The Western news., 1909-03-10

49,
tain, and there is spirited bidding for
favors in getting these few. Where
rattlesnakes were once sold by the dog
en- lots, the big and the medium sized
mixed, and at the rate of $40 dozen,
the snake dealer now demands 50 a
pound. The march Of civilization has
so depleted the supply Of those to be
captured that the snake dealer makes
but little profit and few sales. West
ern States which were formerly well
stocked with the dianond-back species
have become SO well settled, and the
iesire to kill snake whenever one is
seen has been so much il vogue, that
the sight Of rattler is now rare.
In discussing the bite of the rattler
the dealer says: "Cases Of recovery
from the bite Of a rattlesnake are
many. With medical attention prompt
ly rendered, treatment to prevent coag-
ulation of the blood and incisions made
to cause the victim to bleed freely In
the vicinity of the wound have gener-
ally proven of good avail. Only when
the victim of the rattler's fangs and
sacs has been where help could not be
rendered Immediately has death result
ed. Like in all cases where the deadly
serum Of poisonous snakes has been
injected, the part Of the body bitten
first swelled to immense proportions
followed by general swelling of the
body, comatose condition and finally
the end. Whisky is the best known
and most common Of snake bite rene
dies but often plenteous quantities of
this are unavailing after the bite of
rattler.
'"The rattler strikes, and If he hits
with his fangs, hangs on for a full
minute, pumping the poison into the
wound through the tiny holes in the
fangs. mere scratch from a rattler's
rang Is not dangerous, but may make
a troublesome wound for q few days
unless cared for. 1t is only when the
tiny needle-like weapons which nature
gave the reptile enter the wound and
carry with them the pumped injections
| of yellowish poison that coagulation of
the blood follows. Although the rat
tiers poisonous injection, like that of
other deadly species Of reptile, has been
analyzed many times, there has never
| been discovered a remedy for its blood
coagulative powers Like in the bite
of the lance head, the cobra and others,
the heart action slows down and torpid
ness with coma follows fast upon the
terrible agony undergone while the
swelling is In progress
| "A range rider, once bitten by a rat
tier while picking up a piece Of wood
from brush heap with which to tight
en- sagging barb wire, rode twelve
miles to a ranch house at the best
speed his mount could maintain. He
had endeavored when first bitten to cut
away the wounded part Of his hand
with a clasp knife. When he reached
the ranch house his arm and side were
swelled to almost triple their natural
size, while his leg ON the side nearest
the wound was paralyzed AS the man
staggered from his horse he fell uncon-
scious. He could not be revived and n
rusty funnel was forced between bis
clenched teeth. Whisky was poured
into this while ranch hands tried
forced respiration. Despite the fact
that the wound had been almost cut
away Immediately following the bite,
the swelling continued.
THE whisky revived the bitten man
enough that he could comprehend that
he must drink more Of 1t. Following
tits came drunken stupor, but, with
the assistance of the rusty funnel and
a butcher knife used to pry the victims
teeth apart for it's insertion, whisky
was continued as treatment When the
contents of gallon jug and a quart
bottle had been exhausted, the bitten
man was placed on a cot and at short
intervals bucket of cold water thrown
over him. He remained unconscious
for twenty hours. Before he was re-
vived the swelling had disappeared al
most entirely. Following the ordeal.
the rattler's victim was "oat of his
head" for four days. Then came COM
plete recovery and with the exception
\ OF pains In the vicinity of the heart
the man was none the worse from the
poison injected into his SYSTEM