The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, December 16, 1904, Image 2
BITE OF THE RATTLESNAKE.
Backwood Remedies Endorsed By
Science.
New York Sun.
Now and then science contirIns
some of the old-wife medical super
stitions of the backwoods. For in
stance, the "yarb" doctor and old
women of rattlesnake regions say
that when a man gets over a rattle
snake bite he has trouble in the
wound every year afterward.
Pathologists and toxicologists who
have stutdied snake poisons agree
that this is true, only the 'trouble
d,esn't occur every year. It happens
whenever the system gets out of or
der.
The explanation is simple. Snake
poison has the effect of destroying
tissue. Of course, it has the strong
est effect in and about the wound
where the poison, in its. course
through the veins, has not ye: been
diluted by 'the blood.
Ever afterward that is a weak
point in the system. Any little dis
turbance in the blood tends to break
out at that point of the wound.
When this happens the old wives
say that it is the poison working. It
is not, of course. It is only the
excess poison of the body working
in the weak spot.
There was a case of this kind with
a rather unusual history in the Colo
redo hospital a few years ago. The
patient was a scout who had helped
the army make way for civilization
in'the Rockies.
The Utes, Arapahoes and other
Indians of that region were mostly
unsupplied with guns in those days,
but they had a most effective kind
of poisoned arrow. They would
catch a bundle of rattlesnakes and
taking a fresh buffalo liver would
make the serpents strike in it until
the poison glands were exhatstedl
and the meat reked with venom.
After that they would leave the
liver in the sun until it became
putrid. Into this mess they would
dip their war arrows. It made a
nasty poison.
With such an arrow the scout was
struck in the leg. It carried, of
course, not ohlv the snake venom.
but all kinds of possibilities of blood
poisoning. By good luck a first
rate army surgeon was at hand. H-e
saved the scout's life.
This happened in the 1wring. Every
spring after that the man's leg would
break out with sores and boils and
other sundry afflictions, it looked
as though the case were p-'oved tor
the witch doctors.
The physicians went into the life
history of the patient and found that
.,ng before he stopped the poisoned
arrow he had been afRicted wilh a
breaking out cvery sprinlg. lie wrS
one of those p)eple who load up on
anima' diet all winter mnd need a
cleaning out when the season breaks.
It had merely settled in th:e we.-ak
spot. Next year he attended to~ his
liver earlier and had no further
trouble.
In the treatment of rattlesnake
bites the rough and ready physicians
of the backwoods scored again on
the modern scientist. In spite of
analysis and laborious experiments
and government prizes, the treat
ment discovered by the pioneers
when New York was a wilderness is
still standard.
Cut the wvound, suck it out, burn
or cauterize the spot and keep the
patient drunk on whiskey until the
danger is past. Medical men have
tried all manner of substitutes, but
come back to the original method.
The sucking, of course, is to get
out as much poison as possible: the
cauterization prevents local mi:ce
tion, and the whiskey keeps the heart
going in its task of clearing up the
blood. Strychnine, which is a
powerful heart stimulant, has been
tried as a substitute, but wvith rather
unsatisfactory results. There is the
danger of overdoing it and a'lie
strychnine poisonl to the patient's
troubles.
Then. again. wh i,key, wh ile it
stimulates the heart, also dleadleus
the brain. That helps the patient
to bear the terrible pain of snake
bite at a time when ordinary anaes
thetics would be dangerous.
So the old, untutored doctor of the
backwoods has beaten modern
ience in two counts.
He Crawfished.
New York Sun.
When five or six men get together
and begin to talk stories, there is
always more or less lying done. es
pecially if they are only casual ac
quaintances. Going down on the
boat from Natchez there were three
or four -rings" which hung togeth
er. and ea.h of us tol, some prct.v
tall stori:. There wa a man romi
Syracuse who laid himsell out for a
whopper, and when the rest of us
were through he settled back and
said:
"Gentlemen, the ship which was
carrying me to India was burned off
the island of Borneo. and I got away
in a boat with a single sailor."
"When was this?" asked a native
Mississippian, who was taking a lot
of mules down the river.
"In 1858."
"Exactly-go ahead."
"We had neither water or provis
ions in the boat," said the man, "and
after drifting for three days I want
ed to draw lots to see who should die.
The sailor refused."
"His name?" asked the Mississip
pian.
"Foster. I believe."
"You are right: go ahead."
"I suffered one clay more, and then,
as he slept I killed him with my
knife and drank his blood. It saved
my life. Next day I was picked up
by a ship."
"And you killed the man, did you?"
"I did."
"And drank his blood?"
"Yes."
"Well, you are the nian I've been
looking for these :.iany years. That
sailor was my brother-my big
brother-the only brother I ever
had!"
,,No!"
"Yes, he was. Some of those who
got away in another boat saw him go
ff with you and told me of it.
Stranger, the man who drinks my
brother's blood has got to die!"
"But you must be .mistaken. I-I
ardly think his name was Foster."
"Oh. yes it was. Name was Foster
-ship got afire-off the island of
Borneo-drifted about in a boat. It's
ll straight and now I want satisfac
:ion. Have you got a bowie knife
ibout youl?"
"Look here, boys," said the Syra
:use man as he caught his breath,
'I'm in a box and have got to make
i confession. I was lying about
hat adventure from start to finish."
"Sure of it?" demanded the Mis
sissippian, while everybody else
a:ghed.
"I know I was." .
"Didn't kill my brother and drink
"Certainly not."
"Well, then, :hat's all right, and
I 'm glad to hear it. I'm as humblc
v a lambil on ordinary matters. hut
Ahewn it comes to killing my brother
-iile'onlybther I ever had-why.
W\e asked the Syracuse man to
give us something else, but he
soldn't do it. He wen: off to his
stateroom andl tied up his head with
a damp towel.
Why He Couldn't Sell.
"Solly Joel, the wealthy South
African racing man, once wagered a
riend ioo pounds that he could
stand on Westminst'er Bridge for two
sours offering golden sovereigns for
sale at sixpence each and be unable
to get a bid, so suspicious is the
average person, says the New York
Telegraph.
On a rainy evening he appeared at
ne end of the bridge, shabbily dress
ed, and, holding out a handful of sov
reigns, urged passersby to purchase
ne for six pence.
Not a pedestrian halted, and the
friend who had bet became desperate.
Grasping the arm of a seedy looking
fellow, he thrust half a crown into
the man's hand.
"Here, my good chap." said he,
"take this half crown and buy one of
those sovereigns the gentleman has
for sale there !"
The man took the money. put it in
his )ocket, and said, with a grin.
"B'lime , gov'nor, not I-'arf crowns
is too scarce!" and he hurried across
the bridge, while Joel gave his friend
the laugh, and the two hours being
up, collected his bet.
Does the young father who wheels
a baby coach feel that he is in the
teed to bako either in '
stove. Soid by THE FEV
WOOTEN'S B
IS STI
EVERYTHIN
Clothing9s S
Dress Gooi
Truqs, Rug
Come to see me. Pr
Same old stand. Frien
note or by account, ple
must know I need the r
S. J. W
SCOME SOG
Whenever you start out on a si
*This plan will save you many
*time. If w:e haven't just what
*We shall not urge you to buy, I
goods as soon as you can. It v
every way to make selections b<
SMAYES' DR
SOUT HE RN
THE SOUTH'S GREA TEST Si
UNEXCELLED DINING CAR
THROUGH PULLMAN SLEEP
TRAINS.
CON VENIENTU SCHEDULES C
WINTER TOURISfS' RATES
points.
For full information as to rates, r<
Railway Ticket Agent, or
R. W. HUN']
THE ATLANTIC 00A6
CHRISTMAS H(
At One and One-thir
(Minimum re
Tickets will be placed
24th, 25th, 31i st, and Ja
limit returning to Janus
teachers and students <
tation and surrender o1
superintendents, presic
ets may be sold at theea
to 24th, inclusive, with
For full information, <
address H. M. Em
W. J. Cra
THE LISK
ROASTER
is the only
UF BLTE
reaster on
'he rnarket.
It is guaran
va oven or on top of the I
fBE;'RY !LAWWARE o,,
Ju1 bl,ow the Di:pensarv.
iRGAIN SALE
LL ON.
G AT COST
hoes, Hats
Is, Notions,
s, Etc., Etc.
ices will make you buy.
ds owing me, either by
ise call and pay. You
noney. . .
OOTENa
a
+
N AND SEE .
Lopping tour come here first. *
unecessary steps end much
you want then look elsewhere.
ut we do wish you to see our
ill be to your advantage in
fore the final rush begins.
UG STORE.+
R AILWAY!H
ESTEM.
SERVICE.
ING CARS ON ALL THROUGH
N ALL LOCAL TRAINS.
are now in effect to all Florida
~utes, etc.; consult nearest Southern
,Division Passenger Agent,
Charleston, S. C.
T LINE ANROUNCES
)LIDAY RATES
d First class Fares.
Lte 5s cents.)
on sale December 23d,
muary 1st, 1905. Final
try 4th, 1905. To all
f colleges, on presen
certificates signed by
ents or principals, tick
bove rate, Dec. 1 7th,
final limit Jan. 8th, '05. 1
:all on ticket agents or
merson, Traf. Manager
ig, G. P. A.,
Wilmingon_ N. C..
EWE~R? YN76 4 AIM
OF
Newberry, S. C.
:-rganimect i8oe.
apital -' - - $50,000
iurplus - - - 19,500
'aid Stockholders
since organization 21,000
laid Depo_Ators in
Savings depart
ment since or
ganization - - $9,200
A man working by the day is paid
>r the time he puts in at nark, but
vhen that man saves a dollar for his
ay's labor it works for him nights,
Ls well as days; never lays off on
LCcount of bad weather and never
rets sick, bitt goes right on earn
ng him an income. It's a nice
hi.,g to u ork for money, bit it's
nuch nicer.to have money working
or you. Try it--open a savIngs
ccount with tis and get some money
vorking for yvu. Make a deposit
n the Savings department today
.d let it begin to work for you.
nterest computed at 4 per cent
anuary i and July i ol each y ear.
4opyta*II. ..
SUPERFINE SILVERWARE,
In tea and coffee sets, both ster
ng silver and plated ware. Te de
nd desirable with each passing year
nd our grandmothers' eyes would
winkle with amazement at the dis
lay to be seen here.
1aniels& Williaisoq.
COTTON GIN
Insurance.
Apply to
Norwood & Tyree, Agents,
Newberry, S. C.
Peoples
National
Bank
PROSPERITY
S. CAROLINA
'ad up Capital, - $25,000.00
Fire and Burglar Proof Safe
and Insurance. Interest al
lowedin Savings Department.
Promptness, Accuracy, Se
curity and Courtesy guaran
teed. Investigation invited.
We want your business.
M. A. CARLISLE, Pres.
H. C. MOLELEY, V. Pres.
W. W. WHRELER, Cashier.
Dl RECTORS.
V. P. PUGH W. A. MOSELEY
ACOB B. FELLERS R. L.LUTHER
IEO. W. BOWERS JOHN B. FELLERS
.P. BoWERS GEO. JOHNSTONE
1. A. CARLISLE h. C. MOSELEY
Jos. H. HUNRER
est Mineral As
phalt Roofing.
C. H. CAN NON,
4eaar G..N. & L.Depot.