THE OEDER OF SNAKES— OP HID I A. 15 



aid — and is perhaps without even water or a knife. The whole treatment 

 then resolves itself into this : — Suck the wound, if possible at once; appli) 

 a ligature ; lacerate the punctures, and tvash the part with icater or urine ; 

 keep mocing, and do not despond. Half the nvimher of fatal cases have 

 resulted from fear, many persons having died simply because they lost 

 heart, did not attempt to tie a ligature, or were afraid to lacerate the 

 wound and suck it. There is generally no lack of courage in the inhabi- 

 tants of the Australian bush, but it runs in the wrong channel, and often 

 shows itself in chopping off the wounded toe or finger — a very foolish 

 and a very dangerous thing to do. 



Prophets are seldom believed in their own country — let us see 

 therefore what is recommended by Dr. Glinther, E.R.S., the best known 

 and the ablest of living herpetologists : — 



" In ninety-nine out of a hundred cases, the wounds are inflicted 

 on the hands or feet, and a ligature or two should be made, as tight as 

 possible, at a short distance above the wound ; the ligature to be left on until 

 the proper means are provided to destroy the virus in the wound, and until 

 medicine is taken internally, or until great pain or swelling necessitates 

 its removal. The punctured wounds are to be enlarged by incisions at 

 least as deep as the wounds, to cause a free efflux of the poisoned blood, 

 and to facilitate its removal by sucking. The wounds to be sucked by the 

 patient himself, or by another person whose mouth is free from wounds. 

 Cupping-glasses wUl be found very useful. Ammonia should be rubbed 

 into the wound, and be taken in large doses internally, from one to three 

 wine-glasses of the eau de luce, or from one to sis glasses of brandy 

 at short intervals." And the learned Doctor thus concludes : — " In all 

 accidents caused by bites of snakes, the action of the heart is much 

 affected ; its contractions become feeble, the respiration difficult, and the 

 patient feels great anguish, or sinks into a fainting state. To prevent 

 a complete collapse it is necessary to use these strong excitants, and to 

 repeat them until the alarming symptoms are allayed. It would be a 

 great risk in such a case to trust to the remedies of a snake charmer." 



In arguing about the value of certain remedies in cases of snake 

 poisoning, it must not be forgotten that very few persons are able to 

 classify these reptUes, and that when treatment has proved successful, 

 there has not always been sufficient evidence to shew that the reptile 



