Man Bit By Rattlesnake After Putting It in His Mouth to Impress Ex-Girlfriend Wednesday, September 19, 2007 PORTLAND, Ore. — Snake collector Matt Wilkinson of Portland grabbed a 20-inch rattler from the highway near Maupin, and three weeks later, to impress his ex-girlfriend, he stuck the serpent in his mouth. He was soon near death with a swollen tongue that blocked his throat. Trauma doctors at the Oregon Health and Science University saved his life. "You can assume alcohol was involved," he said. ....... Wilkinson, 23, had downed a six-pack and his ex-girlfriend asked him for a beer. He handed...