1 



224 Trans. Acad. ScL of St. Louis. 



alcohol is not at hand, and a stimulant appears imperative, 

 a small dose of ammonia might be given, but only very 

 shortly after the bite, not on a later stage when it will 

 certainly do harm, at least in cases of poisoning by rattle- 

 snake, copperhead, or water moccasin; if the patient has 

 to wait for the arrival of a doctor, now is the time to try 

 all reliable means to produce a profuse perspiration. 



^' There may occasionally be such extreme cases in 

 which amputation and cauterization by heat or otherwise 

 would be the only available remedies, but as a rule such 

 barbaric treatment need not to be resorted to, and in most 

 cases would probably be a cure worse than the disease. 



"Prof. Kauffmann's own directions for the injection 

 of this fluid (chromic acid) are as follows: 



"Two or three drops of an aqueous solution (1 to 100) 

 of chromic acid, or permanganate of potash are injected 

 with a Pravaz syringe exactly into the puncture of each 

 fang. It is necessary to let the liquid penetrate into the 

 tissues to the same depth as the venom; the injection 

 must, therefore, be more or less deep according to the 

 size of the snake. To make absolutely sure, three or four 

 more similar injections are made a little distance around 

 the point bitten. 



"If, at the time of treatment, the swelling has already 

 obtained a certain size it may be necessary to make injec- 

 tions into various points of the tumor. After the injec- 

 tions the part is pressed gently with the hand so as to dis- 

 tribute the injected fluid in all directions and facilitate its 

 mixture with the venom. Next, some punctures are made 

 with the point of a knife. Usually a rather large quantity 

 of yellowish serosity flows from the wound, mixed with a 

 part of the injected fluid. In order to facilitate this dis- 

 charge the swelling should be kneaded repeatedly with 

 the hand. Then the surface should be washed with the 

 permanganate or the chromic solution, and a small piece 

 of lint soaked with one or the other of these liquids ap- 

 plied. If, after some time, the swelling continues to grow, 



