old bitten on the forehead "by a large rattlesnake died within 10 minutes 

 (Blackivood) . An ejialysis of 50 fatal cases resulting from the "bites of 

 American venomous snakes showed that 8 persons died in less than one hour, 

 13 between 1 and 6 hours, 18 in 1 to 24- hours, 4 died on the second day, 

 4 died "between the third and seventh day, 1 at the end of nine doyc-, 1 at 

 the end of seventeen days, and 1 after more thpji a montn. Th^ durr-ticn of 

 illness follovvdng snake "bite is subject to the widest variation, alfnough 

 in the majority of cases recovery from the constitutional disturbances is 

 complete in tv/o or three days, and in many cases in a few hours. Cases 

 in which illness is prolonged are septic in character and are rarely, if 

 ever, due to the primary action of th^ venom. The most im.portant 

 complications of snal^ie bites are produced by the absorption of putrefactive 

 substances (sepsis) and by acute alcoholism, resulting from mistaken treat- 

 ment. 



The bites of pigm.y rattlers and massasaugas ( Sistrurus ) are prac- 

 tically never fatal to adults, except possibly through septic complications. 

 These sirall rattlers are our least poisonous snakes, for of 20 cases on 

 record, none ended fatally. Of 408 persons bitten by larger rattlesnakes 

 ( Cro talus ) , 48 died; on the other "uand, of 8 persons bitten by harlequin 

 snakes ( Micri-irus and M icruroides ) , 6 died. Of S7 cases of bites by the 

 copperhead ( AA'kistrodon m.o2-^asen ) , 5 ended fatally, and 9 persons out of 53 

 bitten by the cotton-mouth water moccasin ( Agkistrodon Toiscivorus ) died. 

 When death results from the bite of harlequin snai^es ( Mi cruras and Micruroides ) , 

 it is usually "between 18 and 24 hours after the bite. Symptoms of drowsi- 

 ness 3Jid general depression appear within an hour or so, but if the victim 

 survives three or four days, the danger of dea.th passes away. 



Bites on the head and trunlc are more dangerous than elsewhere, and 

 the mortality rate for bites on the upper extremiities is pra-ctically double 

 that for the lower. From 60 to 90 percent of the total number of cases 

 result from bites on feet or legs. The mortality in children under 10 years 

 of o^e bitten by our venomous snakes is at least double that of adults. 



The number of deaths each year resulting from the bites of our 

 venomous snakes, however, indicates that these snakes are not so dangerous 

 a pest as has often been assumed. This does not mean that one should 

 needlessly take chances of being bitten by o rattlesnake, for the bite, 

 when not fatal, is followed by exceedingly painful s^onptoms and often im- 

 pairment of file part bitten. Young rattlesnakes only five or six inches 

 long are capable of injecting venom in quantities sufficient to require 

 treatment. 



In the m.ajority of the reported cases of persons bitten by venomous 

 snakes, the victim was bitten on the foot or leg, indicating that a high 

 degree of protection can be obtained Vj wearing high-topped shoes or heavy 

 leggings. Quail hunters in the swamps and prairies of the South will find 

 that the best protection is afforded by a pair of waist-high rubber wading 

 boots with special inserted canvas shank. In most cases a pair of leather 

 puttees worn over the leather shoes will give the necessary protection 

 against snalce bites. 



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