SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA

R1,625.00

THEIR VENOM AND THE TREATMENT OF SNAKE BITE

PREFACE

Outside the realm of science little is known about snakes, and still less of their venom. the most innocent snakes are confounded with the most venomous.

Beyond a few isolated contributions to various journals there is no current literature on the snakes of South Africa, their venom, and the treatment of snake bite. …. traditions and beliefs have been handed down and are accepted as facts by Colonists, hence erroneous ideas and beliefs prevail in regard to snakes, their venom, and the treatment of snake bite, and in consequence large numbers of useful lives are cut off annually, lives which, in the majority of cases, might have been saved. I have met many people who have lost their lives or been more or less invalided for life through the ignorant treatment applied for snake bite. A man of my acquaintance, in Rhodesia, was bitten on the hand by a venomous serpent. His friends immediately ligatured his arm in several places poured a quart bottle of whisky neat down his throat, and then belaboured him unmercifully with sjamboks with the view of keeping him awake, the idea being that, if he were allowed to sink into a state of coma, he would die. The man was six months in hospital. His arm owing to the long continued application of the ligature, became gangrenous and had to be amputated. The lining membrane of his stomach was severely burned, and much of it irretrievably destroyed by the strong spirit, and today this man is minus his right arm, and is moreover, an incurable dyspeptic.

Again, the scientist Fontana, nearly a hundred years ago conclusively proved that the outward and inward use of ammonia, as well as injecting it direct in the veins, was utterly useless as a curative agent for snake bite. Yet, from that time to the present day, the belief in its antidotal power in cases of snake bite has been,  and is well nigh universal. ….

This work is the outcome of many years of practical study of the snakes of South Africa, in their haunts, in captivity, and along series of experiments with their venom.

The majority of the illustrations are from direct photographs of living snakes, and specially prepared anatomical preparations.

If I should succeed in arousing an increased interest in this branch of Nature Study and in stimulating others to enlarge the knowledge collected, my object in writing this book will be fully attained.

The Author. Port Elizabeth Museum 1919.

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Description

Authored by F.W. Fitzsimons and published by Maskew Miller of Cape Town in 1919. Hard cover bound, this Third and Revised Edition, is in Very Good condition, covered in plastic and without a dust jacket. The size of the book is 226x160x30mm, with 591 pages including an index to illustrations, ads, index to addenda, and an index

4 corners very slightly worn; head & tail of spine somewhat frittered but restored. Titles on spine and front are bright but the gilt snake’s head is somewhat rubbed. Fold-out col illustration of snakes is complete but, as a preventative measure, the folds have been strengthened on verso with non-staining “Magic “tape; one older tear, 58mm, has been repaired with ” Sello ” tape which has stained. xvi plus 550 pp plus 1 page advert for Snakebite Outfit. Includes Addenda; (additional) b&w photographic plates – “Figs A to Z”; Index, Index to Addenda and Index to illustrations in text, of which there are 171 b&w photos. (There is a note to the effect that some of plates A to Z were not placed correctly in the text due to cost. This is understandable since it would have meant a complete resetting of the type. ) The date of 1919 comes from the author’s Preface. This is clearly a revised and augmented and therefore a 2nd Edition of the Maskew Miller production of 1912, which should be described as “First thus” since the true first was published by Walton of Port Elizabeth in 1910. The next printing by M Miller was stated “Third Edition’ and, if memory serves, was 1927. This unstated “2nd Miller’s Edition ” is very rare and is a wonderful production for its time.