DEATH FROM COBRA BITE. 181 
from white to ebony black, had gathered round the building, 
and were excitedly discussing the situation. Not one had the 
boldness to enter. The Cobra held the fort until a European 
arrived on the scene with a shotgun. Cautiously peering in at the 
open doorway, he observed the snake endeavouring to climb a 
partition. He entered the schoolroom and blew it to pieces with 
a charge of shot. The remains were brought to me for ideutifica- 
tion. The Cobra measured five feet eleven and a half inches. 
The superstitious parents of the children refused to allow them 
to return to the school, declaring that the Cobra’s mate was sure 
to be somewhere in hiding under the floor or elsewhere in the 
building, and that it would issue forth to avenge its mate. The 
school principal was in a dilemma. The School Board Secretary 
advised her to come to me. Sending a message to Mr. Williams, 
the snake catcher, I asked him to go along and search every part 
of the school. He did so, but found no widow Cobra or any other 
kind of snake. Instead, he discovered a horde of rats, which was 
strong circumstantial evidence there were no snakes inhabiting 
the cellars of the school. This inspection re-assured the parents, 
who allowed their children to return. 
DEATH FROM COBRA BITE. 
A sad case recently occurred near Graaff Reinet of the death 
of the wife of a well-known farmer from the bite of a Cape Cobra 
She was walking in the vegetable garden, and happened to tread 
upon the tail of a Cobra, which instantly bit her on the ankle. 
Both of the fangs penetrated an artery, and the blood gushed 
out in two jets. In five minutes’ time she was blind, and within 
ten minutes was in a state of complete collapse. She sank and 
died within three-quarters of an hour. The lady did not die of 
loss of blood, for the bleeding was stopped after a few minutes. 
After death the whole body turned bluish-black. The Cobra was 
a large one, and doubtless a fairly large dose of venom had been 
injected. However, the artery being punctured by both fangs 
would have the effect of causing some of the venom to be carried 
out with the gush of blood ; but a proportion of it would be swept 
along the blood current and reach the general circulation in a few 
moments, hence the rapid symptoms of poisoning. 
