122 SERPENTS 



it tlie same distance beyond; and I make these two cuts bleed 

 freely. This is to make the poisoned blood flow out of my 

 veins, instead of farther into them, to poison my whole sys- 

 tem. After the wound has bled as much as I think it should, 

 I inject the permanganate above and around the wound. 

 The proper proportion is one five-grain tablet of permanga- 

 nate of potash dissolved in two ounces of water, and I inject 

 about thirty minims — the capacity of a hypodermic syringe 

 ■ — about three times around and above the wound. I always 

 have it ready, and I bathe the wound with this solution, using 

 absorbent cotton to cover the wound so that it is not exposed 

 to the air. 



"During this time I take two or three small doses of whis- 

 key — but not much. After the permanganate has had a 

 chance to take effect, I bathe the wound freely with a solu- 

 tion of two ounces of laudanum and two ounces of Goulard's 

 extract in two quarts of water, and keep -it moist with this 

 until all unnatural colors leave it. And I drink quantities 

 of milk — all I can swallow. After a time my stomach ejects 

 it, and at first it comes up the color of snake venom. But 

 I continue to take milk, again and again, until I am sure my 

 stomach has been washed free from the poison. If the ac- 

 tion of my heart grows weak, I inject strychnine into my arms 

 with a hj'podermic sj^ringe." 



Mr. Gruber bears on his forearms and hands a number 

 of scars, as ocular proof of the success of his method in the 

 treatment of rattlesnake bites. 



