Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-10-16
The Snake Ard us Venom

Although the upward sweep OF pop
ulation has made the snake, except
of the harmless variety scarce In the
Eastern United States, yet hundreds
OF people on vacation In the noun
tsins and forests are annually bitten
by some poisonous serpent. First. as
to dangerous snakes. it Is well to
know that the great difference be
tween vcnomous and non-venomous
snakes lies in the formation OF the
head. Roughly speaking. when one
comes upon a serpent. large or small
whose head looks broad in proportion
IN it's neck. il should be let alone. for
80 times out of 100 il is poisonous.
The cause OF this lies in the fact
that poisonous snakes need broader
head because of he fangs that squirt
the venom into the bottom OF the
snake bite. A snake bites like dog
the old fable of being stung Dy Il
snake is entirely untrue. The poison
fang of a snake is an ordinary hypo'
dermic syringe. The two hollow point
ed poison teeth are the needles OF MS
two hypodermic poison syringes-
The bulbs of the syringes are the
two bags Of poison juice that lie al
the roots and Just behind the two pot
son teeth. When the snake bites WIN
these two long. pointed hollow teeth
the pressure of the jaw on the hesh
he is biting into squeezes the Jaice
ont through the hole in the teeth Inc
poison bags are kept filled by glands
thar secrete the venom THESE re-
.semble the glands that supply the
saliva in the mouth of a human be
ing
To kill any snake requires only one
blow. but il must be as quick as Eght.
ming and demands a sure hand ana
practice. Many a ragged country boy
has killed scores OF vipers. rattle
snakes and copperheads- For the IN
periepced The only safe thing iS TO let
the snake go and as for the snake
he will get away every time IL be has
the chance.
Rut II the snake has bitten. the one
problem is to keep as much poison a
possible from being absorbed into tn'
iIood And the surest means for-this
"a 10 tie the finger, toe. arm or leg an
inch above the wound and twist the
bandage with a stick until all circuia'
ton has ceased as far as posslpie
This should be done At once for every
second is Of the highes; importance
I, should be always remembered
that tho poison Of the snake Is just al
tho bottom Of his bite-jGst WHERE
tho end of the poison teeth were SUNK
into the flesh. The next move IS 70
hurn ;he wound. A red hot iron j
The hes, and easiest method. but re"
neopl9 peopIe are bitten near doc
Tor or a horseskoeing establishment
ana 70 wait for a red no, iron r. 70
lose tho precious time. Simply 70
burn the wound with lighted matche
4. ouick and therefore vaiHaoi'
method II 4; docs sound clumsy The
na,n * NO worse than from rcd hot
; iron and when AZ Is a question of liff
and death there should be no hesifa
ton n the wound Is not torn. iha'
a II there arr just the tiny marks ~
he snakes teeth. u must be opened
18th a knife and ]; must be opened
thoroughly. II must be well slashef
in sevcrsi directions and a. near fhs
depth If tho bite - possible. inothe'
rood thing Is 10 suck the wound VERY
hard. finsiEg the mouth thoroughly
with water.
Chloride II lire is Of value n az
pl,~d IN the wound. - " IL an a.
frsneens and 20 are all tho salts n
iron Ammonia Is often used but ha'
NJ vairc Above ali proceed rapid,
for she death FROM the snake bite 10
r~n6s on hnu much ~ The desdl'
juice pu, into the bottom Of the BIZ