APPENDIX. ix 



My belief is that if a certain quantity of the poison has entered 

 the circulation, we can expect but little benefit from treatment 

 of any kind ; where less has entered, yet enough to cause danger- 

 ous present and consecutive symptoms, we may do much to 

 support the strength and save life by ordinary rational measures. 

 But that we possess any drug or substance, solid or fluid, 

 that either swallowed or inoculated can counteract or neutralize 

 the poison once absorbed, and acting on the nerve centres, I do 

 not believe, — and I think the notion that we do is a dangerous 

 one, and liable to do harm by inspiring confidence in ways 

 and means, in which none should be placed." Thanatophidia, 

 pp. 88, 39. 



To show how small is the chance of recovery from an effective 

 bite of a venomous snake in possession of its full powers, I will 

 quote three experiments from Dr. Fayrer's work, together with 

 the reflection suggested by them. 



June 2Qth, 1869, Experiment No. 15. — "A Pariah dog was 

 bitten in the fore arm by a Cobra (kala keautiah) at 3-2 p.m. 

 A ligature had been thrown round the limb above the bitten 

 part, which was immediately tightened. A pointed steel, heated 

 to a red heat, was then, at 3-3 p.m., inserted into the punctures 

 and the wounds were thoroughly cauterised." Forty drops of 

 liquor ammonia, in three parts water, were also injected into the 

 jugular vein, but the dog died in 43 minutes. 



Experiment JVb. 16. — A dog was bitten by a fresh Cobra 

 (kala keautiah) in the fore arm at 3-38 p.m.; a ligature was 

 immediately tightened round the limb above the wound. The 

 actual cautery was at once applied, until the fang wounds and 

 the adjacent parts were completely disorganized. The dog died 

 without further treatment in 35 minutes. Dr. Fayrer remarks : 

 " In this case notwithstanding the ligature, which was applied as 

 tightly as two persons could pull it round the leg, and the deep 

 and thorough actual cauterization, immediately after the bite, 

 the snake poison found entry into the system and proved fatal iu 



2 



