338 AMERICAN SNAKES. 



remedy. They also use some roots and leaves whicli 

 they say have a good effect. AmoDgst these latter may 

 be mentioned a root called heart-snake root, as well as 

 a species of chrysanthemum, called Saint Anthony's 

 Cross. These remedies they often carry about with 

 them, and when bitten, chew some, swallowing the 

 juice, while the masticated pulp is applied to the 

 wound. 



Catesby, the American traveller, is of opinion that 

 if the Indians recover from the bite, it is more from 

 the slio-htness of the wound and a o-ood stronor consti- 

 tution, than from the efficacy of the remedies. He 

 states that persons have survived for hours without 

 taking any medicines whatever, when the fangs had 

 not touched any vein or nerve; but that, when the case 

 was otherwise — a vein or artery having been pierced — 

 death ensued in a very short time ; on one or two 

 occasions in less than two minutes. 



Many persons in the South go about armed with a 

 phial of ammonia, whicli is considered a good antidote. 

 But the backwoodsmen and hunters — myself amongst 

 the number — place unbounded confidence in unlimited 

 quantities of the best whisky. If a man is bitten, pour 

 glass after glass of the spirit down his throat, till his 

 stomach will hold no. more ; and in nine cases out of 

 ten, he will appear little the worse for the bite in a day 

 or two. The snake wastes his venom on a man whose 

 blood is diluted with whisky* 



