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



No. XIV.— Dr. CALMETTE'S ANTITOXIC SERUM AND THE 

 POISON OF THE DABOIA (V1PERA RUSSELLI). 



In the exceedingly interesting and informing article on " Snake Bites and 

 Poisonous Fishes " which appeared in the last number of the Journal (No. 1 

 of Vol. XV), there appears a statement which, in the light of recent experi- 

 ments carried out in India by an expert on snake poisons, should I think, in the 

 general interests of a very important subject, be noticed — specially for the 

 sake of those who may carry about Calmette's serum with a feeling that it 

 is absolutely reliable. In the above articles it is stated that Calmette's antitoxic 

 ssrum will "immunise animals and man from lethal doses of any venom, although 

 each snake venom has per se well marked tonic peculiarities producing 

 several and various local phenomena. " But, so far as I have been reliably 

 informed, it has been ascertained that although Dr. Calmette's serum is 

 undoubtedly efficient in counteracting the venom of cobras, it is not so in the 

 case of the poison of the Russell's Viper or Daboia. 



G. S. RODON, MAJOR; 

 Dharwar, 23rd July, 1903. 



No. XV— FEROCITY OF THE HAMADRYAD OR KING-COBRA 



(NAIA BUNGARUS). 



I am sending you a snake for identification which bit a coolie woman whilst, 

 she was plucking leaf on our tea estate. The woman died about twenty 

 minutes after being bitten. It appears the snake instituted an unprovoked 

 attack on the woman, seizing her by the leg and hanging on but not attempting 

 to wind round her body. The woman was absolutely paralyzed with fear, and 

 apparently did nothing to try and free herself. The other coolie women who 

 were plucking the same plot of tea at once went off to get help, but it was not 

 until some coolie men arrived on the scene that the snake released its hold and 

 made off. The men gave chase and managed to kill it, and they assert that 

 when pressed the snake attacked them. 



I should feel much obliged if you would kindly enlighten me on the following 

 points :—(l) What kind of snake it is? (2) Whether it is usual for this kind 

 of snake to attack people, and why it hung on so long to the:woman's leg ? It 

 had hold of her for quite eight minutes and could have easily let go had it so 

 wished, because it did so immediately the men approached to kill it. (3) Whether 

 the snake is venomous, or if the woman simply died of fright ? I am not 

 inclined to believe the latter myself, because she was a strong healthy woman, 

 and seemed quite re-assured when I told her that the snake was not venomous. 



The symptoms were : much pain and swelling of part bitten, vomiting, diffi- 

 culty in breathing, total prostration, and then death. 



