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An apology to Texas
120
THE
JOURNAL
coaching and supervision for all squads.~ Does each child have good equipment in the way of helmet, shoes, and properly padded sweater and pants? (Incidentally, we might add that a complete football outfit costs about $50 per child which makes it a prohibitive Sport for many.) Very few schools can in all probability meet such requirements and tackle football without them is best prohibited. On the other hand, we know of schools that meet these requirements and hence the sport might well be approved. While track and field sports were more generally approved, there should be
OF P E D I A T R I C S
definite qualifications before a categorical approval or disapproval. The longer dash events and distance runs are not satisfactory events for children at this age. Most of the recommendations as those having to do with "high pressure" methods are most sane and needed. The approval or disapproval of individual sports as to their prohibition, or as satisfactory for intramural and intersehool competition, requires much f u r t h e r study than is found in the report before sound recommendations can be made.
AN A P O L O G Y TO T E X A S H E editor wishes to apologize for
T an erroneous statement in the editorial on " S n a k e B i t e s " in the May issue. The statement was made t h a t all the poisonous snakes found in the United States belong to the family Crotalidae, or " p i t v i p e r s . " This was based on statements made in some pamphlets on snakes and snake poisoning r e a d in p r e p a r i n g the editorial. The editor, not being a herpetologist, accepted the statements at face value. Our attention has been called by some Texas friends to the fact t h a t Texas is the home of a poisonous snake of the Elapidae species related to the cobra group. I t is the " T e x a s coral s n a k e " f o u n d in a n u m b e r of counties in southeastern Texas. The coral snake is a slender, brilliantly colored serpent usually u n d e r 21/2 feet in length. It is not aggressive and the d a n g e r lies in its being mist a k e n for several harmless snakes which closely resemble it in size and coloring. Little is k n o w n of the venom which is a p p a r e n t l y neurotoxic. J u s t to add to our discom-
fiture there is also an " A r i z o n a coral s n a k e " which differs from the Texas v a r i e t y by having a black head. I t is found in Arizona and southern Utah and E1 Paso County, Texas. I t is stated t h a t there is no case record of a h u m a n being having been bitten by the Arizona variety. W e might t r y and crawl out of our error by quoting the definition of the United States as consisting of " 4 7 states and Texas," but we feel honor should go where honor is due. So we p r e f e r to apologize to our Texas friends for our error, and give credit to t h a t great state for another unique phenomenon in its n a t u r a l resources. Dr. Kaliski of San Antonio k i n d l y sent us Bulletin No. 31, published in F e b r u a r y of this y e a r by the Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin', Texas, entitled The Poisonous Snakes of Texas and the First Aid Treatment of Their Bites. I t is b y far the best discussion of snakes and snake bite t r e a t m e n t we have seen. Right in the middle of the booklet is a beautiful double-page colored illustration o{ the Texas coral snake. Shame on us.
THE
JOURNAL
coaching and supervision for all squads.~ Does each child have good equipment in the way of helmet, shoes, and properly padded sweater and pants? (Incidentally, we might add that a complete football outfit costs about $50 per child which makes it a prohibitive Sport for many.) Very few schools can in all probability meet such requirements and tackle football without them is best prohibited. On the other hand, we know of schools that meet these requirements and hence the sport might well be approved. While track and field sports were more generally approved, there should be
OF P E D I A T R I C S
definite qualifications before a categorical approval or disapproval. The longer dash events and distance runs are not satisfactory events for children at this age. Most of the recommendations as those having to do with "high pressure" methods are most sane and needed. The approval or disapproval of individual sports as to their prohibition, or as satisfactory for intramural and intersehool competition, requires much f u r t h e r study than is found in the report before sound recommendations can be made.
AN A P O L O G Y TO T E X A S H E editor wishes to apologize for
T an erroneous statement in the editorial on " S n a k e B i t e s " in the May issue. The statement was made t h a t all the poisonous snakes found in the United States belong to the family Crotalidae, or " p i t v i p e r s . " This was based on statements made in some pamphlets on snakes and snake poisoning r e a d in p r e p a r i n g the editorial. The editor, not being a herpetologist, accepted the statements at face value. Our attention has been called by some Texas friends to the fact t h a t Texas is the home of a poisonous snake of the Elapidae species related to the cobra group. I t is the " T e x a s coral s n a k e " f o u n d in a n u m b e r of counties in southeastern Texas. The coral snake is a slender, brilliantly colored serpent usually u n d e r 21/2 feet in length. It is not aggressive and the d a n g e r lies in its being mist a k e n for several harmless snakes which closely resemble it in size and coloring. Little is k n o w n of the venom which is a p p a r e n t l y neurotoxic. J u s t to add to our discom-
fiture there is also an " A r i z o n a coral s n a k e " which differs from the Texas v a r i e t y by having a black head. I t is found in Arizona and southern Utah and E1 Paso County, Texas. I t is stated t h a t there is no case record of a h u m a n being having been bitten by the Arizona variety. W e might t r y and crawl out of our error by quoting the definition of the United States as consisting of " 4 7 states and Texas," but we feel honor should go where honor is due. So we p r e f e r to apologize to our Texas friends for our error, and give credit to t h a t great state for another unique phenomenon in its n a t u r a l resources. Dr. Kaliski of San Antonio k i n d l y sent us Bulletin No. 31, published in F e b r u a r y of this y e a r by the Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin', Texas, entitled The Poisonous Snakes of Texas and the First Aid Treatment of Their Bites. I t is b y far the best discussion of snakes and snake bite t r e a t m e n t we have seen. Right in the middle of the booklet is a beautiful double-page colored illustration o{ the Texas coral snake. Shame on us.