Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-08
RATTLEsNAKEs IN IOWA.

RATTLESNAkES IN IOWA.
Knoxville Express.l
IA couple OF weeks ago the Express
printed an article by DR.. Woods
Hutchinson, who declared that the bite
of a rattlesrake was not fatal, and
challenged any to produce proof that
any one had died from the effects Of
such bite.l
S. v. Hartness, who lives seven miles
southeast of town. says that IL DR..
Woods Hutchinson had lived in the
Attica neighborhood sixty years ago
he would have more respect for the
I.rattlesrake than he now entertains.
Mr. Hardness came to Marion county
in 1854, and at that time rattlers were
plentiful. He. relates that one day he
and his sister were out digging seneca
root when the girl was bitten on the
ankle. He says that altho a small boy.
he had presence of mind enough to tie
a handk erchief tightly above the
wound and apply a weed which was
commonly known by early settlers as
"rattlesnake weed" They started for
home on the run. but before they
reached their destination the girls leg
was badly swollen and had turned
black DR.. Sherwood was called and
after heroic treatment the girls life
was saved. Mr. Hartness firmly be.
ieves that ii was only by the prompt
application of the weed that his sis
ters life was saved.
Another case that came under his
observation was that of a boy near
| Eddyvlle. The boy had been blowing
and failed to return home. His r0r-
ents became alarmed and instituted q
search. The dead body was found be-
tween the house and the field in bad
" swollen condition. Upon further ins
sestisation the dead body OF rather
was found. evidently having been
killed by singletree. 1t was surmised
| that while piowng the boy had been
bitten and had killed the reptile. Real
izing his condition. he had tried to ride
the horse home, but had died before
he could find help. The horse was
found besid. the body Of the lad.
| What now puzzles Mr.. Hardness 10
| the disappearance of the so-called
"snaksroot' in Marion county. He says
| that in early days the weed was com.
| mon. but of late years he has been I'M
able TO find any Of II.
i = II SicaIs siG:!s ccntrea!cts tho
| statement of DR.. Woods Hutchinson
| that the rattlesnake bite is not fatal.
and that no one has ever been able
10 tell of case that produced death.
Mr.. Mears relates that about thirty
! five years age, in partnership with .
brother, he was farming in Kansas,
where a boy was bitten, with fatal re-
suits.
| A family living on a neighboring
| farm sent one of their children. a small
| boy, to borrow flatiron. On his re-
turn home he asked his mother if il
would kill any one to be bitten by a
snake In answer to her question he
said one had struck him on the FOOT
| The frightened woman was taken to
| the place where the incident occurr ed.
and there, coiled in u depres ii
the earth, was small rattler, COM
monty called snapper.
| The boy was taken Ill and in spite
Of all that could be done was dead in
| side Of three hours.
Mr.. Mea-s says this is not hearsay.
but an incident that actually came un-
| der his observation.
| Bussey, Oct. Editor Express: In
regard to rattlesnake bites, I think II
DR.. Woods Hutchinson had lived in In
diana and Liberty townships in the
late sos he would know more about
irattiesnakes. See Da"!d Mason. Of
Knoxville: am sure he knows OF three
deaths-one of them was his little son,
one boy named BIuffy; have forgot
ten the other boys name; and another
boy was bitten. but they saved his life
| by digging a hole in the ground and
| putting him In. It took two strong
men to hold the little lad down while
Mother Earth was relieving the poison.
! I think Mr.. Mason and H. II. Horton
1 were the men that did the act. One
thing I do know, and that is that
am still 'toting' the scars the gen.
tleman gave me fifty-six years ago. 1
still have the tambourine. with eight
cen rattles and a button, with which
he ratified his last note. Yours, for
more snake stories. w. E. Feagins
[winterset News.1
u. Hutchinson lived in Iowa and
had ample opportunity to investigate
but the News can not find man who
agrees with him. Neither can 1t md .
man who can prove that he actually
knows of death resulting from rat
tlesnake bite. A good many years ago,
we believe the News printed an &C.
count of the death of . boy living In
Madison county who was bitten by a
4
,nouse's storehouse of hazel nuts. The
boy placed his hand in the hole and
the snake bit him. They killed the
snake The boy died day or two
later.
Anyhow, II the rattlesnake bite is
not fatal, as everyone supposes. 1t is
frightfully painful and sickenins. Old
Slug. the News office dog years ago.
was bitten on the leg by a
snake and that dog, who stood ord!-
nary pain without a whimper, yelled
for an hour. His leg swelled until 1t
seemed as tho the skin ~o.!a burst
But he got well in spite Of the milk
and lard we gave him. Another dog
bitten in the side by q huge prairie
Iraass:!es.aka was in great agony for
three hours and swelied up Ill over.
But he got well. too. Maybe it's like 9