The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-05-13
MYTHS ON
RATTLESNAKE BITE
RIDDLED BY EXPERT
Whisky No Antidote, and But
tons Don't Tell Age Of
Reptile.

0SpG11S.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., which likes
nothing better than to destroy our
most cherished illusions, has been taxi
ing a cold-blooded loo at our scaly
friend. the ra,tlesnake. With the usual
result.
For instance. he can be used as
an argument against prohibition.
Whisky isn't any good for rattlesnake
bite; conversely. rattlesnake bites
isn't a valid excuse for whisky.
not correspond to the snakes age In
years. And the noise of the rattle is
not a warning, but an invitation. And
a rattler whose fangs have been drawn
is not necessarily harmless. AS for the
basilisk eye, which hypnotizes the fut-
is no known antidote for the rattler's
bite, although the injection of venom
is seldom strong enough to kill an
adult.
These facts We're auth%oritatively set
forth recently by DIR. JOB Marshall,
professor of chemistry and toXicology
OF the University of Pennsylvania, in
a talk before a group of physicians
who are in the city in connection with
the homecoming" OF the medical de-
No Antidote.
iiSAS 40 III u " lI0 ~ OK
a rattlesnake," declared DR.. Marshall.
The popular methods OF treatment are
all wrong and do no good.
The impression has obtained that
whisky, If a sufficient quantity Is
taken, counteracts the effects of the
poison and saves the life Of the VIC
tim. No impression could be more err
roneous. AS a matter OF fact, whisky
does no good whatever.
"A very small percentage of adults
T3jn fVnp, w ~,,1 IL liA-- Dyt-A
cause the snake cannot inject sufn-
c1ent poison to cause death. Gut most
persons when bitten become badly
frightened. and the whisky may act as
a stimulant and thus keep the victim
from dying OF fright. But where the
poison is sufficient to cause death the
whisky annot retard its work. So
whisky is eliminated.
Another popular cure for a snake
bite is the application Of permanganate
true that it will decompose the venom
in the Immediate vicinity of the
wound. but 1t does not follow the pol
son into the circulation. If it did, it
would aus death itself, because it
will decompose the blood as we'll as
snake poison.
Caustic Useless for Bites.
"Caustic is used in many cases, or the
is scared with a red-hot iron.
The only result obtained is the innic-
ton of a terrible wound, while the
progress OF the poison is not stayed.
successful when used. 1t Is obtained in
the usual way. A horse is inoculated
with the venom and the serum will
check the poison If used, but what mar
carries with him into the haunts of the
rattlesnake a quantity of serum and
an antiseptic ~hypodermic syringe for
its use?
"The treatment which is the nearest
TO nature is the one that is most efica-
cious. Cut open the wound caused by
the fangs and then suck 1t until ali Of
the poison Is extracted. If some Of the
poison gets into the stomach, 1t will
do no harm. as the human digestion
is able to dispose of the venom. The
only danger resulting from this method
would arise if there should be an abra-
sion or cut on the lips, or In the mouth,
for then inoculation would occur.
The poison acts directly upon the
blood. 1t destroys the covering of the
blood corpuscles, thus rendering them
incapable OF carrying Oxygen in sufi-
cient quantities to sustain life. The
victim, as a result, dies OF asphyxia-
ton"
DR.. Marshall secuted the theory that
a rattlesnake could be rendered harm
less by pulling its fangs.
Never Harmless.
This Information ought to be pleas
ant news to the hundreds of s~o-called
snake charmers who perform in the
and in the circus. They be-
!ieve that the snakes they handle are
because they are told SO by
the dealers who sell them.
When a rattlesnake loses 8 fang"
said DR.. Marshall, another one crows
in its place and is at once ready for
use. The poison glands are located
directly back Of the eyes and cannot be
removed without killing the snake.
off h fangs would do no good,
for the poison would still be ready for
the snakes use. The fang acts as q
The poison glands are controlled by
a set OF muscles which the snake lie
able to operate at will. The belief has
been that he very act Of striking
act was involuntary. This is not SO.
The snake does not always inject pois-
on when 1t strikes. it seems to know
when It strikes tissue. And 1t does not
strike in anger always. It's bite is
by the desire for food"
Two Years Without Food.
In this connection. DR.. Marshall
spoke of the ability of a snake to live
for a length of time without taking
food He referred to a snake which he
owned that lived for two years
taking a particle Of food.
rattle represents a year of a snakes
life. This, he said. is not true. Each
the snake sheds it's skin 4 forms
new rattle, and the skin-sheddtnR
process may and often does occur three
in a single year.
The rattle is not sounded as a warn
ing to a victim and neither is it an in
of anger or fear. Its use is
10 attract victims within striking
ang .
The snake can strike a distance rep
by about one-fourth Of it,
1t always strikes in the pre-.
Use direction in which 1t is looking.
eaIeful Reflections.
When. in the walks of life. I'm brought
With strange folk together.
often at the thought:
Suppose there were no weather!
suppose in all the realms Of ak