ON THE NATURE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL 

 ACTION OF THE POISON OF NAJA 

 TRIPUDIANS AND OTHER INDIAN 

 VENOMOUS SNAKES.— Part IL 



By T. Lauder Brunton, M.D., Sc.D., M.K.C.P., and J. Fayrer, 

 C.S.I., M.D., F.R.C.P.Lond., F.E.S.E., Surgeon-Major Bengal 

 Army. 



(Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 149, 1874.) 



The effects of the poison of Naja tripudians are probably the 

 same as those of Oj^hiopliagus elaps, Bungants, Hydrophidse, and 

 other poisonous colubrine snakes, whilst that of Daboia Eussellii 

 is similar to that of Echis carinata, and also of the Trimeresuri, 

 which represent the viperine snakes in India. 



Just as the Naja may be regarded as among the most virulent 

 of the colubrine, the Dahoia is probably as venomous as any of 

 the viperine snakes, it being very deadly ; whilst the Crotalidie 

 are but feebly represented in India by the Trim,eresuri. 



The venomous colubrine snakes in India are represented by 

 the Naja tripudians, Ophiophagus elaps, JBtmgarus fasdatus, 

 B. cosruleiis, Xenurelaps lungaroides, and the various species of 

 Callophis and Hydrophida; ; whilst among the viperine snakes 

 the Viperidse, or vipers, are represented in India by only two 

 genera, each with a single species, Dahoia Itussellii, JEchis 

 carinata; the Crotalidae, or pit-vipers, by the various Trimere- 

 suri, Pcltopclor, Halys, Hypnalc, though these are much less 

 active than their American congeners. 



The Dahoia, however, may be considered as virulent as tlie 

 most deadly form of the Viperidte of Africa, or probably as the 

 Crotalus or Cras2)cdoccp]ialus of the pit-vipers of America and 

 the "West Indies. 



