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340 Woodcraft Manual for Bo]rs Rattlesnakes are found generally distributed over the United States, southern Ontario, southern Alberta, and Saskatchewan. How Does a Snake Bite? Remember, the tongue is a feeler, not a sting. The sting- ing" is done by two long hollow teeth, or fangs, through whidi the poison is squirted into the wound. The striking distance of a snake is about one third the crea- ture's length, and the stroke is so swift that no creature can dodge it. The snake can strike farthest and surest when it is ready coiled, but can strike a little way when travelling. You cannot disarm a poisonous snake without killing it. If the fangs are removed others come quickly to take their place. In fact, a number of small, half-grown fangs are always waiting ready to be developed. In Case of Snake Bite First, keep cool, and remember that the bite of American snakes is seldom fatal if the proper measures are followed. You must act at once. Try to keep the poison from getting into the system by a tight bandage on the arm or leg (it is sure to be one or the other) just above the wound. Next, get it out of the wound by slashing the wound two or more ways with a sharp knife or razor at least as deep as the puncture. Squeeze it — ^wash it out with permanganate of potash dissolved in water to the color of wine. Suck it out with the lips (if you have no wounds in the mouth it will do you no harm there). Work, massage, suck, and wash to get all the poison out. After thorough treatment to remove the venom the ligature may be removal. "Pack small bits of gauze into the wounds to keep them open and drying, then dress over them with gauze saturated with any good antiseptic solution. Keep the dressing saturated and the wounds open for at least a week, no matter how favor- able may be the symptoms." Some people consider whiskey or brandy a cure for snake bite. There is plenty of evidence that many have been killed by such remedies, and little that they have ever saved any one, except perhaps when the victim was losing courage or becoming sleepy. In any case, send as fast as you can for a doctor. He should