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Bitten By A Rattlesnake

Bitten By A Rattlesnake image
Parent Issue
Day
24
Month
July
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Tb case of the boy bitten by a rattle snake at Wbltmore Lake last Saturday is so well told by Yusef, la tte Detroit Free Press tha-t we quote ttue article here. ' The case of the 12-year-old son of Supt. Connors, of the Toledo & Ann Axbor railroad, wh'o was bitten by a rattle snake at the encampment, Saturday, lias excited coneiüerable interest. The boy is of a fearless disposition and has from time to time caught living snakes and exhtjütwi tfaeni equirmimg, to the infinite dellght of liie playmates. He made qute a eerious mistake which would have had a fatal result had not the skillful services of the medical staff of the brigade been immediately available. The boy, "Frank Connors, wMle the fight was on in ie woods, Saturday, caught a snake which he supposed narmless. Grasping it just bax-k of the neck, he carelessly allowed the reptile to enfcircle hi leg, and almost instantly was struck by its faites in the calf of the leg, just below the knee. In a momtnt he bogan to realize that it waJ a eerious case, and that something was necessary to be done. He started for the hospital, which was at no great distance, but directly hls limbs weakened so much that he coul(l hardly move them, and becoming faint be screamed. The alarm was heard, and those near hastened up. The snake was killed, and proved to be one of the dreaded massasaugas. Iq twenty seconds the ambulance was at the place and the boy was hurried to the hospitalr- Surgeon, Denslow, of the First Iaifantry was in charge of the ambulance. A hurried consultation was held with Surgeon W. F. Hake, of the Third Iniantr.v, and the boy was plaJced under treatment. As the case is one of much protessiona-l Jnterest, the course of treatment ha been Kindly furnished me by Surgeon Hohn E. Clark, of the Fourth Infantry. pe says: "Probably not more than four minutes fiad elapsed since the accident, but tlie examination showed two tiny punctures, surrounded by a circular elevation more than three tnches in diameter. This was quickly incised through the punctures and a conBiderable quantity of a yellowish serum escaped. Next a hypodermic eyringe was introduced into the adjacent parta and ai 50 per cent solution of carbolic acid Injected. ng witlh amnioma water rouowea, and the boy wae placed on the cot. In a ahort time numbnesB of the extremities and drowsiness supervened. Thi8 was met by doses of whisky andar omat ie spirjts of ammonia." At thia writiinig, twenty-four hour after tha accidenfl, the boy is out of danger. This case ia of special valueto the medical departmemt, as it demónstrate that prompt treatment will aeutralize the poisonous effects of th 1-attle enake bite. Thta 18 probably the first opportunity ever offered for intelligent and scientific appllcatioa of remedies immediat-ely after th wound was inflicted, the combination of circumstances being ordlnarily impossible. The medical department are especially gratified to have had. so favorable an opportunity to demónstrate their readtaess and ability tol meet an eraergency of any kind and be equal to the occasion.