POISON OF SOME INDIAN VENOMOUS SNAKES. 107 



ferments would decompose them if they had been placed in the 

 intestinal canal), and thus rendering them utterly incapable of 

 ever again performing their functions. 



If the action of the poison is of the latter kind, no treatment 

 can be expected to be of any avail if the dose has been large ; 

 but if it is of the former, we may still entertain a reasonable 

 hope of averting a fatal result, even when the dose of venom 

 has been large. 



We have shown in our previous communication, that, by 

 means of artificial respiration, life may be prolonged for many 

 hours, and time thus afforded for the excretion of some of the 

 poison ; but the means at our disposal have not enabled us to 

 maintain respiration sufficiently long to show us whether the 

 nervous and muscular systems regain their function after the 

 excretion of the poison has proceeded far enough. The experi- 

 ments of Mr. Vincent Richards, and of a committee appointed 

 by the Government of India in Calcutta, at our suggestion, to 

 investigate the use of artificial respiration in death by snake- 

 bite, being performed under more favourable auspices, have 

 afforded us the data which we were unable to obtain from our 

 own. In one instance, a dog was bitten by a sea snake 

 {Enhojdrma hengalensis), and, two hours afterwards, died in 

 convulsions. Artificial respiration was commenced ; but, four 

 hours afterwards, the application of a galvanic current caused 

 no muscular contractions ; the eyes were dry and glazed, and 

 the body was cold. Next morning, about sixteen hours after 

 the apparent death of the animal, reaction commenced ; the 

 application of a galvanic current again caused movements of 

 the body and expulsion of urine, and the bowels acted spon- 

 taneously. In five hours more reaction seemed established and 

 went on increasing; the animal appeared as if it would 

 recover ; the eyes lost their glazed appearance, tears were 

 secreted, and a greenish-looking fluid flowed from the mouth ; 

 reflex action became re-established, the eyelids closing when 

 the cornea was touched or when water was poured into the 

 eye. Attempts to swallow were made when water was poured 

 into the mouth ; and the application of a pan of hot charcoal 

 to the chest caused convulsive movements all over the body ; 



