The Viperine Snakes 



lije. The effect of such a complication as blood-poisoning upon 

 a system weakened by the primary ordeal, may be imagined. 



To conclude this subject the writer ventures to prepare a 

 list of articles which should be taken by those who venture into 

 districts where poisonous snakes may be dangerously numerous. 

 A complete outfit to be used in case of accident may be carried 

 in very small space, and the articles needed would be: 



Several good (very sharp) scalpels or lancets. 



A rubber ligature. 



A hypodermic syringe of fair size. 



A package of absorbent cotton. 



Several yards of aseptic gauze. 



A few ounces of permanganate of potash (crystals). 



A small quantity of some concentrated antiseptic solution, 



and there are many of such. 

 Several sealed tubes of anti-venomous serum. 



This constitutes a fairly complete outfit that can be used by 

 any man of practical ideas. The majority of the articles men- 

 tioned should be among the effects of every man that travels, in 

 case of various every-day accidents. At this point it is important 

 to describe the serum treatment of snake-bite — the necessary 

 article being included in the list. ^ 



The serum is obtained from animals that have been im- 

 munised by the repeated injections of snake venom — in fact, 

 procured along the same lines as the anti-toxins for various 

 diseases. It is hypodermically injected, not in the region of the 

 injury, but in some portion of the body where the circulation 

 will quickly take it up and distribute it — preferably under the 

 skin of the abdomen. Its action is to fortify the system against 

 the poison and experimentation has yielded excellent results. 

 The serum is the product of the Pasteur Institute, in Lille, 

 France, where it is prepared under the direction of Dr. Albert 

 Calmette. 



To one leaving civilisation behind him, the writer begs to 

 offer the following suggestions: ist. See that you have all the 

 necessary articles with you. 2d. Do not start out until after 

 you have fully satisfied yourself that you are provided with 

 good and well-digested advice from a surgeon. 3d. If you are 

 bitten send for a doctor at once if he be within reach, or go to 

 him if railroad, boat or horse will take you there. Above all, 



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