The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-08-18
A DEADLY REPTILE.
The Fer-de-lance the Most Ven
omous OF All Serpents.
ITS STING A DEATH WARRANT

Little Chance For a Victim OF the
Fanes OF This Terror OF the island
OF The Cat and the Mon
GOOSE It's Most Formidable Enemies.
Every one Is perfectly well aware
that there exists large number of
venomous serpents we have many of
them right here In the United States.
the rattler. for example but probably
no other spot In the known world has
such death dealing reptile as nas the
French island of Martinique. Nesting
IN the limpid blue waters of the CariU.
bean sea. II is the fer de.Iance. SCI
entiically known as Trigoncepnulus
lancclatus. that can beyond the shad
ow oi doubt lay claim to being the
most deadly serpent of the earth. Its
sting means almost certain death.
There are eight distinct varieties,
the most common being dark gray
and black speckled. which coioring
enables II to conceal Itself easily
amoug roots and stumps OF trees An
other variety is a clear bright yellow
and when hidden In the freshly cut
cane II can hardly be distinguished
from the stalks. II may also be dark
yellow or coal black with q yellow
belly.
IL Is not large snake. rarely ex.
ceeding dve feet In length and IN cir.
conference approximately the size of
child's arm. TO repeat, the sting
means almost certain death. and
should not the service of a physician.
or ''panseur." as the natives call him.
he obtained within very short time
the venom does Its deadly work-the
tesh grows cold. softens. becomes
PUPPY, changes In color. quickly be
gins to spot, and a great chlliness
creeps through the blood. This lasts
only a few minutes-possibly half an
hour-then death.
IL the victim is fortunate enough to
get physician upon the scene post
haste and no artery or vein has been
pierced there is hope-just faint
hope-but even II life is saved the dan
ger Is not entirely removed, for In
many cases necrosis OF the tissues fol-
lows. The desh corrupts and falls from
the bones. and the body molders as
does a tree.
There is. however. a heroic method
OF treatment often brought into use
by the Martiniquans. IL Is the i'm
mediate amputation of the leg or arm
II the sting happens to be In, either.
Even this nas TO be done at once and
before the venom circulates through
the system. There are to DO seen
today upon the island many natives
with limbs missing. and In the ma
jority of cases 1t Is the result Of hav-
Ing the machete. or cane knife, .ap-
piled after an experience with fer-de
lance
rhe fer-de-lance Is a 6ghter-and no
mistake about it-aggressive and pug
nacious. and domestic animals, with
the cat as the Que exception, stand a
very poor show In a battle. Pussy, In
about nine cases out OF ten, will come
out of the scrap with colors flying be-
cause OF the fact that II Is apparently
quite as quick In movement and at the
same time uses what may be termed
ring generalship.
There is but one animal other than
the cat that successfully wages war
upon the fer-de-lance. II Is the mon
goose dchneumonJ, imported from In.
dia a number Of years ago for the
sole purpose of getting rid of the
snakes.
or the weasel family and looking
very much like II, this little animal Is
absolutely fearless so far as snakes
are concerned and will just as readily
tackle one i've feet In length as one
a foot long. From the mongoose the
will fee. but II cornered
will put up great fight, using ev-
cry trick at its commando useless
sort Of contest, however. for within
a short time It will be stretched out
ifeless.
A battle between these two natural
enemies is well worth witnessing. II
Is never a 'limited" fight, but to a
inish always. and probably the snakes
BY this time have come to understand
hat when they enter such a combat
L is with the odds greatly against
hem.
The mOngoose Is quite as clever a
ring general as the cat and uses that
Gift to advantage. Strategy more than
strength Is its asset.
When they meet. and II the snake
'ees no avenue of escape, II prepares
FOR battle, as does the mongoose, but
IN more leisurely manner. II takes
about one minute for them to get fully
prepared There is no shaking hands,
70 to speak. as by prize6ghters.
The mongoose circles about the rep
tile. always at a safe distance and
drawing fre," inviting II by moving
closer and closer to dart out Its head
Ind then quickly jumping out Of
harms way. II torments In every
possible manner. causing the snake to
.haDQe nOsition time and time again