Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-06-27
shepherdown Jefferson County, West Virginia Thursday June 2 1912
Out OF The Jaws OF Death.

Not many men are alive 10 tell Wflat II
is like TO be bitten by puff-adder-one
of the most Yenomous of snakes. In
South Africa, where it is found, its bite
is supposed to be certain death. Never
theless, F. N. Streatfield, formerly resi-
dent commissioner OF Bechuanaland, not
only survived the bite of puff-adder,
but has told his story in the London Field.
He had captured the snake, which was
three feet and half long, in South Afri-
ca, and was bringing it home, confined in
an old cartridge box, to present TO the
Regents Park Zoo. He says:
Somehow or other it became known to
my fellow passengers that | had a puff
adder in my portmaHteau, and they beg
ged to be allowed to see it. For long
time refused, but at last was overper-
suaded, and fetched her ladyship.
Taking her out OF her box, and grasp
ing her close behind her head, | explain
ed to the company the marvellous econo-
my of the poison apparatus. ! opened
her mouth and displayed the fangs,
showed the poison-g 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, began
to put her ladyship back into her tempo
rary home. In getting rid of poisonous
snake you should be sure that no coil is
wound round an arm, and that its whole
body is free. Then, when you let 60
your hold, your hands should be Instant
ly snatched away out OF reach. When |
was in the very act of quitting my hold,
some one spoke to me, and have no
doubt that left my hand within reach OF
the deadly fangs instead of snatching it
away, | must have turned my head to-
ward the man who spoke to me, for did
not see her stroke.
But felt as if a knife had been sharply
drawn across my finger, and looking
down, saw the blood flowing 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 in
the box.
When was struck there were about
twenty men in the room twenty seconds
afterward there was not one. never
saw a room cleared in like time; they
simply tumbled over each other. When
the prisoner was again under lock and
key, the company came slowly back,
and the doctor appeared.
asked for ammonia. There was none
on the ship, and so had to take a great
deal of brandy. lanced my finger down
to the bone, where the snakes fang had
made a wound. Then 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 in
structions while | remained insensible.
Soon after that became unconscious.
had told l.. that should be reported
dead, but that should not be, ard that if
he could get even a few drops OF brandy
down my throat when my heart failed, it
would jog on again, and that by and by |
should come to. 1t was ten o'clock when
lay down on the smoking-room sofa
and became unconscious. When | came
to again the east was rosy with the morn
ing sun.
Several times during the night the doc
tor told L. that | was already dead, and
if my friend had not obstinately refused
to listen to him, and insisted on following
out my own Instructions, should have
been sent, wrapped up in piece OF can
vas, to the bottom of the sea, some three
hundred and fifty miles north OF Madeira.
never felt so i'll or suffered such pain
as when recovered consciousness that
morning. ached from the tip OF my
finger to my shoulder, as if the bone had
been red-hot iron, and my 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 could crawl a few yards. BY de-
grees the pain grew less, and by the time
reached home had begun TO take lit
tie interest in life; but for months had
to be very gentle with myself. have
never since been so strong as was be-
fore, and have come to know the mean-
ing of the word "tired," something | did
not know before her ladyship took hold