558 SNAKES. 



how much of it, produces certain effects. But there is this to 

 be said with regard to the creatures operated upon, that the 

 restraint, terror, and pain necessarily inflicted before the 

 venom is injected, must do a great deal towards rendering 

 that victim predisposed to succumb under ever so small a 

 dose ; and in some cases 6, 8; or lo drops of venom have 

 been injected. If terror and timidity act so strongly on a ner- 

 vous human subject, they must act similarly on such feeble, 

 frightened creatures as fowls, rabbits, and guinea-pigs, that are 

 held, strapped down, and tortured by ligaments and lancets. 



Human beings may take courage in reflecting that in 

 some of the experiments under which animals have died, m 

 spite of immediate remedies, a far larger dose of venom has 

 been injected than could possibly pass through the fang in 

 one normal bite. The virulence of the venom in ever so 

 minute a quantity has been proved sadly enough ; yet the 

 possibility and hope of recovery are also evident. 



'As prevention is better than cure,' those who run risk in 

 the tropics can guard against bites by wearing thick cover- 

 ings to their feet and ankles in the way of gaiters, leather 

 -boots; and denser materials for clothing, in preference to 

 those which the finely-pointed fangs can easily penetrate. 

 The cloth or leather may then receive the principal charge 

 of venom. Silk as a lining is good, and has the advantage 

 of coolness. Anything rather than bare feet. Then supplies 

 of ammonia, tobacco, carbolic acid, and strong tape are 

 easily portable, and plenty of good whisky, if the bearer can 

 courageously keep it for emergencies. 



The mongoose of classic reputation must have a passing 

 mention ; though it is now pretty well understood that this 



