1 6 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



to remove the greater part of the pile before I could find it, but 

 after a time it was captured and trans'ferred to a cyanid bottle 

 where its biting abilities soon ceased. It was a small ground 

 rattlesnake, Sistnmis mUiarhis Linn., just nine inches in length. 

 I came to the conclusion that so small a rattler could not damage 

 me greatly, and that I would just keep actively after the insects 

 and see what would happen. 



In the afternoon we went westward from the town, and not 

 finding very good collecting came home early. My hand and 

 arm had kept on swelling and our landlady thought I had better 

 consult Dr. G. A. Dosher, who had had considerable experience 

 with snake-bitten people. About 6 p. m. I called on the doctor, 

 showed him the snake, and told him my simple story, which 

 seemed to interest him very much. He tried my pulse and said 

 I showed no signs of heart disturbance and, as I felt well, he 

 thought I did not need any treatment, which accorded with my 

 own opinion. He painted my finger with iodin, and told me I 

 had better get some aromatic spirits of ammonia, which could be 

 taken if I felt ill from the effects of the poison. He was much 

 interested in my adventure and in my account of the insects I 

 had found, and would not charge me anything for his kind 

 services. 



That night I could not get my undershirt off on account of 

 my swollen arm, and removed my other clothes with some diffi- 

 culty. My whole arm was heavy and very much swollen, and my 

 hand pained me, so that I did not sleep as soundly as usual. 1 

 was well otherwise until I got up in the morning, when I felt 

 faint and dizzy, and had to get back into bed as quickly as 

 possible. Mr. Barber gave me some of the ammonia in water, 

 and shortly I was better again. Later we walked out to our 

 collecting ground, and I managed to beat a few insects into my 

 umbrella. When I returned to the house at noon I found that 

 our kind landlady. Miss Stuart, had made me a finger stall, and 

 while she was trying it on I had another moment or two of 

 illness, and had recourse to the ammonia and water again. Thus 



