INJECTING ANTI-VENENE DIRECT INTO VEINS. 419 
then, it is certain that the anti-venene destroyed a considerable 
quantity of the venom, otherwise the fowls would, in every case, 
have certainly died. However, it was clearly evident that all 
the poison was not destroyed. Therefore we can safely conclude 
that 124 cubic centimetres (half a 25 c.c. dose) of anti-venene 
is not sufficient to neutralize three drops of Puff Adder venom 
when the two are mixed together. The 25 c.c. of anti-venene 
seemed capable of destroying about five or five and a half drops 
of Puff Adder venom when mixed with it, and then injected. In 
all cases when 50 c.c. of anti-venene were mixed with six drops 
of Puff Adder venom, the latter was entirely neutralized. 
Now, at first sight, this seems very satisfactory, for it would 
be assumed that if two doses, viz. 50 c.c. of anti-venene, were 
injected, it would be capable of neutralizing something like ten 
drops of venom. Unfortunately, this is not usually so in actual 
practice. 
It has been found that if a snake inflicts a bite and if the 
anti-venene be injected under the skin immediately afterwards, 
something like ten to twenty times the quantity is necessary to 
exert the same neutralizing power over the venom, as when mixed 
with it, and the two are injected together, as mentioned in the 
above experiments. 
Now, I am laying particular stress upon this point, as I want 
readers to know exactly what anti-venene is capable of doing, 
and the difference in the results which follow the injection under 
the skin and into veins direct, for I have noticed in the instruc- 
tions sometimes issued with these anti-venene serums, that injec- 
tions are recommended to be given under the skin, unless serious 
symptoms of poisoning have set in. The dose prescribed is 
moreover quite inadequate in those cases where even a moderate 
quantity of venom is injected. But where a maximum dose of 
venom has been ‘given by any venomous snake, the quantity 
recommended is of little curative value. 
INJECTING ANTI-VENENE DIRECT INTO VEINS. 
In the directions for the treatment of a case of snake bite it 
will be noticed I recommend to those qualified to do so, (1) the 
