APPENDIX. xi 



seconds — enough of the poison had entered the circulation to 

 cause death in two hours and 85 minutes, notwithstanding the 

 free administration of brandy. The dog, too, was an unusually 

 large and vigorous animal." Thanatophidia, p. 105. 



Again on the critical question, the possibility of arresting the 

 poison after an effective bite. Dr. Fayrer remarks — " That such 

 Tnay be done, I will not deny, but the two experiments just 

 recorded, performed with the greatest care and speed by two 

 Surgeons accustomed to such operations, show that at the least it 

 is very difficult. The moment of time that intervenes between 

 the injection of the snake poison by the powerful maxillary 

 muscles through the tube like fang into the minute blood vessels 

 of the part, and the application of the ligature and actual cautery, 

 is sufficient to allow of the entry of the poison with in the circula- 

 tion, and this reaching the nerve centres, even in a small quantity, 

 may prove fatal." 



For further details of this most interesting subject, reference 

 must be made to Dr. Fayrer's work, but I will record the chief 

 deductions from the experiments made and other data therein 

 brought together and reviewed. 



1. Snake poison is not only active when injected into the 

 system, but developes its poisonous action when applied to a 

 mucous surface, on the conjunctiva. 



2. The blood of an animal killed by snake poison, is itself a 

 powerful poison when introduced into the system of another 

 animal. 



3. The milk of a woman bitten by a poisonous snake, is fatal 

 to the child, if allowed the breast. (Shircore's case at Dum-Dum.) 



4. The poison of the colubrine snakes does not interfere with 

 the coagulation of the blood after death in the lower animals, but 

 the blood remains fluid (as a rule) after death from the bite of a 

 viperine snake. Authentic particulars on the state of the blood 

 of the human subject after colubrine poisoning are still wanted. 



