Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1881 — Snakes that Die at Sundown. [ARTICLE]

Snakes that Die at Sundown.

In almost every country a curious belief exists, in some form or other, that a serpent will not die before sundown, however mutilated it may be. Perhaps the great tenacity of nervous vitality common to all the lower or so-called cold-blooded animals—as evinced by their vigorous contortions after decapitation, and even muscular quiverings of the dissevered portion*wlien cut in pieces —may accout lor this. A huge Python molurus has been known to snatch a torch out of a coolie’s hands and shake it to pieces after its body was cut in two and the anterior half transfixed with a sword. And everywhere where poisonous snakes abound, it will be found that some particular tribe of Indians or religious sect or other people, are reputed to have the power, by means of inoculation or otherwise, to prepare their bodies, so as to render them proof against the effects of the venom, and are thus enabled to handle dangerous serpents with impunity. But alas! when we come to investigate these (on the face) by no means impossible or even improbable tales, we soon meet with a tissue of nonsense which throws one back in disappointment and disgust. Thus, Mme. La Barca, in her book on Mexico, says that injections of the rattlesnake’s venom into the veins is practiced there, the result being that the inoculated one is not only protected from the bite of all venomous animals, but has the power of inflicting a deadly bite himself ! I think Pliny attributes some such process w ith the scorpion’s poison to his African psylli, or serpent charmers, instead of the far more probable one of blunting the iusect’s sting ; or extracting the snake’s fangs.— London Field.