[Illustration: The Viper. The Common Snake.]
We have in Great Britain only three representatives of the class
Reptilia which come under the name of Snake. They are the Common Snake,
the Smooth Snake and the Viper. In Ireland there are--as the result of
events to which we referred in our previous number--none at all. Of
the three British Snakes, one, the Smooth Snake,[1] is so rare that
it is of interest only to the naturalist. It is met with in Hampshire
and Dorset, and perhaps in Scotland, but it is nowhere frequent. It
is more nearly allied to the Common Snake than to the Viper, and is
quite harmless. It is much smaller than the others. We will concern
ourselves for the present only with the other two. The Common Snake[2]
is quite harmless and should never be injured by any humane person.
The Viper[3] is venomous, and should be destroyed without mercy. It is
easy enough to distinguish between the two even when in movement. The
Common Snake is always, when full grown, much longer than the Viper.
It may measure 4 feet and is usually 3, whilst the Viper is never more
than 2. The Common Snake tapers off very gradually at its tail, whilst
the Viper has a short tail, which is abruptly constricted at its base.
The Viper is usually brown, often deeply coloured, whilst the Snake is
much lighter coloured, of a light grey-brown tinged with green. The
Common Snake has only spots of black, whilst the Viper is marked down
the whole of its back with large zig-zag black lozenges. This is a most
important feature, is characteristic at all ages of the animal, and is
easily seen under all conditions.
We have named the characters which are most easily seen when the
animal is gliding about on the sward or path, there are others which
are available when the animal is dead or in captivity. Under such
conditions it will be seen that the scales which clothe the Viper are
much smaller in size than those of the Snake, more especially on the
head, and further, that the head of the Viper is marked with black,
somewhat in the form of the letter V.
Snakes, as well as Vipers, have sharp teeth, but they use them only for
seizing their prey, and they have no poison fangs.
The venom apparatus of the Viper consists of a gland which secretes the
poison, a receptacle which stores it, and a long, sharp fang, which
can be extruded and through a groove in which the poison is conveyed.
The animal darts open-mouthed at its enemy rather than bites. Its fang
being in its upper jaw it becomes well exposed when the mouth is agape.
As there is a fang on each side there will usually be two punctures in
the skin about a third of an inch apart.
No doubt there occur every year in England a good many instances of
viper-bites in men and boys. There are, however, exceedingly few
deaths, and many persons of considerable experience have doubted
whether the bite is ever actually fatal. A very urgent and severe
illness is almost invariably the result; but the patient just pulls
through.
In a case in which the writer was, in boyhood, a particeps, two fine
vipers were captured in mistake. They were put into a botanical box
and were repeatedly inspected, and their tongues freely touched. It
was only when on arrival at home that one of them, during an attempt
to transfer it to a cage, made a dart and struck the finger of a boy
of fourteen. The accident was concealed until, about a quarter of an
hour later in attempting to cross the floor, the victim fell down in a
deadly faint. He became very sick and having been got to bed remained
in collapse, apparently near death for several hours. Brandy was of
course freely given.
The medical adviser who had been summoned, arrived in hot haste with a
big volume under his arm, in order to make reference to “snake-bite”
and its treatment. It was, however, too late to do anything more than
give stimulants, and happily these were successful. A fortnight’s
illness ensued, during the early part of which the whole arm was
enormously swollen, and later partly covered with boils.
This case affords, we believe, a very fair example of what usually
follows the incautious capture of the English adder. The reptile does
not attack willingly, but only after much provocation, and he cannot,
as a rule, destroy the life of his human enemy. His poison fangs are
designed for other purposes, and for much smaller animals.
Within the last few weeks a case at Folkestone has attracted much
attention, in which two school-boys in pursuit of what is called
“Nature Study,” were bitten by a viper, with the result that one of
them died. Several other well-authenticated instances of death have
been recorded. We repeat, however, that they are very rare.
The early summer is the best time for killing vipers, since the males,
which at other seasons hide themselves, may now often be found. Warm
heaths and banks exposed to the sun are the places which they frequent.
The common snake, on the other hand, loves water, or may be found in a
hay-field or near an old barn or on a dung-heap. The snake lays eggs
and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the dung or the rays of
the sun, taking no care whatever for her progeny. The viper, on the
contrary, brings forth her young alive and tends them carefully, even
allowing them, according to fairly well-accredited narratives, to
retreat in case of danger into her mouth and gullet.
The first aid in case of viper-bite should consist in placing a tight
ligature (string or a boot-lace) around the limb above the punctures.
This should be as tight as possible so as to prevent the circulation
of the blood and passage of the venom towards the heart. Next,
incisions should be made across the punctures, or if circumstances
are favourable, the bit of skin comprising the two punctures may be
cut out. The wound thus made should be sucked or well bathed so as to
favour bleeding, and to remove as much of the poison as can be got
away. If ammonia or potash, or Jeye’s fluid or Condy’s fluid be at hand
the wound should be continuously bathed with a weak solution of it.
The ligature, if tight, should not be kept on for more than an hour,
but by this time medical advice will probably have been obtained. To
combat the faintness, &c., brandy, or still better ammonia (that is,
sal volatile or hartshorn well diluted), should be given.
[1] _Coronella lævis_, or _austriaca_.
[2] _Tropidonotus natrix_, or _Natrix vulgaris_.
[3] _Pelias berus_, or _Coluber verus_.
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