DOCUMENTS 365 



her eyes, and recognised those about her. She immediately asked 

 to go home, but was detained for some time longer. After being 

 carried from the operating table to a bed, she was wrapped in a 

 blanket ; a few minutes later profuse perspiration set in, and the 

 patient felt so well that she was allowed to go. 



"On the following day the husband came to thank us, and stated 

 that his wafe had quite recovered, and that, while she had been 

 unable to sleep for the remainder of the night, it was rather from 

 fear caused by what had happened than in consequence of the 

 pain." 



Case II. — We feel it our duty to relate in detail the following 

 case, having regard to the peculiar circumstances under which it 

 took place. 



Coupin, the son of Ponnin, aged 25, living at Carouvadicoupom, 

 near Pondicherr}', is a snake-charmer, and one of those who regu- 

 larly supply us with venom. In the course of July, 1902, this 

 man pointed out to us a shrub ^ growing in one of the alleys of 

 the hospital, to which he attributed so marvellous a power against 

 the bites of poisonous snakes, that he offered to make a cobra bite 

 him in our presence, little as w'e showed any desire to witness such 

 an exhibition. AVe allowed him to talk, not wishing to encourage 

 such an act of bravado. 



However, on July 23 he returned to the charge, and, as we 

 were leaving the hospital accompanied by our colleagues, he showed 

 us a cobra which he had just caught, and declared himself ready 

 to carry out the proposed experiment there and then. In the face 

 of so much confidence and sang-froid, and, apart from this, being 

 interested in learning the justification for the reputation for im- 

 munity possessed by Hindu snake-charmers, we thought we ought 

 not to oppose this voluntary test. 



Coupin then turned out from the chatty in which it was im- 

 prisoned a medium-sized cobra, and amused himself for a few 



^ Poly gala tdopliioides, Will. 



