Supposed Death from a Scratch by an Iguana.

Evening Post, Volume XILI, Issue 113, 14 May 1891, Page 4

Supposed Death from a Scratch by an Iguana.

♦ Although it is generally supposed, says the Argus of tlio 29th nit., thnt the Australian iguana, or black lizard, is non-venomous, a fatal termination to a short illness, believed to have been caused by a scratch of this reptile, occurred at Wappan. near Mansfield, the victim being an old resident and well to do grazier named Parsons. It appears that on tho afternoon of Wednesday last the deceased traoked a couple of rabbits to a shallow burrow near hia homestead, and on his putting his arm into tho hole he felt a Bmart and Hidden pain on the right thumb, somr thing like tho prick of a needle As he rapidly withdrew his hand ho thought he folt and Haw a long thin blaok iguana- close to his thumb, and on examining tho latter ho found that a portion of what ho supposed to bo tho olaw of tho reptile was embedded in the fiosh. After withdrawing the claw, as one would a splinter, the dcocased commenced to vomit, with violent retching and intense internal pains, which continued throushout tho night. On tho following day ho complained of great weakness, but, strange to say, up to that timo neither he nor his friends connected his illness with the soratcih reoeiyod on the previous day. During tho aooond night the deceased folt his sight impaired, his eyelids remaining half closed. His jiw beoame fixed, and his speech indistinct. Dr. Reynold" was then sont for, but he conld discover none of the symptoms nsually following tho scratch or bite of a poisonons reptile. Tho internal parta were paralysed and the skin sensitive, bnt the heart was quite unaffected, the pulse keeping regular up to the last gasp of the patient, and boyond a natural desire to sleep after Buffering «nch intense pain thero wag nothing remarkable in the exhibition of drowsiness Tho deoeased, who complained of great woakne?s, was sensible until the last, and passed quietly away yostorday morning.