Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-27
SNAKES! BOOK TELLS
HOW TO KNOW THEM
U. S. OFFICIAL IS PREPARING
VALUABLE WORK
Assistant Clerk in District Court Con-
denses Many Years Of Experience
Into Type for Benefit Of
Mankind

Virgil w. Owen, assistant clerk of
the United States district court, Is
planning to condense the results of
fourteen years in collecting and study
ing venomous snakes into a book for
popular reference.
Mr. Owen has returned from a col
lecting journey in Arizona, on which
he gathered large number OF specl-
mems and obtained a great deal of in
formation, particularly in regard to
rattlesnakes and beetles.
MANY of the popular conceptions
as to rattlesnakes are entirely errone-
ous," said Mr.. owen yesterday, land
this is unfortunately true about COM
mon remedies for snake poison. 1t Is
generally thought that the bite OF a
rattlesnake is always fatal, but this
is not the case. The records kept by
the Smithsonian institution show that
but about 20 per cent of the persons
die who are bitten by rattlesnakes.
Many of those who do die might have
been saved If the Importance of the
element of time had been regarded.
Home remedies which are often APP
piled might prove effective were 1t not
for the fact that the system will alb
sorb the virus much faster than the
antidote applied will do so. Then
when a doctor Is called the poison has
gone too far to be counteracted. 1t Is
| Important to know several matters in
connection with a rattlesnake bite, and
these cannot all be determined by a
physician who may be called some
time after the patient has been Bit
ten. For instance the size OF the
snake has an important bearing, but
after the wound is much swollen 1t
is impossible to determine anything
about the fangs.
1.-THE Importance of quick action may
be appreciated when you consider the
fact that in ffty-one seconds venom
injected in a vein In the most remote
part of the body will have passed
through the heart and permeated' the
system. Hence, the ordinary house
hold remedies are not effective because
they are applied only at the wound.
No Sure Antldote
There is no absolutely sure antidote
known, and some which have proved of
greatest effect are in themselves ex-
| ceedingly poisonous. The action OF
snake poisons and proper antidotes TO
them have been incorporated into but
very few of the Psychological courses
of medical colleges. Not one physician
in thousand is called in attendance In
such cases, so that even physicians are
not always in a position to administer
| the most effective remedies when
first met with"
| Mr.. OWENS book will deal at length
with the treatment of snake bites, CIV
| ing complete instructions for tmmedi-
ate action. Another feature OF value
to the traveller will be full list of the
yenomous snakes of the United States
which are dangerous to man and the
| larger beasts.
A popular error is that all mar
row-headed snakes are harmless and
| that all with broad, angular heads are
venomous, but Mr.. owen shows that
this rule is not applicable in either
case. The most venomous snake In
this country, the harlequin. which Is
allied to the cobra of India, is COM
paratively small, slender snake with
| hardly any construction between tne
head and body.
"Charming or fascinating by snakes
is another fallacy," says Mr.. Owen. II
believe that when birds have been seen
to f1y into the dlstended jaws of a SER
pent it would invariably be found upon
a careful examination that the bird
had young close by and disregarded
its own safety in an endeavor to pro-
tect its young.
Striking Power Limited
att is not unusual to hear statements
that snakes have been known to jump
three or four times their own length
| After a number of years of experience
and reference to the observations OF
others I have never noted a snake
striking over two-thirds ats length
from level surface. Charming snakes
by music is another story often heard
| This may bear some truth, but the
sound of music can play no part, as
snakes do not possess external ears
They are, however, quite sensitive tC
vibrations, so any effect from music
can only arise from the vibrations
produced.
"Most people think that the age of 6
| rattlesnake may be determined by the
| number of rattles, but this is far from
correct. Mathematics and others usual
ly shed their skins more than once q
year, and / have known this to occul
| four times in as many months, ano
each time that the skin is cast off 9
new segment to the rattle is added
It is safe to say that snakes will shed
on an average of twice year between
the commencement of summer and tbs
close of autumn.
"There are many differences as tt
natures use for the rattle, but be-
lieve that it was never intended prl'
marily as a warning to animals or nu'
man beings. Undoubtedly 1t was de-
signed for the snakes protection in IN
spiring fear, and, among other uses
to fascinate and attract TO the snake
some of the creatures upon whlcn Il