Year: 1877

One by one, Science is annibilati1g
every notion which ascribes to any
person or class Of persons phonome-
nal powers. DR.. Fayrer,in bis splen-
did and valuable work The Than
atophidia of India. says that the ia
nous East Indian snake eharmers
are impostors, and that be has re-
peatedly detected them attempting.
by subtle interpretations and clever
acting, to delude lockers on into the
belief that they were dealing with
veritabIe wild snakes, when all the
time the dancing cobras that made
their appearance at the sound of the
pipe were some of their own tame
snakes, placed in certain spots before
hand.


These professional snake-catchers
are many of them, in addition TO
their regular vocation. most expert
jugglers, and exceedingly adroit at all
kinds of slight-of-hand tricks 1. is
their constant practice 10 turn
down" @ few tame snakes in gar
den hedge or somewhere close in the
vicinity Of a house they intcrd pay
ing a visit to, ere they present them
selves before the sahib, the owner Of
the premises; and then, with every
appearance of good faith. the rascals
request permission to be allowed to
clear the compound of snakes; at the
same time STIMULATING for a reward,
perhaps one rupee head for every
snake they succeed in catching. II
the gentleman ofthe house should hap
pen to be a griffin, or newcomer,
likely enough be will be induced to
lend sn ear to so plausible request,
and at length promise these crafty
rogues so much for each snake they
succeed in catching. Soon, to his
horror and amazement, hideous SER
pents of various dimensions are pro-
duced, one from the straw in the emp
ty stall in the stables, another from
the garden hedge, and 30 on; till at
last, perhaps, the fraud is carried too
far and discovered.


DR.. Fayrer states that certain de-
scriptions Of serpents-cbiefiy of the
genus u0jG-most undoubtedly are
susceptible to, and in a measure be-
come fascinated on bearing music
al sounds. 81 have constantly
seem" he SAYS, "tame snakes in the
possession of snake-catchers, on hear
ing the sound of the pipe, erect them
selves and sway their heads from
side to side, and beyond a doubt
show pleasure st - strain but |
have never once seen a wild snake go
through the same performance; aud
believe that only tame reptiles car
ried about in baskets and broken in
for such an exhibition so conduct
themselves. | have repestedly Of.
fered snake charmers FIVE rupees to
bring out from its sanctuary, by
means Of music, a cobra known by
me TO be at home,' but invariably
all their efforts have been in vain"
There are many who actually be-
lieve in the efficacy of stones which,
when applied to snake bite, are
supposed to withdraw the poison
but if such simple remedy were re-
ally effectaal, and a genuine specific,
the snake stone cure would speedily
be brought into universal use. at
would appear, however, that these
people really prize these so-called
stones, for have been present when
money has been offered to them 10
part with one, but declined


Perhaps the strongest argument
against this snake stone cure is that
these very men often themselves fall
| victims 10 the bite Of the cobra,
though at the time in possession of
a stone which they assert to be cspa-
BILE Of working q cure Moreover,
when these professional snake catch
ers have to deal with an undoubtedly
wild cobra in full vigor-although as
a rule they display extraordinary
pluck, skill, and resolution in captur-
ing it, and on the first favorable op-
pnrtnnity will with wonderful quick
ness seize bold of and secure it-an
attentive beholder cannot fail to re-
mark the extreme caution and watch.
iul management they display on first
clutehing hold on the animal, their
whole demeanor and action differing
Enthusiastically from the of-hsnd, care
less manner which they assume when
grasping one of their own harmless
/ specimens; and it is an undoub,ed
fact that these men really dread the
consequences OF a chance bite from q
wild cobra quite as much as other
mortals do, and are well aware that
nothing can withdraw the deadly
venom from q wound, or save life,
when once the poison mingles with
the blood. But even with all the
remedies as yet known, including CO..
pious doses of brandy and smomnis,
and the immediate effects of skilled
surgeons, it is said TO be told by
men such as Dr.. Fayrer, and others
who have devoted time and energy TO
the subject, that there is almost no
hope Of saving life if the bite has
been inflicted by one Of the most ven
omous snakes in full health and vig-
or.-Sctentifc AHretcan