Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-17
Our Fear Of Snakes

AalNeE.NN
rs THE FACT that most OF US are instncvey afraid
i OF snakes-even of the harmless kinds-an evil
dence that the human race originated on the con-
tnent Of Asia, where serpents Of all sorts nave AZ
ways been abundant and generally venomousE Ihis
would appear 10 be the view Of r. O. Dabney, set
forth IN a communication 20 Science He notes that
Col William c. Corgas. IN his book on senl'euoh
in Panama" concludes that the human race IN the
early days before had begun 20 wear clothes OF
fire must have confined 20 the tropics Does
primitive snakefear narrow down this region
70 tropical Asa1 We read;
This adherence Of ssrpents IL really deepseaied
animal instinct which hns survived long after the
conditions that gave II origin
Rational persons who are informed the sub
Jet know that the great majority OF the SNAKES
10 be encountered in this country entirely harm
less being without venom fangs; and indeed tho
writer has determined 10 his own satisfaction Al
least that in particular region the only one OF
the snake family that Is menace to human life
IL the rarely encountered Crotalus horrious'
using the term in generic sense
And yet, any intelligent person when unexpected
" brought into close proximity 10 any kind OF
snake, large or small. venomous non-venomous,
even a semblance OF snake. is suddenly seized
by a panic Of horror and fear with an impulse TO
spring away out Of the ssrpents reach as quickly
possible in sort Of blind terror.
The probable origin Of this instructive horror OF
serpents that st dominates the mind Of civilized man
was during the countless generations when early
slowly climbing up from his animal ancestry
10 his present eminence Homo sapens. Being
without fire and without clothing shelter, he
particularly defenseiess IN environment eeset
by deadly serpents against this probably the great
est danger and greatest menace to racial survival
that he had 10 encounter Hence his instructive horror
OF the serpent form.
The idea that India the cradle Of the white
race least with its serpent environment threaten
ing racial existence for a very long period Of its
primitive development appears to receive some de-
gree Of confirmation from the fact that among tho
inhabitants OF India the present time the annual
mortality from attacks OF serpents exceeds twenty
thousand Notwithstanding the efforts Of the British
authorities to suppress the evil.
Tho serpcnt-nstinct in has close analogy
a similar instinct that characterizes the domestic
horse Of the present time. which auslon has
been made by writer's the subject 1t is familiar
fact TO every who has 20 do with horses. the
proneness OF tho horse to exhibit insane and
uncomfortable fear OF any unfamiliar waysde object
Indeed the phenomenon il such commonplace that
probably very few persons have given thought
in explanation OF what appears 70 be wholly I'M
accountable mystery.
The suggestion that has been offered with COM
polling force this curious horse-instinc
Is parallel lines with that offered above to
count for mans serpent-instinct. both of which IN
the Of animal instincts intense and deep
seated. have long survived the conditions that
gave rise TO them.
"In the Of the horse. for very long period
of his racial development he was subject to one
danger exceeding all others in magnitude by which
racial survival constantly threatened This
danger embodied in the predacious beasts that
infested the horses early environment mainly OF
the feline family, that lay in wait concealed by
bushes other for the opportunity TO spring
upon him and devour him. The horse had means
of defense against this danger except alertness
eluding the spring of hts enemy and neetness Of
foot to pursuit. The individual that
developed these qualities most highly survived. while
| those failed efficient
victims to their enemies
And we now see. thousands OF years after the
dcmesticaton OF the horse. that he suddenly falls
into sensecss panic and flees at breakneck speed
| from inns ginary danger behind him, needless OF
real dangers ahead which not infreauently cause him
broken neck
"rhe instructive fear OF imaginary dangers in
the horse and the kind OF fear OF serpenta in
| man. appear TO have had similar genesis In the
/ early experiences OF both races"