70 PHYSIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY 



we have here nothing to do, and the cases are quoted only on account of their 

 value as such. 



Experiment. — A large Spaniel, weighing sixteen and a half pounds, was muzzled, 

 and lowered into the box containing one large snake, which struck it fiercely in the 

 right fore-shoulder, and again, an instant afterwards, a little higher up. Upon a 

 careful removal of the hair, only one fang seemed to have acted- in either wound. 

 The blows appeared to be excessively painful at the time, but upon removing the 

 dog at once, he gave no after signs of pain or distress. Within twenty-five minutes 

 he was languid, and remained standing with his head down, as though sick and 

 confused. The local twitching about the wounds was higlily marked, but there 

 was no general fremitus, and the respiration was only quickened a little, without 

 being either jerking or laborious. During the ensuing twenty-four hours, the dog 

 refused to eat, but drank at frequent intervals, and passed urine and clay-colored 

 stools. He was able to move about, but preferred to remain at rest. 



The wound was not swollen, but when examined with care, a slight hardening 

 of the neighboring tissues could be felt, extending two inches around the wound. 



On pressure, a little bloody serum could be forced out of the fang track. This 

 continued to be the case during three days, when pus also flowed out. The local 

 evil was vei-y limited, however, and the animal was so well on the ninth day, that 

 it was used for another purpose. 



Experiment. — The dog employed in the last observation was perfectly ■vjpll, and 

 eating and drinking as usual, when he was bitten in the left fore-shoulder, and in the 

 left hind leg below the knee. Both wounds swelled, that in the shoulder most. The 

 local fremitus was very remarkable, and extended up and down the hind leg, and 

 for some distance around the anterior wound. Although the dog whined at inter- 

 vals for some hours, and, to appearance, suffered considerably, the parts bitten soon 

 ceased to swell, and but little oozing took place from either wound. No suppura- 

 tion occurred, and the dog was entirely well within two days. 



Experimejit. — A black and white mongrel setter, weighing thirty pounds, was low- 

 ered into the cage. The only snake in the box struck him repeatedly, but without 

 seeming to cause much pain. Upon looking for the wounds none could be detected, 

 and the snake was, therefore, caught in the loop as usual, and held to the dog again, 

 until it bit eagerly. Still no wound beyond slight abrasions could be found, and on 

 the bitten skin lay adherent a large fang. On inspecting the snake's mouth, I 

 found that both fangs were recent, and not yet anchylosed in their maxillary sock- 

 ets. The snake's skin was loose, and was shed entire two days later. Two other 

 snakes were next caught and made to bite the hind leg and fore-shoulder of the 

 dog. The latter wound gave great pain, and the swelling extended to the neck 

 and chest. The local trembling was slight. There were no marked general symp- 

 toms, except a slight ineffectual effort to vomit, half an hour after being bitten, and 

 some evidence of general feebleness which passed off in five hours. Next day the 

 dog was well and -active, eating and drinking as usual. He remained thus for ten 

 days, during which time the wounds grew smaller, and from that in the shoulder 

 oozed a little red serum, and finally some pus, but neither in this or in other cases 



