60 PHYSIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY 



ferencc could be perceived between them. Not the least sign of swelling, conges- 

 tion, or inflammation, was visible about either. The heart, which was large and 

 dark, beat fifteen in the minute, all its cavities acting feebly until it was cut out, at 

 the close of half an hour. 



The nerves of the legs were irritable for rather over an hour, and the muscular 

 excitability endured but two hours longer, when post-mortem rigor came on. The 

 cardiac blood coagulated very well. 



Experiment. — A little dried venom was placed in the muscles of the thigh of a 

 frog. As the wound bled rather freely, a second portion was inserted in the lumbar 

 muscles. The frog died during the ensuing night, within twenty-one hours of the 

 poisoning. When examined, there was not the slightest local sign of the presence 

 of venom, nor was there bloody serum in any of the lymphatic sacs. The nerves 

 and muscles were unexcitable. The heart was at rest, and was not irritable. It 

 contained a little coagulated blood. Other viscera healthy. 



Experiment. — A fang recently shed, together with a small quantity of dried venom, 

 was buried in the muscles of the back. After death, the muscles about the imbedded 

 fang were softened, and dotted with points of blood. A little bloody serum was 

 found in the cuticular sac of the wounded thigh. About the spot wounded with 

 the dry venom, there was a little redness, but no softening or extravasation. The 

 remaining symptoms of the case are valueless in this connection. 



The chief reason for quoting the above cases here, is to call attention to the 

 almost utter absence of local symptoms when dried venom was used in frogs. 



Effect of the Venom upon the Crotalus. — This research resolves itself into two 

 propositions, or rather, questions. First, Can the Crotalus kill its own species ? 

 Second, can any individual snake destroy itself? 



The first of these queries has been more or less completely answei'ed, as regards 

 certain Indian snakes, the viper of Europe, and our own Crotalus. RusselP made 

 a Cobra bite a nooni-paragoodoo near the anus. It died in one hour and a quarter. 

 A little local discoloration existed about the wound, and the lungs were full of 

 blood. A Cobra bit another Cobra, with a negative result. How long it was 

 observed, is not stated. 



A Coodum-nagoo bit a Cobra, the two fangs taking effect, the result, as before, 

 being negative. All of these snakes were venomous. 



A Coodum-nagoo bit a Tortutta, a harmless serpent, which perished within two 

 hours. 



Fontana's" experiments on the effect of the venom of the viper upon its own 

 kind, were briefly as follows : — 



One viper was bitten by another several times. The wounds swelled a little. 

 It was killed by Fontana after thirty-six hours, and found to have been deeply 

 wounded, the bites being a little inflamed and swollen. 



A middle-sized viper received from two large ones six fang wounds. The viper 

 remained agile, and was well at the end of four days. When killed, it was found 



' Russell, p. 56. 



= Fontana, vol. i. p. 29 ei scq. Skinnur's Iranslation. 



