SYMPTOMS OF COBRA VENOM. 367 
to act, the blood quickly becomes charged with carbonic acid, 
due to the accumulation of the waste products of the body. 
This vitiated blood quickly stops the beating of the heart, and 
extinguishes life. The object of breathing is to inhale air, the 
oxygen in which combines with the blood, burning up and con- 
verting the impurities contained therein, giving off in the process 
carbonic acid gas, which is breathed out. The importance of 
this blood-purifying process is so great that if the lungs cease to 
act, death or a trance-like condition ensues within a few minutes. 
Now, in the treatment of a patient bitten by a Cobra, Ringhals 
or Mamba, be very vigilant. If the breathing should suddenly 
cease, instantly resort to artificial breathing and keep it up until 
the patient breathes of his own accord. If necessary, continue 
this artificial breathing process for a couple of hours. In dealing 
with the treatment of snake bite later on, artificial respiration 
methods will be more fully explained. ° 
SYMPTOMS OF COBRA VENOM. 
The special principle known as neurotoxin or nerve poison 
seems to be particularly strong and active in Cobra venom. 
This neurotoxin causes structural changes and paralysis of 
various groups of nerve cells in the spinal cord and medulla. 
However, when death ensues within four or five hours after the 
injection of the venom, no changes in the nerve cells take place, 
death being due to rapid paralysis of the main nerve centres. 
Cobra venom also acts upon the blood cells, but its principal and 
most dangerous action is on the nervous system. 
The general symptoms of Cobra poison are according to 
Dr. C. J. Martin more or less as follows :—‘‘ Burning pain at seat 
of wound, followed by sleepiness and weakness in the legs after 
half an hour. Then profuse salivation, paralysis of the tongue 
and larynx and an inability to speak. Vomiting, incapability 
of movement. The patient seems to be conscious, but is unable 
to express himself. The breathing becomes difficult. The 
heart’s action is quickened. The pupil remains contracted and 
reacts to light. At length breathing ceases, with or without 
convulsions, and the heart slowly stops. Should the patient 
survive, he returns rapidly to complete health.” 
