LABTATM 97 



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fhe internal adrainist ration, togetlier with local application of 

 the root of a shrub, 'the PoyostemonjmrpuricauUsy^ very common 

 all over the Concan,'^ In 1874 Dr. Langley made the follow- 

 ing report to the Deputy Surgeon-Grcneral: — "Thirteen cases 

 arising from the bites of poisonous snakes were treated in the 

 Civil Hospital, Eatnagiri. The only remedy used was the 

 pounded root of a plant called Pangla^the ' PogosfemonJ>^lr2)nri'' 

 can^is of botanists'; the root of this j)lant is given internally as 

 well as applied as a paste locally ; all these cases did well, and 

 were discharged from two to four days after admission.'' 



In 1884 Dr. H. McCalman, Civil Surgeon, Ratnagiri, for- 

 warded a communication, ^^ 0)h the treatment of Phoorsa bite hj 

 PangJa root uith illiistratire case,'' to the Bombay Medical and 

 Physical Society,froni which we extract the following remarks: 

 ''The Echk ccwinata, a viperinc snake, is very common in the 

 Ratnagiri District. Fayrer describes it as fierce, active and 

 aggressive, always on the defensive, and ready to attack. The 

 bite is eventually highly dangerous, although the symptoms may 

 be slow in developing. In fatal cases death usually occurs in 

 from 4 to 6 days, and is preceded by giddiness, great lethargy 

 and depression, hreniorrhagic discharges, albuminuria, and 

 occasionally lockjaw." 



•Tangla root, chewed in a fresh state, has been used for some 

 yeare by Drs. Joynt, Langley, Barker and myself in the treat- 

 ment of Phoorsa bite, and with invariable success.'^ 



The following is Dr, McCalman's illustrative case : — Rowjee 

 Balsawant, Hindoo, poKce constable, aged 45, was admitted 

 to hospital on the 14th June 1884, at 6 a.m. An hour 

 previously he was bitten on the dorsum of the foot by a 

 Phoorsa snake, afterwards recognized and killed. He was im- 

 mediately given Pangla to chew, and a poultice of the leaves 

 applied locally. At 9 a.m. there was much pain in the part, 

 a^dematous swelling of the foot and ankle, extending half-way 

 up the leg, giddiness, a feeling of great depression, and hicmor- 

 rliago (dark-coloured) from the gums, under surface of the 

 tongue and buccal mucous membrane generally. The blood 



expectorated did not coagulate. This bleedinir^ad be^un at 



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