172 



RECREA TION. 



"Alcohol is the best remedy," and so no 

 doubt it is. But alcohol is not an antidote 

 to the poison, which it has been shown it 

 will neither destroy nor in any manner 

 modify. It is, however, the most prompt 

 and valuable diffusible stimulant man pos- 

 sesses, and in these cases directly opposes 

 the tendency to death, which takes place 

 through general depression of all the pow- 

 ers of life, and notably by paralysis and 

 arrest of the respiration, the heart con- 

 tinuing to beat a brief space after the 

 cessation of respiration. It is true some 

 persons have lately put forward the whim- 

 sical contention that alcohol is not a stim- 

 ulant but a depressant, lowering vital en- 

 ergy and bodily temperature. No nonsense 

 will appear more ridiculous to those of us 

 who have seen military surgery on the bat- 

 tlefield, have rescued from impending 

 death hundreds of brave men, mangled by 

 shot and shell, and some in profound col- 

 lapse, by administering alcohol, and have 

 perhaps often witnessed the same happy re- 

 sults in attendance on the victims of rail- 

 road wrecks; to say nothing of malignant 

 diphtheria, typhoid pneumonia and all sim- 

 ilar conditions. We know alcohol is a 

 stimulant, whatever may be said about it. 



I am fully aware of all that may be said 

 about the responsibility resting on medical 

 men who habitually and recklessly pre- 

 scribe alcohol. But I am also aware, and 

 well aware, of the tremendous responsibil- 

 ity resting on those physicians who refuse 

 to prescribe it when necessary and when 

 experience shows it is the best remedy; 

 as in case of dangerous snake bite. Reck- 

 less abuse of a remedy in no manner jus- 

 tifies the denunciation of its scientific use. 



In case of a dangerous snake bite, then, 

 we are to immediately, if possible, pass a 

 ligature above the bitten part and make it 

 tight enough to stop the circulation below. 

 Some authorities (French, I believe) say 

 this expedient does no good. It does 

 good, nevertheless, by retarding absorption 

 of the venom, which of itself lessens the 

 shock and collapse, and gives time, pre- 

 cious time, for the administration of stimu- 

 lants and the applications of other means of 

 relief. Next aj ply artificial suction by 

 means of a cupping apparatus of some sort. 

 Third, inject hypodermatically at several 

 points encircling the bitten part solution 

 of permanganate of potash, or peroxide of 

 hydrogen, which may be done while the 

 cup is drawing, and close to its edge; and 

 after removing the cup insert syringes full 

 into each puncture of the fangs. 



These will neutralize all the poison they 

 come in contact with. It is, of course, un- 

 derstood that alcohol is to be administered 

 from the first, which is best given diluted 

 with water, 2 parts to one of whiskey or 

 brandy, in small quantities frequently re- 

 peated. If this does not seem sufficient 1-20 

 grain of nitrate of strychnine and 1-50 grain 

 "of nitro-glycerine, hypodermatically, may 

 open the way to recovery. Ether is a 

 prompt and powerful stimulant which may 

 be used hypodermatically as an adjuvant 

 to alcohol. Convinced by experience of the 

 great utility of hot, stimulating enema, I 

 would not omit their use. Belladonna, a 

 prompt and specific cardiac and respiratory 

 stimulant, may be useful in emergency- 

 Many other measures to the same purpose 

 and effect will readily occur to the skilled 

 and judicious physician. 



AMATEUR PHOTO BY A. C. MELLETTE. 



WONDER IF DAT DOG'S A LYIN'. 



