New-York tribune., 1908-04-29
SNAKE STORY NOT FAKE
Homeopoth also Says Lancehead
Poison Is Valuable Remedy.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
|. Sir The interesting operation by DR.. Ditrars
On the snake in the reptile house Bronx Park
on Sunday was to obtain the venorlous LIQUID from
us poison sac underneath its forked tongue The
serum itself properly diluted is a most valuable
addition TO the phar11acopoeia Of the homeopathic
school
This subject would receive no attention from me
were 1t not that in your columns to-day there ap-
peared telegram from Boston in the form Of an
interview. saying that Harvard medical expert
Dr. Theobald Smith declared he did not know the
venom Of the larcehead viper in the pharnacoposa.
nor did he know OF any disease ever having been
treated by snake venom, and that he considered
the story OF the extraction OF the venom as re-
corded in The Tribune, "a case of nature taking"
II IS not strange that Dr.. Smith knows nothing
OF the snake venon1s in medicine How should ne
know. or why should he b. expected to know any
thing about the subject? His attention has not
been directed TO the consideration Of such animal
posons. though he is doubt learned toxicoIogist
But what he does not know he should not disdain
or treat scornfuly
This not "a of nature taking The
snake in hand the time and place appointed,
and the venom was extracted . described in your
columns There certainly was huInoug about
that For the enlightenment OF Professor Smith
I am pleased to inform him that homeopathic
physicians have used for eighty years the diutiOn
of the venom of the particular variety or reptile
under discussion; that the effects which this poison
will produce in the human organism are perfectly
we'll known. Such effects, both objective and subjec-
tive, have been utilized successfully by homeopathic
physicians the world in the treatment OF dis
ease according to the principles which govern the
use of homeopathic remedies; that IS, the law OF
simars, which, by the way, the scIentlnc HedlcaI
world is gradually adopting in the serum
treatment of disease-an autitoxin for dlphtherla.
tubercuin for tuberculosis. an antitoxin for tet-
anus and 50 on-nCt yet with perfect precision
and certainty TO be sure but still with results
that some day will convince the entire profession
and do away with sects in medicine
AS matter Of history would Ike 70 tel Profes-
cor Smith that the first trituration and the first
df1ution OF the snake poison Trigonocephalus lach-
esis was made BY the renowned scientist and ply
sicfan the late Dr.. Constantine Herring. on July
2S 1S2S The first case was published IN 1880 IN
1897 this remedy introduced into the houoao-
pathic nlaeria medica and the effects Of the poison
I7ron the human organism were Investigated. under
the direction of DR. Herring by twenty OF more
physicians Of that period, among whom were some
OF the most eminent homeopathic physicians OF
this country
tn the genius and the heroism OF Herring the
world owes this remedy and many another Of which
this was the forerunner Dr. Herring was engaged
at the time of his death in 1878 in preparing an
extensive monograph wherewith 10 celebrate the
4f+art anniversary Of the introduction of L4chesis
into homeopathic therapeutics, This monograph I
was never completed. but Herinss researches stand
TODAY A great monument TO his sclentlhc atta4n- !
ments and the knowledge Of the poison in lis ap-
pcation the treatment or disease 4 great doom
to suffering humanity
Like all the serpent poisons its action IS directly
IJpon the blood destroying its vitality and inducing
great variety of disorders characterized by dis
of tissue. II is not TO be compared IN
its effects upon the human body with any other {
substance except in general way with the other )
serpent poisons such as the crotalus.
For the further enlightenment Of Dr. Theooold /
smith I would state that based on the Knowledge
IF the effects of this poison in the human organ
sm homeopathic physicians use dtlutions of It .
N semitic conditions Of the blood, such as pyaenla
,r septic4rnia ery5pelas, carbuncle. gangrene.
malignant scarlet fever, dphtheria though anti
oxin is now used by nearly ali physicians 10 the
.rI1,son OF other remedies, and. add many
disorders Of the nervous system So well known
are the SYMPTOMS produced by lachcss that IL is
given with great precision in pro ery diluted doses
~ ho1eec thic physicians whenever the symptoms
characteristic of the remedy appear the result
# disease. II fifty homeopathic physicians were
;elected from different parts OF the world and a
a se were shown 10 them. The history of case
cad to them. say OF eryspelas, presenting syup- /
oms characteristic of the effects of Iachesis with
ne accord the would unite upon lachesIs IS
he remedy. SO much for precision in medicine.
md SO much for the Iachesis poison in particular.
L. I. DANFORTH, N ..