Their Bite Is Venomous, If Not Speedily Remedied;
Especially, If The Wound Be In A Vein, Nerve, Tendon, Or Sinew;
When It Is Very Difficult To Cure.
The Indians are the best Physicians
for the Bite of these and all other venomous Creatures of this Country.
There are four sorts of Snake-Roots already discover'd, which Knowledge
came from the Indians, who have perform'd several great Cures.
The Rattle-Snakes are accounted the peaceablest in the World;
for they never attack any one, or injure them, unless they are trod upon,
or molested. The most Danger of being bit by these Snakes, is for those
that survey Land in Carolina; yet I never heard of any Surveyor
that was kill'd, or hurt by them. I have myself gone over
several of this Sort, and others; yet it pleased God, I never came
to any harm. They have the Power, or Art (I know not which to call it)
to charm Squirrels, Hares, Partridges, or any such thing,
in such a manner, that they run directly into their Mouths.
This I have seen by a Squirrel and one of these Rattle-Snakes;
and other Snakes have, in some measure, the same Power. The Rattle-Snakes
have many small Teeth, of which I cannot see they make any use;
for they swallow every thing whole; but the Teeth which poison, are only four;
two on each side of their Upper-Jaws. These are bent like a Sickle,
and hang loose as if by a Joint. Towards the setting on of these,
there is, in each Tooth, a little Hole, wherein you may just get in
the Point of a small Needle. And here it is, that the Poison comes out,
(which is as green as Grass) and follows the Wound,
made by the Point of their Teeth. They are much more venomous
in the Months of June and July, than they are in March,
April or September. The hotter the Weather, the more poisonous.
Neither may we suppose, that they can renew their Poison as oft as they will;
for we have had a Person bit by one of these, who never rightly recover'd it,
and very hardly escaped with Life; a second Person bit in the same Place
by the same Snake, and receiv'd no more Harm, that if bitten with a Rat.
They cast their Skins every Year, and commonly abide near the Place
where the old Skin lies. These cast Skins are used in Physick,
and the Rattles are reckon'd good to expedite the Birth.
The Gall is made up into Pills, with Clay, and kept for Use;
being given in Pestilential Fevers and the Small-Pox. It is accounted
a noble Remedy, known to few, and held as a great Arcanum.
This Snake has two Nostrils on each side of his Nose. Their Venom,
I have Reason to believe, effects no Harm, any otherwise than when
darted into the Wound by the Serpents Teeth.
{Ground Rattle-Snakes.}
The Ground Rattle-Snake, wrong nam'd, because it has nothing like Rattles.
It resembles the Rattle-Snake a little in Colour, but is darker,
and never grows to any considerable Bigness, not exceeding a Foot,
or sixteen Inches.
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