DOCUMENTS 353 



" The treatment prescribed in Dr. Calraette's directions was then 

 strictly followed. With the usual antiseptic precautions, I made 

 several hypodermic injections of the solution of hypochlorite of 

 calcium round the bite, and injected the dose of serum indicated 

 in two places in the abdominal wall. The patient was then 

 vigorously rubbed and covered with woollen blankets. He was 

 made to take two cups of a strong infusion of black coffee. Since 

 he could not be induced to go to hospital, he was carried half an 

 hour later to his home, where he placed himself in the hands of 

 a ' dresser.' 



"According to information furnished by Captain Martin, who 

 lived on the spot and was able to follow the course of the case, 

 the patient remained throughout the day in a state of profound 

 prostration, and had several attacks of syncope. The injured limb 

 was greatly swollen, and the swelling, which extended to above 

 the knee, produced a mechanical difficulty in using the joint, 

 leading to a belief that paralysis was setting in. During the 

 first five days the condition of the patient was so alarming as 

 to cause a fatal issue to be apprehended. By degrees these 

 symptoms diminished, until they disappeared about the fifth day. 



" On the twentieth day, C. returned to his work. I saw him 

 again a month later, when he was in perfect health ; his leg had 

 returned to its normal size, and all that remained were two small 

 fibrous nodules showing where the bite had been inflicted." 



XXXV. — Case reported by Dr. Gries, Fort-de-France, Mar- 

 tinique. 



"On June 21, 1896, a young black, who had just been bitten in 

 the foot by a Bothrops of large size, was brought to the Fort-de- 

 France Hospital. The entire limb was swollen and benumbed. 



" Two hours after the accident I gave an injection of 10 c.c. of 



serum in the abdomen, and the patient was taken back to his 



family. I saw him again ten days later, and found that he was 



quite cured. His friends stated that recovery had taken place 



much more quickly than could have been hoped after so serious 



a bite, and without the usual complications." 

 23 



