The Washington times., 1908-08-24
SNAKE-BITTEN BOY
IS RECOVERING
Young Campers Head Swol-
len, But He Is Able to
Tell His Story.

when I awoke. 1 felt a strange sen
satlon in the top OF my head, near MY
forehead. At first, I thought Gene
Wood had pulled my hair 10 wake nIe,
but when 1 saw he had been sleepirg g.
ana the snarp tingling sensation IN nay
scalp continued. the thought of a
snake came into my mind Immediately.
/ saw ii a few minutes later. a small
black snake. l didn't know whether IL
was a rattler or not"
His head shaved and swathed in
bandages, swollen to almost twice It's
normal size. his eyes nearly closed
By the swelling Of ms cheeks. William
D. Thompson, the sixteen -year-old boy
who was bitten by a snake while sleep
ing in q tent on the west side of the
Potomac river yesterday morning, re-
lated his experience 10 his mother and
Times reporter this morning al the
Georgetown University Hospital
The physicians at the hosrital said To-
cay JhaE undoubtedly the ytull sroEi1
recover. lie is receiving a treatment
which consists or the injection OF small
doses of strychntne at frequent inter
walls, and the application OF hot ban
da ges 10 the place where the snakes s
taugs entered the scalp.
Boy Is Drowsy.
The boy is drowsy. and at times
would like 70 give way TO the influence
which might wrap him in deadly
slumber, btIt he exhibits the same ad-
mirable nerve which characterized Rod
ney Rose. the Zoo keeper, now at the
Emergency Hospital recovering from
diamond ratter snake bite. and the
physicians rouse him whenever he
shows signs Of dropping of 70 sleep.
Early this morning the boys mother,
who has been almost distracted with
grief and worry, left the home, at l0J4
G street southwest ana went 10 lh5
hospital She could not wait unIH Z
o'clock the regular visiting nOur. Al
though IL was against the rules the
musicians permitted her to visit the
bedside Of her BOY for few minutes.
The woman had been informed that
her son was lowering between lie ana
death and the physicians allowed her
10 visit him Just 10 allay any fears of
immediate danger. Inc greeting De-
tween mother and son was a most al
fecting one, and the woman burst INTO
tears as she saw her boys head sWath-
ed II. the bandages, ana his face swol-
len aImost beyond recognition.
'Mother, I'm aWfully glad to see
yoU." said the boy, as he reached his
hands toward her. 4 knew you d
Come There is nobody like a mother
wnen a fellows IN trouble But I'm
going to get well in a few days, all
right. so don't cry Tell little sisters
not to worry either, and tell Gene, too"
Tells Hew It Happened.
How did it happen, WHIP" asked his
mother.
II don't know much more about it
than anyone else. for 1t happened while
I was asleep answered the boy. You
know, Gene and 1 went up in the
canoe and landed below Chain bridge,
where We set up our small tent and
after a while laid down to sleep,
Thomson and his companion, Eugene
r wood, to whom he referred TO as
'sGene " went camping Saturday, as
thew do every week end. The two are
close friends, and always together Wood
is a clerk in the Southern Railway Of
fices- THOMPSON is unusually large for
his age and his vitality is standing
him in good stead now. The strength
OF the victim of a snake bite is far
more effective ir fighting snake venom
than drugs, say the physicians.