The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-26

a snake of the C%rotoline family
which includes all rattlesnakes. the
copperhead snake and the Cotton
mouthed" moccasin-can infict a
dangerous wound even after it is
dead. On the very best authority it
is here stated that while pulling the
fangs of a venonous snake lessons the
remove all of the danger. AS a mat
ter of fact O cannot render a
poisonous snake harmless unless you
extract every tooth in its head. That
n doubters may be convinced of the
truth of this it is necessary to go into
details.
The apparatus used by the venom
Gus snakes in the act of biting is
rather a complex affair. At the outset
1t must not be assumed that the fangs
and the teeth are one and the same
thing. In composition they are. but
not in use. The teeth of the poison
Gus snakes are entirely separate from
their fangs. With the former the
snake u its food, except in rare
only when the snake is warding off a
real or fancied danger. Either may
be used at the will of the snake. 1t
has been suggested that the poison
Gus snake holds its food with it's
fangs without injecting poison while
it devours its food with it's teeth. We
may say. in a general way, that the
family Of snakes is constructed as fol-
lows: In the roof of the reptiles
mouth and near the front are to be
found two long, needlelike teeth from
tWo-ffths to four-fifths of an inch in
length, called fangs. These fangs are
hollow. resembling the
hypodermic needle used in medicine.
Tho fa n &c - focxo,~l
bone on the upper jaw, n are con-
nected with the glands which contain
poison, called poison sacks"
These fangs when not in use lie fiat
along the roof of the mouth, covered
with a thick membraneous flesh.
When h reptile wishes to use the
fangs this skin is withdrawn and the
like motion Of the head. 1t is said
that the reptile literally stabs with it's
fangs. While the fangs are still en-
bedded in the object of attack the
muscles of the jaw are contracted by
the snake and the venom forced
through the h%ypodermic fangs into
the wound. Sometimes in rapid sue
small portion of the Strikes" hit
squarely. 1t is not unusual that only
one fang finds Its mark. Because of
the fact that the "Diamond-back'' de-
llVers Its stab" only when fully coiled
and poised does it's poison find the
greatest number Of victims.
Some will doubtless object. in view
OF the foregoing facts, that it is cor
rect to say that by removing a ven
omous snakes fangs you remove the
danger. But such is not the case. 1t
is a fact little known that four times
a year. at regular intervals. the
rattlesnakes shed their fangs. And
this is the important point to re-
member-while you may remove the
mouth there is always present an
other pair Of perfectly useful fangs
behind the ones actually in use. This
auxiliary pair Of fangs is connected up
with the poison gland and is capable
OF doing as much harm as the older
ones to the front of the mouth. A
close inspection of the reptiles mouth
are several small fangs in the process
Ct development. Hence it is that only
those who have a knowledge of the
above facts are really capable of re-
moving the fangs Of a venomous
snake. How man, men other than
professionals who amuse themselves
handling rattlesnakes know of the
second pair of fangs in a snakes
mouth? Not many. it is safe to say.
But granting hat the fact is discov-
cred and that instead Of pulling only
two fangs four are pulled, it still re-
mains true that the poisonous snake
is not made harmless thereby. Why?
III snake in striking can
make sufficient of a wound with it's
teeth to permit the venom projected
from the hole where the fang was to
enter h blood. The removal of the
fangs neither binders the use OF the
teeth nor does 1t prevent the dis
charge of the poison.
Have you ever gone to a sideshow
and seen a so-called snake "charmer'
severely bitten by a snake,
and hen come away wondering how
the man ooco nod }niuruo