11 



pursued in these cases, by the aborigines of this island. It consisted in con- 

 tinuously beating the bitten part by a small rod, or rods, till the vitality of the 

 tissues was entirely destroyed. Although it cannot be supposed that the mind 

 of the aborigine who first practised this method was enlightened by science, 

 it cannot be denied that the idea of thus rendering the bite irnoxious is not, 

 even on scientific principles, altogether unsound, as it is clear that neither 

 absorption or any other physiological action could take place in tissues so 

 deprived of vitality. It must however have been a tedious and very painful 

 process, in some cases it must have been inapplicable, in others the tissues 

 could scarcely have been destroyed before absorption to a fatal extent had 

 gone on, but occasionally it is possible it may have proved effectual as a 

 means of cure. 



The last topical treatment which I shall notice, is one which has obtained a 

 certain degiee of notoriety in Tasmania and the neighboring colonies. 1 refer 

 to the so-called antidote or specific of Underwood. Several years ago, a body 

 of medical officers, of whom I was one, was appointed by Government to 

 examine into, and report upon the efficacy of this application. Underwood 

 appeared before us, and conducted a series of experiments with snakes, and 

 living victims provided for them. As a very brief summary of the proceed- 

 ings, I may state that two sets of animals were bitten by the snakes ; to one 

 set the antidote was applied, and to the other nothing was done ; and as it was 

 found that at least as many deaths occurred in the former set as in the latter, 

 we could not do otherwise than come to the unanimous conclusion that the 

 application was valueless as an antidote. Since that time I have observed in 

 the local newspapers several notices of accidents from snake bites, in which I 

 think dogs were the chief sufferers. In some of the recoveries which took 

 place " Underwood's Specific" happened to be used, and was consequently 

 lauded as a sovereign remedy for all such wounds. The deduction however 

 is a very unsound one, as is proved by the experiments above refen'ed to, 

 when it was evident that the treatment, though conducted by Underwood 

 himself, had no effect either way. At the same time I do not deny that in 

 some cases it may have been beneficial in an indirect manner. The confidence 

 of recovery it may have inspired in case of a man being bitten, would, by 

 removing the depressing effects of terror, be a very likely means of bringing 

 about a result, in which the curative qualities of the application itself had no 

 part whatever. 



In calculating the value of a remedy, it is to be borne in mind, that the bite 

 of a snake is by no means invariably fatal to man, even when no treatment is 

 adopted ; in such cases the proportion of deaths to recoveries would, perhaps, 

 be about as one to three or four. Leaving out of consideration the general 

 influence of the seasons iu modifying the virulence of the snake-poison — also 

 the fact that the state of health and nervous susceptibihty of the patient 

 himself must always greatly influence the issue of any given case, a great deal 

 will, probably, depend also on the manner in which the bite itself is given. If 

 the snake is provoked and irritated, it will bite fiercely — all the powerful 

 muscles of the jaws and poison-glands will be thrown into strong and continuous 

 action — a large quantity of the venom will be poured into the wound, and such 

 a bite, if the most prompt and vigorous treatment be not immediately adopted, 

 will in all probability prove fatal. It will be in the recollection of many 

 members of this Society that a marked instance this kind occurred 

 about five years ago at New Town, to a man who professed to be able to 

 handle these dangerous animals with impunity. On the other hand a rapid 

 bite inflicted under the influence of surprise or alarm, could not inject the 

 same quantity of venom, and would probably be proiDortionately less fatal in 

 its effects. 



Thus far as to local measures. The general treatment is of the most simple 

 character, and consists in the immediate exhibition of some powerful stimulant, 

 the effect of which is to be kept up by rapidly repeated doses, until the symptoms 

 of depression induced by the poison have all passed away. The two gi-eat 

 stimulants used for the purpose are alcohol under its various guises of brandy, 

 ■whiskey, &c., and ammonia. The former has been given in some cases in this 

 colony with good effect,* and is also extensively made use of in the United 

 States of America, especially on the western frontier where rattlesnakes 

 abound. It is given in quantities svifficient to produce intoxication, — a wine- 

 glass full every half -hour to an adult — and the patient is not considered safe 

 tin til this effect is present. Ammonia however as a stimulant, possesses probably 

 a far superior efficacy. In Ceylon,this drug is considered to be of such value that 

 in a code of instructions for the treatment of snake-bites, published under the 



* See a paper on Suake Bites, by E. S. Hall, Esq., Australian Medical Journal, April, 

 1859, &c. 



