The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-09-30
SNAKE.BITE HORRORS
DESCRIBED BY DOCTOR
That Bite of Rattlesnake is Fatal is
Shown by Georgia Physician


Atlanta, Sept. 25.-Is the bite OF
a rattlesnake necessarily fatal?
The foregoing question was asked
through a chain of newspapers served
by an Atlanta correspondent. Among
the replies which have been received
is one Of the most horrible known to
Willacoochie, Ca, physician OF 81
years experience. DR.. Wilcox says
that the bite of the rattler is fatal,
not only that, but death from snake
bite is one of the most horrible known
to the profession, second only to hy-
drophobia. The doctor has given
cases from personal observation and
practice to prove beyond doubt the
horrible deaths resulting from snake
bite. Following is his statement:
II was called to see Jacob Vickers,
a son of John Vlckers, who lives ten
miles north of Willacoochie, Ca, Sep
tember 13, 1910. He had been bit
ten by a rattlesnake at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, and died at the next
morning. / had in consultation with
me the late DR.. w. G. Ashley, OF
Ocillo, Ga. In my 3SS ySears as a
practicing physician, have seen many
persons die, and under many circum-
stances, and from almost every known
cause, but l have never witnessed a
death as horrible as his. He became
a human snake.
Levi Guthrie, a young man work
ing on the farm of John M. Lott, on
the eastern side Of Ceffee county, was
bitten September S,S 1906, and died
in less than 48 8hours.
Henry Paulk, a prominent farmer
who lived two miles east OF Villa
coochie, was bitten in May, 1875, and
died in less than twelve hours.
my friend, John ]. lowers, Of
Bushnell, Coffee county, had little
g&l ten years old, who in 1918, while
picking blackberries, was bitten on
the hand and died in convusions In
less than two hours.
August 2S8, 1883, one Sunday I
was called to the house Of man by
the name of Taylor, who lived in
Appling county, twelve miles from
my home, to a child seven years old,
who had been bitten on the foot. The
messenger came on horseback (there
being no automobiles in those days.
and returned on horseback with
him. Five or six hours had passed
before I reached the child. / was
too late.
I'm the year 1891, Rev. Jason
Shirah, Of the South Georgia, NJ. E.
Conference. was my minister. His
wife was a Miss Leigh, Of Folkston,
Ga. She had brother twelve years
old who was bitten by snake. After
her return from her little brothers
bedside she related the whole tragedy
to me. Words cannot describe the
suffering of the boy before his death.
MRS. ]. B. O'Berry, Of this place,
who has been my friend and neigh
Dor for a quarter of century, had
a sister, Miss Gertrude Martin, of FIT.
Valley, Ca, on a visit to her sister
near Altamaha, Ga. Miss Martin,
while picking blackberries on May 81,
1886, in company with her sister and
another lady, was bitten on the hand
and died in six hours.
when Miss Martin told her sis
ter, Mrs. O'Berry, that she had been
bitten by a snake, Mrs. O'Berry seized
the hand and wanted TO suck the
poison from the wound. Her sister
struggled loose and sald
"'You must not. You are young
yet, and perhaps you have long life
ahead. You have your husband and
children to live for. l have no ties
like that to bind me to life. You
could accomplish nothing, save per-
haps your own undoing, and besides,
! feel already that am doomed "
'If anyone who thinks the bite OF
a rattlesnake such harmless matter