270 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



blood, while the symptoms produced by the bites of ten 

 different snakes are fully described. 



As Major Wall explains in his preface, the purpose of his 

 book is to enable the general practitioner to determine a case 

 of snake poisoning, the type of snake which inflicted the bite, 

 and the treatment to be used, and as the subject of snake 

 poisoning and its antidotes is exhaustively dealt with, the 

 book should admirably fulfil its object. 



The author begins this part with a chapter on death 

 arising from complications due to fear of patients who have 

 been bitten by innocuous snakes and even lizards, and com- 

 pares the symptoms produced by fear with those of cobra- 

 poisoning. Further on he gives the following summary of 

 Colubrine and Viperine poisoning : — 



" Colubrine poisons act chiefly on the central nervous 

 system (cord and brain), and cause death by 

 paralysing the respiratory centre in the brain. 

 Their efects upon the blood are shght compared 

 with the viperine class, so that haemorrhages are 

 not usual, and when present are not severe." 



" Viperine poisons have no paralysing effect upon the 

 nervous system, except on the vaso motor centre, 

 but a very marked effect on the heart and blood, 

 death being usually brought about by paralysis 

 of the vaso motor centre, exhaustion from profuse 

 and persistent bleeding, or from septicaemia (a 

 blood poisoning due to germs)." 



The third portion of the book deals with the treatment of 

 snake poisoning — preventitive, antidotal (antivenene), sympto- 

 matic, and local treatments, also treatment to be adopted by 

 non-professional people. 



Major Wall appears to have made an exhaustive study of 

 his subject ; and his book, which has been considerably 

 enlarged since its first edition, should prove of much value to 

 all who are interested in snakes and snake poison, and arouse 

 interest in those who are not. 



A. F. ABERCROMBY. 



Anuradhapura, November, 1913. 



