Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-07-11
CURE FOR SNAKE
BITE PERFECTED
CASCADE COUNTY HEALTH OFF,
GER EXPLAINS USE OF
NEW SERUM

Fear of Poisonous Reptiles Largely
Eliminated BY Medicine for. Vaca-
tionists; Retains Power for Five
Years and Is inexpensive.
Those who plan to spend their va
cation in the country may insure
themselves against snakebite through
a serum which has been perfected
and which will neutraiize the poisOns
of the rattlesnake, c~opperhead and
moccasin. The serum may be carried
with the person while IN the camp
ing trip and in case of snakebite
should be administered as loon as
possible after infliction of the bite,
and necessarily within IL to "a hours.
"Antivenin or anti-Snake-bite serum
is the best known form of insurance
against the serious effects of the bite
OF a poisonous snake Dr.. T. F Walker,
county health officer of Cascade county,
said in discussing the new serum. 1T
Will keep for about five years." he
said, "and is in a small package. easily
carried along. II it is at hand for i'm
mediate injection, it gives a sense of
security, and the fear and terror which
the bite Of a poisonous snake naturally
inspires is quickly dispelled and the
serious effects relieved or prevented.
Easy to Use
The proper dose OF the serum" DR..
Walker explained, lis furnished in a
convenient syringe with a sterile needle
ready for immediate use. The direc-
tons enclosed with each package may
readily be carried out by anyone.
Anti-snake-bit serum should be in the
first aid outfits Of all boys camps,
girls camps, construction camps, auto
campers, and all others where expos
ure to snake bite is a possibility.
Because Of the rapidity with which
the n spreads through the body
it is imperative to have the serum
at hand or quickly available for all
those who live in a snake infested
region, or who may possibly be exposed
to snake bite while at work or play.
Reports from snake infested re-
gions,' continued DR.. Walker, include
cases of children bitten while at
tempting to catch a rabbit, frog, or
other animal; men and women bitten
while going about their duties on
the farm; carpenters bitten while at
work in rural surroundings. The fish
erman, with his attention fixed on his
line, may easily approach within strik-
ing distance of a snake; the hunter.
obIivious to all but the game he is
stalking, is frequently exposed Camp
ing in infested regions is always dan
gerous. Surveyors and civil engineers
are often in danger, and those engaged
in construction operations are often
bitten. VacatiOnists are frequently ex-
posed because they often lack the
knowledge of woodcraft and the habit
of caution which the native woodman
possesses.
1.-The ra%ttlesnake, the copperhead and
the moccasin are the three most I'M
portant poisonous snakes in North
America. One or more of these species
occur in every state OF the United
States, with the possible exception OF
Maine and New Hampshire. The rattle
snake is the only n of the three
which occurs in Montana. Although
the number of lives lost and even the
number of people bitten each year is
small, the dread of the rattlesnake de-
tracts from the pleasure OF summer
camping.
Pain, swelling, hemorrhage, paraly-
sis, gangrene, heart failure and other
distressing symptoms, or even deaths
are among the consequences OF un-
treated snake bites. In the past, the
outcome of the case depended largely
upon first aid methods which, being Of
rather a heroic nature, such as cutting
open the bitten area, sucking out the
poison, applying a tournaquet, to be
released and reapplied after a half
hour, were often forgotten, neglected
OF improperly carried out.
Serum Available
"At the present time, however, a
serum has been perfected which will
neutralize the pOisonS of the rattle
snake, copperhead and moccasin. Since
there may be some question in the
mind Of the person bitten IS to the
variety Of snake biting them, the serum
has been SO prepared as to be effective
against the poison produced by any
one Of the three. The serum, which
is known as antivenin, is prepared by
inoculating a horse with increasing
quantities Of the venom produced by
the three varieties of snakes mentioned.
The horse develops a high degree Of
immunity, and his blood contains a
large amount Of substances which will
neutralize the pOiSOnS or non pro-
duced by the various snakes. From
the blood of the horse, the anti-Snake-
bite serum or antivenin is prepared.
THE venom with which the horse
is inoculated is secured either by milk
ing out the venom from the Salivary
glands of the snake, or by causing him
TO strike a thin membrane covering
a vessel. The fangs penetrate the
membrane and the venom is yielded
into the collecting vessel"