118 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV. 



It has been found that the non-coagulable filtrate of all venomous snakes, 

 •whether Viperine or Colubrine, has, when injected, the same characters and 

 gives rise to the same symptoms. 



The rapidity of the onset and the severity of the case depends on whether 

 the virus is injected direct into a vein or into the subcutaneous tissue. It is 

 rarely absorbed by healthy mucous membranes, but Fayrer is strongly adverse 

 to the practice of sucking cobra bites. Also recently ejected venom acts as a 

 powerful local irritant when applied to the conjunctiva, and may be absorbed. 



The question of absorption and the neutralisation of venom by the various 

 secretions of the body is of great interest, having been specially studied by 

 Prof. Fraser and Capt. Elliot, I.M.S. 



Martin states that gastric digestion does not affect cobra or Pseudechis 

 venom. Mitchell says it does that of the rattlesnake. Fraser found that 

 snake venom introduced by the mouth was not followed by any bad results. 

 This was either due to non-absorption, or the chemical changes produced there 

 by the gastric secretions. The latter was disproved by finding that after 

 removal it still retained poisonous properties when injected into the blood. 

 He next found that by mixing bile with the venom it was rendered innocuous. 



Elliot has since, by experiments on dogs, proved that after diverting the 

 bile completely, venom given by the mouth was still innocuous, but that if 

 introduced into the small gut, it was rapidly absorbed through an unbroken 

 epithelial surface, causing death. Ee concludes 



(1) That cobra poison can be absorbed through the mucous membrane of 

 the small gut, though not so readily as when injected in the subcutaneous 

 tissues. 



(2) That some change is induced in the swallowed cobra venom before it 

 reaches a rapidly absorbing surface. 



(3) That though bile is powerfully antidotal, as proved by Fraser, yet 

 it is not the only protective agent. 



(4) That tripsin is very powerful in reducing the lethal properties of cobra 

 venom. Martin states that all venoms are destroyed by pancreatic digestion. 



The result of all venoms is at first to produce a rapid fall in the blood 

 pressure, during which the animal may die ; if not, the blood pressure again 

 rises, going above normal, as occurs after the injection of toxic peptones. 

 In cobra poisoning the blood pressure may remain high until the time of 

 death, even during the asphyxial period ; if artificial respiration is then 

 efficiently carried out, convulsions are prevented and life may be saved. 



Lauder Brunton and Fayrer concluded that, besides paralysing the reflex 

 activity of the cord, the poison acts on the nerve endings in the muscles 

 like " curare. " In the poisoning by vipers and Australian snakes, the 

 dyspnoea and fall of the blood pressure occur together ; but though pro- 

 ducing the same paralysis of the reflexes of the cord, they do not especially 

 select the respiratory centre. In these cases, therefore, artificial respiration 

 is usually of little avail. 



