THE TREATMENT OF SNAKE BITE. 405 
permanganate at hand, apply a ligature instantly, and scarify the 
site of the bite. If there are no cuts, abrasions or ulcers in the 
mouth or on the lips, the wound can be safely sucked. If the 
part bitten be laid open and well cauterized by flashing gun- 
powder in the wound, some of the venom may thus be destroyed. 
This, however, is useless unless done within five to ten minutes 
of the infliction of the bite. Ammonia and tobacco juice are 
useless,—the latter is dangerous. 
There is no possibility of bleeding to death if any of the 
surface veins are severed. The veins are the blood vessels 
which carry the venous blood to the heart. The blood moves 
along sluggishly in them. On the contrary, the blood in the 
arteries courses along at a great rate, and if one of these vessels 
be cut, the blood squirts out powerfully in jets. Nature, however, 
SQUARE KNoT GRANNY KNoT 
Fic. 149.—When you tie a knot do not make a Granny Knot, or else it will be sure to slip and 
come loose. Tie the Square Knot like this. The harder it is pulled the tighter it will 
get. It cannot slip. 
has carefully guarded these important blood-vessels from injury 
by burying them deep in the tissues. The only places where 
arteries come near the surface are where they pass over the ankles 
and skull. The blue lines just under the skin are all veins. 
In the ligatured limb they will stand out like cords. Select two 
or three of those which apparently lead from the vicinity of 
the bite, and make small longitudinal incisions in them. Never 
cut them across. Cut along the course of the vein. By bleeding 
the ligatured limb, some of the poison will be got rid of. A 
vein, unless a very large one, will usually stop bleeding itself 
after a time. If not, then place a little hard pad over the 
bleeding part and bind it down tightly. 
Elevating the limb will often stop the bleeding, or sewing 
up the wound with two or three fine stitches. 
If a snake should inflict a bite upon the face, head, neck or 
