OF THE VENOM OF THE RATTLESNAKE. 75 



lioaltln'. The lungs were normal, the pericardium contained a little bloody serum, 

 the heart was marked over the right ventricle with three star-like spots of eccliy- 

 mosis, and a little ribbon of extravasated blood ran along each side of several of 

 the smaller coronary veins. 



The abdominal organs were healthy, and the intestines the seat of active move- 

 ment. The extravasation in the thigh extended up through the femoral ring, and 

 over the brim of the pelvis, so that the areolar tissues between the left side of the 

 bladder and the pelvic bones were filled with fluid blood. The heart had ceased 

 to beat when the animal was examined, but it acted for a few seconds when gal- 

 vanized, and was locally and feebly irritable for half an hour. The muscles were 

 excitable during about the same time, and the diaphragm a little longer. The 

 sciatic nerves responded during thirteen minutes, and the phrenic nerves during 

 twenty-eight minutes. 



Experiment. — A small brown dog, weighing twelve pounds, was struck with both 

 fangs by two snakes, one biting him on the muzzle, and one on the side. The 

 wound on the side did not swell, that on the flank formed within two hours a 

 prominent, almost pendulous mass, several inches long and wide. Within ten 

 minutes this animal became feeble and reeled about, as if giddy. At length he 

 lay down on his side, breathing heavily. The muscles about the flank wound 

 twitched a good deal at first, and the general fremitus was well marked within 

 thirty minutes. It passed off after half an hour longer, only recurring at intervals. 

 Meanwhile the dog lay quiet, and although evidently sensible of surrounding 

 objects, seemed in no pain. The heart-beat, which, after the bite, was strong and 

 rapid, became scarcely perceptible to the hand. At the time the dog lay down, 

 he passed urine and solid feces, but did not attempt to vomit. After lying thus 

 for five hours he died quietly. 



P. M. Section. — The wound on the flank presented the usual appearance. The 

 skin beyond the bitten nostril was puffy and tumid, the nostrils exuding bloody 

 mucus. All the thoracic organs were normal, the heart as usual, the right side 

 full of fluid blood, with some loose dark clots, the left side almost empty. Else- 

 where the organs were healthy, excepting the kidneys, which were full of blood, 

 and presented the appearance of acute congestion. On further inspection, a long 

 thin clot was found in the left ureter, and bloody urine in the bladder below. 

 Brain not examined. 



The cases above reported represent so well the character of the pathological 

 lesions in mortal cases of Crotalus bite, that it would be needless to intrude them 

 upon these pages in larger number. 



