332 Dr. Hancock's Remarks on Snake Poisons. 



but if some time has elapsed, we must, withal, strive to coun- 

 teract the effects of absorption : to this end it is best to cause 

 the patient to swallow a large dose of opium, together with 

 wine or other alcoholic stimuli, and the juice of the buhyari, 

 a bitter, odorous species of Aristolochia (Abuta amara of 

 Aublet), as also, the trilobata, or Aristol (Abuta) or the infu- 

 sion of other aromatic plants *. The warm bath is a potent 

 auxiliary; and if sweat is not soon produced, we should 

 bleed the patient whilst in the bath. If a warm perspiration 

 comes on, the patient may, in general, be considered as out of 

 danger. This method, which is partly deduced from personal 

 experience, and partly from the tisage of the natives, would 

 seldom fail of success if promptly pursued, even in the worst 

 cases, from the bites of the rattle-snake and bush rnaster. 



There can be no doubt that hydrophobia might, by the same 

 means, be prevented with equal safety and success. 



Many persons, unacquainted with the subject, and confound- 

 ing all poisons, have expressed horror at the idea of applying 

 one's mouth to such a dreadful poison as that of the bush- 

 master. It would be folly to enter into a refutation of such an 

 idle fancy. I will only observe, that although it could act on 

 the mucous membrane of the mouth and fauces like arsenic, and 

 with many times its force, still the small portion left in the 

 wound, diluted with the blood, and with the saliva of the mouth, 

 and spit out, could produce no sensible constitutional effects ; 

 but instead of acting as a caustic like arsenic, corrosive subli- 

 mate, &c., it exerts no action whatever on the mucous mem- 

 brane. 



I have often tried, on the tongue, the effect of snake-poi- 

 sons, as well as that of the Worary f. They have, neither of 

 them, any sensible acrimony, and may be swallowed with im- 

 punity. They prove lethal by inoculation only, or by imme- 

 diate contact with the system of nerves and blood-vessels, 

 through the medium of a wound. 



* The siniba, or native oil of laurel, is considered by others of the native tribes 

 as one of the most powerful aJexipharmics taken inwardly, and applied to the 

 wound. 



t For some account of this poison, see page 50 of this Journal for September 

 last, as respecting its proposed uses in hydrophobia and other convulsive dis- 

 orders. 



