The Washington herald., 1908-08-24
BITTEN By RATTLE
SNAKE IN 4 TENT
W. c. Thompson Making a
Fight for His Life.
REPTILE ATTACKED HIS HEAD
Victim Asleep When Rather Put
FanES Into scalp. and His Shrfeks
Aroused COmpanionS-Physi at
Georgetown University hospital
Striving TO Keep Patient Awake.

! Physicians ar Georgetown University
Hospital are battling for the life Of VII
liam @ Thompson. seventeen years old.
the second victim witbin a week Of the
deadly faugs Of rattlesnake-
I Thompson was taken 10 the hospital At
$50 o'clock yesterday morning from a
camp near Sycamore Island He was
bitten on the TOP Of the head. which is
swollen nearly twice its natural size. The
flesh has turned a shade darker than IS
natural, and the flesh about the eyes is
50 pufed the boy cannot open his eyes
At late hour last night II was stated
} iThompson was resting easily and had a
chance fer life. The physicians refused
20 say what course Of treatment was
had applied 20 the Emergency Hospital
for any Of the reptile serum used with
such success IN the case Of Rodney Rose
the Zoo keeI-.r. who was bitten last
week
Net Permitted to sleep.
Young Thompson has been allowed 10
sleep little since being taken 70 the
hospital The physicians have given him
injections Of salt solutions and other
heart stimulants. and have only lei him
sleep for short periods. n this respect
the treatment is much the same as that
given Rose at the Emergency Hospital
II IS understood that the crisis in the
case has not vet come. and tEat unless
the boy IS much improved. another mode
Of treatment VIII be resort--d 70 to-day.
Thompson was taken 20 the hospital
by his brother The yous- Emen. win
several companions. have been camping
on the river near Sycamore Island f0-
days. On Saturday night they we-s
sleeping iu the open Despite the warn
irgs OF his comrades thac he might take
cold. William Thompson insisted upon
sleeping in the long grass near his tent
Shortly after O'Clock yesterday morn
iuE the campers were awakened 10y
/. shrieks. They found young Thompson
Z WritEirg on the ground Near him was
( a large ra1tlesnake- The snake was
killed and the bog was taken into 0ne
OF the tents and given liberal doses @,
whisky
The victim Of the reptile suffered agony
all the night and near dayb-eak showed
symptoms OF relapsing into a couatose
condition. His head began 20 swell and
the skin turned q shade darker Thor
0uEhly alarmed. his brother and Two com
-ades hurried the boy 10 the Georgetown
; Hospital
Hurried Into Ward
d.. William g. Gwyna. OF the EosQira
, star. took the injured boy in charge
: After listening 10 the details Of the ac
ci5en- as recited by HIS companions. The
. physician hurried the boy TO a ward and
= caute-ized the wound He then bega-
. injecting sJlmularts 70 increase AM
J strengthen the heart action. Despite thes,
infections, the boy grew rapidly weaker
and only the continued watchfuI-ess C
: the attending physician and his assistant!
. prevented the boy from doing or into {
= sleep Of death BY talking with the patien'
, constantly and slappirg him with coli
towels the physicians kept him awake
while the d-UGs got in their Ife-savinJ
q work
! The necessity Of his keeping awake va.
p impressed upon the mind OF the patient
and later in the day he pUt Up a brav,
fight. struggling 70 keep his eyes oQel
when the deaJhly scUpor tried 70 drag hi
lids together IN the afternoon his eve
! became 50 swollen the boy could not keel
. his lids open. no matter how vide awake
This made the struggle al the larde
and increased the trouble Of the physi
clans. HIS face began TO grow darker
and last night it could hardly be tol,
whether the boy was white or black
Injections were kept UP. and IT. Gwvul
and one OF his assistants stayed wit
the bcy. Toward midnight he SCENE
70 suffer much less pain. and his hear
[ action seemed stronger Because Of n
time that has elapsed since Thompson
was bitten. the physicians believe the1
have conquered the venom of the reptile
They say if The boy is alive to-day the!
believe his life Viii be saved Should h
7 grow weaker. said one Of the physicians
Il is probable the Emergency Hospita
viii be called upon 10 provide some O
the serum obtained from New York
Proving of Interest.
Coming. as it does. within week ate
: ( Rodney Rose was bitten by a damon,
RATHER At the Zoo. the case is proving O
great interest 20 the medical profession
= The physicians al Emergency HospIts
have demonstrated their ability 10 baJtI
with the virus Of the diamond rsrtleI
e and it is with a measure OF professions
pride that the physicians at Georgetown
! University Hospital are battling with n
D + Thompson case. They viii not say o
> / what their methods Of killing the virU
6 consists. as they are trying a diTs-en
method from that taken by the Emer
gency Hospital doctors
Rodney Rose. the Zoo keeper. has al
, arm and shoulder and the flesh IS rapid