446 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



IXTERVIEWIXG A SIX-FOOT BLACK SXAKE 



Fig. 3. Snakes are, as a rule, not difficult subjects for pho- 

 tography ; but much depends upon the experience and tact of 

 the photographer and upon the temper of the snake. Here, 

 as in all animal photography, gentleness and patience usually 

 wins. 



to physicians and surgeons, and hardly less so to the 

 person who has received the bite. 



Several times in the writer's own experience, where he 

 has been called to attend a case of snake-bite, the patient 

 had undertaken to apply the usual popular remedies 

 that is to say, the place bitten had been freely sucked ; 

 two or three ounces of whiskey had been administered ; 

 a ligature tightly applied above the wound, and the latter 

 perhaps lanced or even cauterized. Upon the arrival of 

 the surgeon the patient usually assures him that he has 

 done all in his power with respect to initial treatment. 

 When questioned as to what was done with the snake. 

 the usual prompt reply is that its head had been smashed, 

 the body cut up, and the whole thrown where it could not 

 be recovered. Unfortunately, this eliminates a most val- 

 uable aid in diagnosis. Next, when did it happen? And 

 the reply is, "About two hours ago." "And you have no 

 pain or other symptoms?" "No; only some in the 

 wound." 



Upon examining the punctures made by the teeth of the 

 snake, they appear exactly like those in B of Figure i, 

 and not like those in A of .the same cut. It will be noticed 

 that in the upper part of A, on either side, there are three 

 punctures, of the sizes and arrangement shown. These 



represent the punctures made by the fangs of a venomous 

 re])tile, and when the wound exhibits these, prompt re- 

 medial measures are called for. On the other hand, 

 however, if the punctures of the teeth are arranged as 

 shown in D, the bite was from a non-venomous snake, 

 atul all that is called for is to suck the wound for a time 

 and no harm will follow. In these two diagrams, the 

 outer rows are made by the Jeeth of the upper jaw and 

 the inner ones by the lower ^^ fact that will be appre- 

 ciated by studying the head ojE, tl} venomous snake 

 reproduced in the same figure (Fig. i). 



These facts are well worth remembering; and if in- 

 telligently applied they may save the person bitten no 

 end of i)ain, trouble, and expense. Up to date the writer 

 has never been bitten by a venomous reptile except by the 

 "suspected" Gila Monster or Heloderma ; but on the other 

 liand he has been bitten tipon numerous occasions by 

 blacksnakes, garter snakes, pulT adders, and various other 

 species, both great and small. 



Most of our American snakes are terrestrial by nature ; 

 some are secretive or burrowing, and one or two arc 



HORNED RATTLER ALSO CALLED A "SIDE WINDER" 



Fig. 4. No rattlesnake in our fauna is more distinct than this one, 

 it being one of the smallest of all the venomous reptiles, and may 

 at once be recognized by the little horn over either eye. It oc- 

 curs on the desert areas of southern California, Arizona, Ne- 

 vada and Utah. 



