190 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA 
EXPERIMENTS WITH THE VENOM. 
On many occasions I have scraped the ejected venom from 
the glass of the Ringhals’ cage and injected it into animals. It, 
in every case, proved fatal to them, killing them off as rapidly as 
if the snake had bitten them. Venom which had been on the 
glass in a dry state for two years was found to be quite as 
poisonous as fresh venom. If the venom was kept moist for 
a few weeks it decomposed, and lost its toxic or poisonous 
properties. 
AN ASTONISHING FACT. 
The Ringhals is well aware of its spitting power, and its value 
as a weapon of defence, which is proved by the intelligent way in 
which it goes about the business. 
I have experimented many scores of times, and know for 
certain the Ringhals always directs its venom at the face of its 
foe. It is needless to go into detail as to all my methods to ascer- 
tain that this is a fact. 
It seems wonderful that the snake should possess the instinc- 
tive knowledge that unless the fluid enters the eyes it is innocuous, 
for it has no effect whatsoever upon the unbroken skin. This 
spitting power has undoubtedly been evolved as an extra weapon 
of defence, the serpent’s object being to blind its foe and then 
make its escape. 
THE EFFECT UPON THE EYES. 
The first effect of the entry of the venom into the eyes is 
intense smarting, quickly followed by inflammation and partial 
or total blindness. If the eyes are promptly and efficiently 
treated, the inflammation subsides and sight is recovered. The 
eyes should be well washed with a weak solution of permanganate 
of potash, and olive, castor, or some other bland oil dropped in. 
If no water be obtainable, a grain or two of the potash should be 
mixed with saliva and rubbed into the eyes. Be very careful not 
to apply a strong solution of the potash, as it will seriously burn 
