Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-07-16
STING OF 4 SNAKE
Fiery Ordeal That Follows a Kiss
From a Puff Adder.
IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH.

and Yet, In Spite OF the Doctors
Verdict, Lived TO Tell the Tale.
Not many men are alive to tell what
It Is like to be bitten by pun adder.
one Of the most venomous Of snakes.
In South Africa, where II is found, its
bite Is believed to be certain death.
Nevertheless F. N. Streatield. former
ly resident commissioner Of Bechuana-
land. not only survived the bite Of
pun adder. but told his story In the
London Field. he had captured the
snake, which was three feet and half
long, In South Africa. and was bring
Ing 1t home confined In an old cartridge
box to present to the Regents park
zoo. he says:
Somehow or other 1t became known
to my fellow passengers that l had a
putf adder In my portmanteau. and
they begged TO be allowed to see II.
For a long time | refused. but at last
was overpersuaded and fetched her la
dyship.
Taking her out Of her box and grasp
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 and
how the muscles that raised the fangs
at the same time pressed on the glands
and forced the poison through the tiny
duct.
Having concluded my lecture. be-
gaa 10 put her ladyship back into her
temporary home. In getting rid Of
poisonous snake you should he sure
that no coil Is wound round an arm
and that Its whole body is free. Then
when you let 80 your hold your hands
should be instantly snatched away out
Of reach.
When l was In the very act Of quit
ting my hold some one spoke to me.
and l have no doubt that left my
hand within reach Of the deadly fangs
instead of snatching 1t away. must
have turned my head toward the man
who spoke to ne. for did not see the
stroke.
But l felt as If knife had been
sharply drawn across my finger. and.
looking down. saw the blood lowing
freely and her ladyship out Of her
box, trying to make her way across the
table. snatched her back by the tail,
caught her by the neck again and got
her safely into the box.
When | was struck there were about
twenty men in the room. Twenty Sec
onds afterward there was not one. !
never saw q room cleared in like time.
They simply tumbled over each other.
When the prisoner was again under
lock and key the company came slow
ly back. and the doctor appeared.
I asked for ammonia. There was
none on the ship. and 80 ! had to take
great deal of brandy. lanced my
finger down to the bone, where the
snakes fang had made wound. Then
l sucked the wound vigorously.
gave my keys and home address to
my good friend. W. L.. who promised
to look after me and to carry out my
instructions while l remained insensi.
BILE. Soon after that became uncon.
scious.
had told l.. that should be report
ed dead, but that should not be, and
that If he could get even few drops
Of brandy down my throat when my
heart failed It would Jog on again,
and that by and by I should come to-.
It was 10 o'clock when lay down on
! the smoking room sofa and became un-
conscious. When l came to again the
east was rosy with the morning sun.
Several times during the night the
doctor told L. that twas already dead,
and If my friend had not obstinately
refused to listen to him and insist on
following out my own instructions !
should have been sent, wrapped up In
a piece Of canvas, to the bottom Of the
sea, some $50 miles north Of Madeira.
| l never felt so Ill or suffered such
pain as when l recovered conscious
ness that morning. I ached from the
tip of my finger to my shoulder, as If
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 friends arm
l could crawl few yards. BY degrees
the pain grew less, and by the time |
reached home I had begun to take a
little interest in life, but for months
had to be very gentle with myself.
I have never since been so strong as
was before and have come to know
the meaning of the word tired" some
thing l did not know before her lady
Il - hnlI a.