The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1911-01-04

IT'S STING 4 DEATH WARRANT

Little chanoe For vio4im Of tlss
Fanss ~ This Tsrror - ti,s lalassd
o. The CT and ~ Men.
sooss - Most Formidahie Ensrsies.
Every one = perfectly well aware
that there exiats large number Of
senomous serpents-we nave faany Ct
fhem right here In the Unised seates;
lns rarrler. for example pur probably
10 other spot IN the knowD world 30
such . death dealing reptile - has the
FreGcb ix,:lud Ut alasftntque. neofl1ug
IN the liInptd blue waters Of THE Cafib-
bean sea. u y the fer-de>lnnce cd
enntically known - Trigontrph1tus
lance .afus. rnai can beyond the snad-
sOu Dc DOUBT .ay claim 20 being the
most deadly serpent Of the earth ~
sting means almost certain death.
There are eight disfincf varieties.
fh- ms,st sstnn,on being q dark gray
and black spsckled. which cot0Fing
enables II TO conceal itself eas1ly
among ROOTS and stumps OF srees- An
other variety IL clear. bright yellow.
and when hidden In the freshly cut
cane II can hardly be distinguished
from the stalks. Il may also Be . dark
yellow or coal black With . yellow
belly.
! Il Is not q large snake. rarely ex-
ceed1ne tfve feet In length and u CIR
cur lreDce approximately the sire Of
q child's ARM TO repeat the sting
means almost certain death. and
should not the service Of : physician.
or .panseur." an the natives call him.
be tanned within q very short time
the venom does It's deadly work-the
desh grows cold. softens. becomes
pnipy. changes in color. quickly be-
gins to spot and. y great chilliness
creeps through the blood. This lasts
only few possibly half an
hour-theD death
Ii the victim Is fortunate enough to
get physician upon the scene post
haste and no artery or vein has been
pierced there is hopejust faint
hope-but even If life ia saved the dan,
ger Is not entirely removed. for III
many cases necrosis of the tissues fol-
lows. The flesh corrupts and falls from
the bones. and the body molders as
does a tree.
There is. however. heroic method
OF treatment often brought into use
by the Martiniquans Ii is the Inn
mediate amputation Of the leg or arm
II the sting happens to be In either.
Even this has TO be done at once and
before the venom circulates through
the system. There are to be 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.
The fer-de-lance Is fghter-and no
mistake about it-aggressive and pug
Dacious. and domestic animals. with
the cat as the one exception. stand a
very poor show In battle. Pussy, in
about nine cases out of ten. win come
out Of the scrap with colors flying be-
cause OF the fact that 1t 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. 1t is the mon
goose tichneumon). imported from In
Ola number Of years ago for the
sole purpose of getting rid Of the
snakes.
OF the weasel family and looking
very much like it. this little animal is
are concerned and will just as readily
tackle one five feet in length as one
foot long. From the mongoose the
fer-de- lance will flee. but If cornered
will put up a great fight. using ev-
cry trick AZ it's commando useless
sort of contest, however. for within
short time ii will be stretched out
lifeless.
A battle between these two natural
enemies is we'll worth witnessing. 1t
is never a limited" fight. but to
finish always. and probably the snakes
by this time have come to understand
that when they enter such a combat
1t is with the odds greatly against
them.
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 If the snake
sees no avenue OF escape. 1t prepares
for battle. as does the mongoose. but
In more leisurely manner. 1t takes
about one minute for them TO get fully
prepared. There is no shaking hands,
60 to speak. as by prizefighrers.
The mongoose circles about the rep
tile. always at safe distance and