120 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vbl. XV* 



Symptoms. — These are very varied according to the character of the snake 

 and the amount of venom introduced, but depending greatly upon the 

 presence or absence of the coagulable proteid. 



Cobra. — If the amount injected be very large, death may follow very 

 rapidly as if from shock — due to paralysis of the cardiac ganglia. When 

 introduced in smaller quantity, and slowly absorbed, it produces some local 

 redness and oedema, with progressive weakness and general paralysis, but 

 showing a great preference for certain centres, particularly those governing 

 the tongue, lips, and larynx, causing inability to swallow and profuse 

 salivation ; respiration is rapidly extinguished with or without convulsions, 

 and finally the heart stops, the pupil is contracted but reacts to light, the 

 urine is never albuminous. If the symptoms pass off, complete recovery is 

 rapid. When the poison is injected in a maximum lethal dose, stimulation 

 of the centre produces violent convulsions, especially respiratory spasms, 

 followed by general paralysis and rapid death. 



European Viper.— Very quickly after the bite there will be local pain and 

 swelling of the part, with general prostration, feeble pulse, perhaps passing 

 into a condition of semi-coma or delirium, with slight convulsions. Recovery 

 is generally rapid, though local suppurations not infrequently follow. 



Daboia and Indian Vipers. — In these there is marked local inflammation 

 at the seat of the bite, with swelling of the limb, great pain and haemorrhages, 

 Violent convulsions soon set in, but not necessarily followed by general 

 paralysis and death. The paralysis does not especially select out the 

 respiratory organs as in the case of cobra poisoning. The breathing has 

 a peculiar irregular character, being at first quickened, then slowed. Hemor- 

 rhages from the mucous membrane are common, hematuria and albumi- 

 nuria being almost always present. The pupils are generally dilated and 

 insensitive to light. 



Rattlesnake. — The symptoms following the bite of one of these snakes are 

 much like those produced after a bite from the Indian vipers, except that 

 the local symptoms are more marked, general symptoms of blood poisoning 

 being after a short time evident. Recovery from an almost hopeless condition 

 is sometimes extraordinarily rapid. 



Australian Snakes. — In these, according to Martin, local pain and swelling 

 of the part bitten is not generally severe. The constitutional symptoms 

 come on from a quarter to half an hour after the bite, with faintness, 

 drowsiness, and prostration, the pulse gets thready, respiration becomes 

 Blow, hemorrhages and albuminuria are generally present, the comatose 

 very condition gets deeper and deeper, respiration stopping, then the 

 heart. 



Sea Snakes. — Although all these are poisonous, they rarely attack man, 

 I have seen scores taken by careless sailors on the north-west coast of 

 Australia, etc., without any bad results. Several instances of fatal bites have 

 been recorded, one having caused death in 1^ hour. 



