POISON OF SOME INDIAN VENOMOUS SNAKES. 15 



cornea is sensitive. The ral)bit is now lying on its side. 

 Respirations 5 in 15 seconds. Pulse 12 in 18 seconds. 



31'. Cornea is nearly but not quite insensible. The eyeball 

 is protruding. 



About 3H' respiration has stopped. The heart is still 

 beating vigorously. 



32'. Cornea insensible. The animal opened immediately 

 The heart was beating vigorously ; 21 beats in 10 seconds. 



An attempt was made to insert electrodes into the spinal 

 cord and pass an interrupted current through them. No effect 

 followed ; but it is not certain that they were well in the 

 cord. Irritation of the nerves going to the hind legs by 

 uninterrupted current had but a slight effect. Direct irritation 

 of the muscles caused them to contract. After the irritation 

 was discontinued, a fibrillary twitching was observed in one of 

 the extensions of the thigh. 



42'. Heart still feebly pulsating. Irritation of the brachial, 

 sciatic, and crural nerves has very little effect. 



45'. Heart still feebly pulsating. 



Experiment V. 



Two drops of cobra-poison were injected under the skin of 

 the thigh of a guinea-pig. 



One or two minutes after the injection the legs of the 

 animal began to twitch. It was then covered with a glass 

 bell-jar. 



Six minutes after injection. The legs are again twitching. 

 This is a peculiar motion of the hind legs, in which they seem 

 to make an abortive attempt to kick involuntarily. 



7'. Respirations are deeper than usual. 



9'. Legs again twitching. 



10'. The animal is restless and moves round and round inside 

 the bell-jar. Grunts occasionally and grinds its teeth. The 

 hind-qnarters are twitched upwards, and the nose is drawn in 

 towards the chin at the same time. 



13'. Bites at the spot where the injection was made and 

 passes water. 



