MAY . T97 



carried to his home nearly a mile away, his mother running on to 

 get brandy and telegraph for the doctor. 



As soon as Dick arrived he was dosed heavily with brandy and 

 ammonia ; also, as I forgot to say, by his mother's direction, im- 

 mediately after being bitten he had sucked the wound, which 

 was between two fingers of the left hand. Further, he was 

 walked, or rather dragged up and down, till at length he became 

 utterly exhausted, and, to the terrible alarm of his parents, his 

 throat began to close up so that he could no longer swallow. 



Owing to various mischances nearly three hours went by before 

 a doctor came. On his arrival he at once put the boy to bed, for 

 it appears that a great mistake had been made in walking him 

 about, which only served to consume his strength. By now poor 

 Dick was almost in exfrem/s ; but the doctor, a man of resource, 

 applied a succession of strong mustard plasters to the heart, and 

 thus kept it going until the vital forces overcame the immediate 

 effects of the poison. Had it not been for this treatment I under- 

 stand that he would have died. 



To-day, when I saw the patient in bed, his arm and hand were 

 swollen to the size of those of a large man, and very hot to the 

 touch, while the skin was tense, shining, and red in colour. The 

 face also was red and flushed, but I am glad to say that Dick is 

 now believed to be out of any danger. 



Vipers are rare in this county ; I never remember seeing but 

 one of them, though they are said to be plentiful in the wood 

 where my little friend was bitten. It is uncommon for them to 

 strike human beings, for they are retiring in their habits; but 

 even the most peaceably minded adder resents being pounced 

 upon and picked up. It appears also that at this time of the year, 

 when these reptiles have just emerged from their long winter 

 sleep, the poison in their fangs is unusually virulent ; moreover, 

 it is their breeding season, during which they are supposed to be 

 most deadly. 



The last authenticated case of viper-poisoning in this neigh- 

 bourhood occurred about forty years ago, when a schoolboy, who 



