AS COMPAEED WITH THAT OF OTHEK VENOMOUS SNAKES. 117 



4 P.M. The heart has ceased to contract 4 minutes after 

 apparent death ; it continued to contract, especially the auricles, 

 for part (not the whole) of the time. 



The blood removed from the heart-cavities and vena cava 

 rapidly formed a firm coagulum in a glass receiver. 



The electrodes applied to the sciatic showed that the nerve- 

 trunk, as well as the spinal cord, was paralysed. 



Experiment IV. 

 Guinea-pig No. 2, an albino, had the ^-grain cobra-virus 

 solution injected into its peritoneal cavity at 1.56 p.m. 

 It immediately became much excited. 

 1.57. Is now quite tranquil. 

 2. Sluggish. Does not twitch as guinea-pig No. 1 did. 



2.4. Started and squeaked slightly, as though in pain, but no 

 twitching. 



2.5. Slight twitching generally. Paralysis and ataxy com- 

 mencing ; drags its legs with difficulty. 



2.9. Sharp twitchings of head and neck. 



2.12. Subsided on to the belly ; head fallen over ; crawls 

 with difficulty ; is very feeble, almost paralysed. The albino 

 eyes have a heavy dull look ; lost their bright pink. 



2.14. Convulsed. 



2.15. Pieflex action ceased. Apparently dead, but heart can 

 still be felt beating. Occasional convulsive twitchings of 

 lower lip. 



2.16. Dead in 21 minutes. 



2.17. All movements have ceased. Heart had ceased to 

 contract, except slight flickering movements of auricles. 



2.20. Electrodes in cord. Spinal cord and nerves paralysed ; 

 muscles contract freely to direct stimulus of current. Heart 

 distended with blood. Blood, when removed, formed rapidly a 

 firm coagulum. Intestines, peritoneum, and subperitoneal 

 areolar tissue congested and ecchymosed. Sanguinolent effu- 

 sions into peritoneum, but not so well marked as in the Crotalus- 

 poisoning. Peristaltic action of bowels ceased rapidly. 



The results of these two experiments show, so far, that the 

 action of the cobra-poison is more energetic than that of the 



