hj Snakes ht India. 193 



Benares, was bitten in the foot by a Cobra de Capello. The 

 gentleman immediately applied to me for fome of the vola- 

 tile cauftic alkali, which I fortunately had by me. I gave 

 her about fixty drops in water, and alfo applied fome of it to 

 the part bitten. In about feven or eight minutes after, ftie 

 vi^as perfectly recovered. In the above cafe I was not wit- 

 nefs to the deleterious effe£l of the poifon on the patient ; 

 but faw the fnake after it was killed. 



IV. In July 1784 the wife of a fervant of mine was bitten 

 by a Cobra de Capello on the outfide of the little toe of her 

 right foot. In a few minutes {he became convulfed, parti- 

 cularly about the jaws and throat, with a continued gnafti- 

 ing of the teeth. She at firft complained of a numbnefs 

 extending from the wound upwards ; but no ligature was 

 applied to the limb. About fixty drops of the volatile cauftic 

 fpirit were given to her in water, by forcing open her mouth, 

 which was ftrongly convulfed : in about feven minutes the 

 dofe was repeated, when the convulfions left her; and in 

 three more flie became fenfible, and fpoke to thofe who at- 

 tended her. A few drops of the fpirit had alfo been applied 

 to the wound. The fnake was killed and brought to me, 

 which proved to be a Cobra de Capello. 



V. As it is generally believed that the venom of fnakes is 

 more malignant during hot diy weather than at any other 

 feafon, the.foHowing cafe, which occurred in the roonth of 

 July 1788, when the weather was extremely hot, no rain 

 excepting a flight fliower having fallen for many months, 

 may not be unworthy of notice : — 



A fervant belonging to an officer at Juanpoor, was bitten 

 by a fnake on the leg, about two inches above the outer 

 ancle. As the accident happened in the evening, he could 

 not fee what fpccies of fnake it was. He immediately tied 

 a ligature above the part bitten; but was in a ittw minutes 

 in fuch exquifite torture from pain, which extended up his 

 body and to liis head, that he foon became dizzy and fenfe- 

 Iffs. On being informed of the accident, I fent my fervant 



Vol. IV. O with 



