160 



the administration of stimulants ; it is best to let the patient 

 lie quiet, giving him plenty of cooling drink such as lemon- 

 ade, soda water or effervescent draughts. 



To illustrate how may chances there are in favour of the 

 bitten person, even when the snake is certainly venomous, 

 I may quote the following cases which occurred within the 

 last three months : 



A kuruven who was in the habit of brinorinor cobras for 

 the Government reward, was bitten in the ball of the thumb 

 by a cobra whilst in the act of handing it to me. One fang 

 penetrated and the wound bled freely. By the time I could 

 dispose of the snake and get my instruments, at least three 

 minutes had elapsed. I tied a string round the base of the 

 thumb and with a sharp-pointed knife followed the track of 

 the fang down the wound, which had penetrated to its full 

 depth below the skin. I told him to suck the wound, which 

 he did in a very nonchalant manner. Not the slightest 

 symptoms appeared. In the meantime I took up the cobra, 

 which was in perfect condition, squeezed out the poison from 

 the glands and despatched it as usual. By the time half an 

 hour had elapsed, the man got tired of sitting sucking his 

 thumb and went off. He has been perfectly well ever 

 since. ' 



Two pariahs, who used to bring- snakes, got drunk one 

 Sunday and were bitten whilst playing with the snakes they 

 were keeping to bring me on the morrow. They came to 

 me in great fright. One had two lacerated fang marks on 

 a finger, his hand being also swollen ; the other was slightly 

 scratched on the leof. The former had fastened a string 

 round the finc^er above the wound ; the latter had done 

 nothing, the scratch being trifling. The seriously wounded 

 man wanted medicine ; as the wounds were inflicted about 

 a quarter of an hour before, I did not see much use in inter- 



