St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1912-08-30
STING OF A SNAKE
Fiery Ordeal That Follows a Kiss
From a Puff Adder.
1T IS ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH.
Dramatic Experiences Of q Man Who
Received the Venom Laden csress
and YET In Spite Of the Doctors
Verdict, Lived to Tell the Tale.

-Nt"'sN w - WoU WIG
Received the Venom Laden Cares.
and Yet, In Spite Of the Doctor,
Verdict, Lived TO Tell the Tale.
Not many men are alive to tell what
It Is like to be bitten by a pun adder
one OF the most venomous OF snakes
In South Africa. where It is found. lts
bite Is believed to be certain death
Nevertheless e. N. streatiield, former.
ly resident commissioner OF Bechuann.
land. not only survived the bite Of o
pun adder. but told bis story in the
London Field. He had captured the
snake, which was three feet and a hall
long. In South Africa. and was bring.
ing II home confined in an old cartridge
box to present to the Regents park
roo. He says:
Somehow or other II became known
20 my fellow passengers that had a
pun adder 10 my portmanteau. and
they begged to be allowed to see II.
For long time refused. but nt last
was overpersuaded and fetched her In
dyship.
Taking her out Of her box and grusp
ing her close behind her head. | ex
planned TO the company the marvellous
economy OF the poison apparatus. !
opened her mouth and displayed the
fangs. showed the poison glands aud
how the muscles that raised the fnngs
at the same time pressed on the glands
and forced the poison through the tiny
duct.
Having concluded my lecture. be.
gan TO put her ladyship back into her
temporary home. In getting rid OF a
poisonous snake you should be sure
that no coll II wound round an arm
and thnt Its whole body IL free. Then
when you let 70 your hold your hands
should be instantly snatched AWAY out
OF reach.
When I was In the very act OF quit.
ting my hold some one spoke TO me.
and ! have no doubt that left my
hrnd within reach OF the deadly fnngs
instead OF snntchlng II AWAY. must
have turned my head toward the man
who spoke TO me. for did not see the
stroke
But felt as n n knife had been
sharply drawn across my finger. aud
looking down. I saw the blood lowing
freely and her indyShlp out OF her
box, trying 20 make her way across the
table. ! snatched her back 10y the tail.
caught her by the neck ngaln aud got
her safely into the box
4
twenty men IN the room. Twenty sec.
onds afterward there WIS not one. !
never saw room cleared IN like time
They simply tumbled over each other
When the prisoner was again under
lock and key the company came slow
iy back. ana the doctor appeared.
I asked for ammonia. There was
none on the ship. and 10 hnd TO take
a great deal OF brandy. lanced my
finger down 10 the bone. where the
snakes fang had made wound. Then
1 sucked the wound vigorously.
gave my keys aud home address 10
my good friend. w. L.. who promised
10 look after me aud 10 carry out my
instructions while I remained insenSi
bic. Soon after that ! became nncon'
scious.
had told l.. that I should be report
ed dead. but that | should not be. aD0
that if he could get even n few drops
OF brandy down my throat when my
heart failed II would jog on again.
aud that by and by should come 10
II was 10 o'clock when lny down on
the smoking room sofa and became un
conscious. When ! came 10 again the
east was rosy with the morning sun.
Several times during the night the
doctor told l.. that | was already dead,
and n my friend had not obstinately
refused 10 listen 10 him and insist on
following out my own instructions !
should have been sent. wrapped up In
a piece OF canvas. 10 the bottom OF the
sea. some $50 miles north OF Madeira.
I never felt so III or suffered such
pain as when I recovered conscious
ness that morning, ! ached from the |
ZIP or my fnger 10 my shoulder. as II
the bone had been .redhot iron. and
my swollen arm looked like hard
pillow.
They carried me TO LIS bunk. and
there ! lay for twenty'four hours |
Then with the help OF a friends arm |
I could crawl a few yards. by degrees
the pain grew less. aud by the time !
reached home l had begun 10 take .
little interest In life. but for months
] had 10 be very gentle with myself
! have never since been 50 strong as !
was before and have come 10 know
the meaning OF the word "tired." some
thing ! did not know before her lady
ship took hold or me.