10 



equal quantity of the poison, but that the vn-ulcnce of flic venom was identical 

 in each — a point of gjeat importance in tonning a reliable conclusion aa to the 

 comparative effect of the poison when applied to a wound, or when taken into 

 the stomach. It is thus proved that animals to whom tlie bite of a snake is 

 fatal, and we know that man is in this category, may with perfect impunity 

 swallow the poison. 



In the treatment of snake-bites therefore, it is evident that the most 

 effectual mode of relief, vigorous suction of the wound, may be resorted to 

 when practicable without the slightest risk ; and further, that it is of little or 

 no consequence whether the poison thus taken into the mouth be swallowed 

 or not. It is said that some x-isk might be run if a wound or sore of any kind 

 existed in the mouth. Now, as in the process of sucking all fluids are strongly 

 drawn inwards within the line of the teeth, it is clear that none of the sores 

 which are of more common occurrence on the margin of the lips, such as 

 cracks, sun-blisters, &c., could come within the action of the poison. Then as 

 to sores of any kind about the tongue, when we consider how very limited in 

 size they generally are — how low the absorbing power of a deceased surface is 

 — also the very small quantity of poison that could be present at any one time 

 in the mouth,' together with the state of salivary dilution in which it must 

 exist — and lastly the very small quantity of this fluid which could come even 

 into temporary contact with the deceased points, we may safely conclude that 

 the alleged danger from the presence of sores is altogethei- inappreciable. I 

 notice this point somewhat in detail, because if the commonly received idea, 

 that any sore in the mouth rendered the suction of a poisoned wound 

 dangerous, were acted on, a most prompt and valuable mode of treatment 

 might in many cases be left altogether unemployed. It is just possible 

 however, that there might be a slight degi'ee of risk if a receut wound existed 

 on the tip of the tongue, as this part of the organ would necessarily, during the 

 the action of suction, be immediately applied to the poisoned punctures. But 

 the circumstances of such a case must be so exceptional and so unlikely to 

 occur, and the danger— if any exist — is so hypothetical, that the point is scarce 

 worthy of notice. 



For the treatment of these accidents it is generally recommended, as has 

 already been observed, that a ligature should be applied at the proximal 

 aspect of the wound, and that suction, scarification, &c., should then be 

 practised. These direction are, I think, somewhat faulty, as moments which 

 under these circumstances are altogether invaluable, must necessarily be lost 

 if a ligature is in the first instance to be sought for. I would rather recom- 

 mend that the patient instantly on being bitten, should if possible, seize firmly 

 by his teeth the tissues all around the punctures, and thus having arrested the 

 poison before any of it could be taken into the system, should keep up 

 fiuction vigorously until a ligature can be procured. This should consist of 

 some strong fine material, such as whip-cord, boot-lace, a twisted strip of silk 

 ■handkerchief — it would be dangerous to trust to any soft bulky substance — aud 

 it should be applied as close to the wound as possible or its proximal aspect. 

 The teeth might now be removed, and the skin being tightly pinched up, an 

 incision should be made with a pen-knife or other sharp instrument, laying 

 the two fang punctures* into a single wound, and a second and longer incision 

 should be made between this and the ligature, parallel to the latter— or if the 

 skin be well raised from the subjacent tissues,a small portion of it embracing the 

 fang-wounds may with safety be cut out. Suction should then be immediately 

 recommenced for at least twenty or thirty minutes, but the ligature may be 

 allowed to remain for an hour or so longer. If the bite 5<hould have been 

 received on any part of the body inaccessible by his mouth, the patient, if he 

 has no companion who could act according to the above recommendations, 

 should immediately seize with his fingers the skin at the seat of injury, so as to 

 raise and isolate the region of the wound, and then proceed to scarify or remove 

 <i^he wounded part as directed, if its locality was such that he could do so 

 without assistance. The fingers should not be removed until assistance 

 has been procured. The immediate grasping whether by the fingers 

 or the teeth, of the tissues round the fang-wound, will not only arrest 

 the poison and confine it to the spot, but by the continuous pressure 

 necessarily exerted, would probably cause the greater portion of it in many 

 cases to exude at once from the wound. If it so happened, as might readily be 

 the case, that neither knife or ligature is immediately available, this firm 

 and steady grasp of the bitten part by the fingers until assistance was obtained 

 -would add materially to the patient's chances of recovery. 



I may here notice the mode of treatment which I have been informed was 



• In some notes on the anatomy of the teeth rnd poison-apparatns of our snakes.pub- 

 lisbed in Vol. 2 of tlie Tasraanian JoumaJ, I have already shewn that frequently only 

 a single f&ug-puncture ^fill be found. 



