﻿DANGEROUS 
  REPTILES— 
  COCHRAN 
  319 
  

  

  The 
  skin 
  of 
  the 
  goanna 
  is 
  in 
  even 
  greater 
  demand 
  for 
  shoes 
  than 
  

   snake 
  skin, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  tougher, 
  and 
  is 
  very 
  attractive 
  when 
  properly 
  

   prepared. 
  

  

  Gould's 
  Monitoe 
  

  

  Unlike 
  the 
  preceding 
  species, 
  Gould's 
  monitor 
  (Varanus 
  gouldii, 
  

   pi. 
  23, 
  fig. 
  2) 
  does 
  not 
  take 
  to 
  trees, 
  but 
  lives 
  on 
  the 
  ground 
  in 
  holes 
  and 
  

   is 
  usually 
  found 
  in 
  waterless 
  districts. 
  It 
  is 
  much 
  less 
  vicious 
  than 
  the 
  

   goanna, 
  although 
  it 
  hisses 
  loudly 
  if 
  vexed 
  and 
  inflates 
  the 
  loose 
  skin 
  of 
  

   the 
  body. 
  It 
  grows 
  to 
  a 
  little 
  over 
  4 
  feet 
  in 
  length. 
  

  

  Other 
  Australian 
  monitors 
  are 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  intermediate 
  in 
  habits 
  

   between 
  these 
  two. 
  

  

  The 
  Salt-water 
  Crocodile 
  

  

  The 
  salt-water 
  crocodile 
  (Crocodylus 
  porosus), 
  a 
  dangerous 
  man 
  

   eater, 
  has 
  already 
  been 
  discussed 
  under 
  the 
  section 
  on 
  Asia, 
  since 
  

   it 
  ranges 
  there 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  in 
  northern 
  Australia. 
  It 
  infests 
  the 
  tidal 
  

   mouths 
  of 
  streams 
  especially 
  in 
  North 
  Queensland, 
  and 
  when 
  sur- 
  

   prised 
  it 
  actively 
  resents 
  any 
  intruder's 
  presence. 
  It 
  has 
  excellent 
  

   hearing 
  and 
  is 
  very 
  difficult 
  to 
  approach 
  for 
  this 
  reason, 
  as 
  it 
  slides 
  

   into 
  the 
  water 
  at 
  the 
  slightest 
  sound. 
  It 
  ascends 
  water 
  courses, 
  so 
  

   that 
  the 
  clear 
  pools 
  of 
  fresh 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  upper 
  reaches 
  are 
  by 
  no 
  

   means 
  safe 
  for 
  bathers. 
  

  

  APPENDIX 
  

  

  FIRST-AID 
  TREATMENT 
  

  

  While 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  within 
  the 
  scope 
  of 
  this 
  paper 
  to 
  give 
  any 
  medical 
  

   advice 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  treatment 
  of 
  cases 
  of 
  snake 
  bite, 
  it 
  is 
  desirable 
  to 
  re- 
  

   publish 
  the 
  first-aid 
  directions 
  contained 
  in 
  a 
  leaflet 
  issued 
  by 
  the 
  makers 
  

   of 
  standard 
  antivenin 
  serum. 
  They 
  say 
  : 
  

  

  IN 
  CASE 
  OF 
  BITE 
  

  

  Snake 
  bites 
  should 
  be 
  treated 
  immediately. 
  The 
  following 
  first-aid 
  measures 
  

   should 
  be 
  employed 
  : 
  

  

  FIRST 
  AID 
  

  

  Apply 
  constricting 
  band 
  above 
  bite 
  just 
  tight 
  enough 
  to 
  prevent 
  absorption 
  

   and 
  not 
  interfere 
  entirely 
  with 
  flow 
  of 
  blood. 
  A 
  cold, 
  numb 
  limb 
  means 
  constric- 
  

   tion 
  is 
  too 
  tight 
  and 
  should 
  be 
  loosened. 
  

  

  Make 
  deep 
  X-shaped 
  cuts 
  % 
  inch 
  long 
  through 
  skin 
  at 
  points 
  where 
  fangs 
  

   entered 
  skin. 
  Let 
  the 
  blood 
  flow 
  from 
  these 
  cuts. 
  Make 
  additional 
  cuts 
  at 
  edge 
  

   of 
  swollen 
  area. 
  Help 
  flow 
  of 
  blood 
  from 
  these 
  cuts 
  by 
  suction. 
  Make 
  suction 
  

   for 
  15 
  or 
  20. 
  minutes 
  every 
  hour 
  -for 
  several 
  hours. 
  In 
  interval 
  between 
  suction 
  

   treatment, 
  cover 
  with 
  cloths 
  wet 
  with 
  strong. 
  solution 
  of 
  table 
  salt 
  or 
  epsom 
  salts 
  

   in 
  water. 
  

  

  Don't 
  cauterize 
  the 
  wounds 
  or 
  apply 
  postassium 
  permanganate. 
  

  

  Don't 
  run 
  or 
  exercise. 
  Don't 
  take 
  any 
  alcoholic 
  stimulants. 
  

  

  