a specific antidotc for this poison is known, wherefore the reply. of MT Kunze was interesting and led to the asking of a number of questions sub seQuently IL ought to be on sale in every drug store, continued the doctor though the dry plant is not so power full in effect as the green plant. This plant when bruised or broken eXudes white sticky milk, in appearance very much like the lnilk weed of the east, though the stems are very much smaller. ranging from the size of a hair to the size of a twine string. The flower which of course is very small. is a pinkish purple in color with a white rim around il.
 Asked concerning the treatment in the case of d snake bit, the doctor said the patient should get a quantity of this plant at the earliest possible mo- ment, or if in the vicinity of where il was growing, take a quantity of it and mash it up or thoroughly bruise it and apply il as a poultice. At the same time the patient should chew up and swallow some of it. The weed is very bitter. Asked if there was danger of eating too much of it the doctor sad there was not. for as soon as Sufficieny had reached the stomach, nausea and vomiting would occur and he couldn't eat any more of it if he wanted 10.
 Asked what one would do for pro- tection when the plant is not at hand he said it may be dried and thus pre- served, used in the same way, though it would take a great deal more of it to effect the same result, especially as a local application. for much of the rf1f1l rrfe nd ctr !, would be dried up.
 The preferable way of administering it internally. especially if the supply be the dried plant. would be to make a tea of it and drink it. A still bet ter way would be to have a mother tincture made of it by the use of all cohol, and have it bottled and at hand always. ready for use He was n ,t questioned as to dosage in this form but presumably there is way of find ing out of those who have facilities Tor measuring its strength. The alcohol in the tincture is of itself quite desirable in such cases. The doctor was asked his opinion concerning alcohol as remedy for rattlesnake venom, for it lis a much discussed question. many people in these days believing that al- cohol or whisky has been often used disastrously in such cases. His r.p'y was that he believed it to be most valuable in reasonable quantities Is Function is merely to stimulate the heart. a very necessary feature of the treatment, but to overstimulate it is worse than to understimulate it. The use of it should vary from a few tea spoonfuls 10 a considerable quantity as he patient progresses and in accord
 nce with the severity of the infection and the symptoms exhibited by the patient But the point emphasized is that all the whisky does is to stim- llate and help the system to withstand the assault of the poison, the alcohol being in no sense an antidote The doctors idea is that by using the tine ture composed of both the stimulant