428 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
STIMULANTS. 
In cases of Cobra and Mamba bite, teaspoonful doses of hot 
brandy and water will do no harm. The aim should be to pre- 
vent the poison from benumbing the nerve centres beyond the 
possibility of recovery. In all cases of Adder and Boomslang 
venom poisoning alcohol is distinctly harmful. _Nux vomica, 
which is a preparation of strychnine, administered internally 
in medicinal doses will tend temporarily to rouse the nervous 
system. So, too, will the injection of strychnine. This, however, 
is dangerous unless the operator knows the exact dosage. Tab- 
loids containing the proper dose for injection may be obtained 
from any chemist. 
The best nerve stimulant at these times is a fresh, hot infusion 
of tea. Make it very strong, but do not allow it to infuse more 
than three to five minutes. Tea contains a powerful alkaloid 
drug, known as Theine, which powerfully stimulates the nerve 
centres. If the tea is brewed for five minutes or longer, the 
infusion certainly gets strong, but it is then impregnated with 
tannic acid, which is highly injurious. Give the tea to the patient 
in small sips, so as not to upset or overburden his stomach, which 
at this time is apt to reject anything swallowed. Give the hot 
tea off and on at intervals, so as to keep up the stimulation. 
Strong coffee may be used, but tea is better. 
Never dose the patient with large doses of alcohol or ammonia, 
and do not on any account rub pipe oil (nicotine) into the wounds 
made over the site of the bite, or allow it to be swallowed. 
If you keep the patient warm and apply the hot bottles or 
fomentations, and give small repeated doses of very strong 
freshly brewed tea, that is all that you can do to aid Nature. 
If no serum has been injected, then carry out all the fore- 
going secondary treatment, if possible, more energetically. If 
the patient continues to shiver, and if the surface of his body 
feels clammy and cold, it would do him good to soak his body in 
a bath of hot water now and then for five minutes at a time. 
After such a bath he must instantly be put back in bed and 
covered up. 
When the patient shows signs of reviving, and seems on the 
road to recovery, cease to administer stimulants, or give them 
at longer intervals. 
