POISONS 69 



The bite is immediately followed by local pain of a 

 burning character ; the limb soon swells and becomes 

 discoloured, and within one to three hours great 

 prostration, accompanied by vomiting, and often 

 diarrhoea, sets in. Cold, clammy perspiration is 

 usual. The pulse becomes extremely feeble, and 

 slight dyspnoea and restlessness may be seen. In 

 severe cases, which occur mostly in children, the 

 pulse may become imperceptible and the extremities 

 cold ; the patient may pass into coma. In from 

 twelve to twenty-four hours these severe constitu- 

 tional symptoms usually pass off; but in the mean- 

 time the swelling and discoloration have spread 

 enormously. The limb becomes phlegmonous, and 

 occasionally suppurates. Within a few days recovery 

 usually occurs somewhat suddenly, but death may 

 result from the severe depression or from the 

 secondary effects of suppuration. That cases of 

 death, in adults as well as in children, are not 

 infrequent in some parts of the Continent is 

 mentioned in the last chapter of this Introduction. 



The bite of all the Proteroglyphous Colubrids, 

 even of the smallest and gentlest, such as the Elaps 

 or Coral-snakes, is, so far as known, deadly to man. 

 The Viperidse differ much among themselves in the 

 toxicity of their venom. Some, such as the Indian 

 Vipera russelli and Echis carinatus, the American 

 Ancistrodon, Crotalus, Lachcsis mutus and lanccolatus, 

 the African Camus, Bitis, and Cerastes, cause fatal 



