80 Messrs. T. L. Brunton and J. Fayrer on the [Jan. 22, 



4.32. Peristaltic action diminished. The muscles of the leg contract 

 when the sciatic nerve is stimulated by an induced current. Electrodes 

 were then placed in the cord. The muscles of the legs contracted 

 readily when an induced current was passed through the cord. One 

 cell was employed, and the distance of the secondary from the primary 

 coil was 44 centimetres. 



Experiment XII. 



May 19^. A full dose of dried cobra-poison was diluted with distilled 

 water, and heated until it was filled with white flocculent coagula. 



The solution was injected into a guineapig's hip at 3.25. Twitching 

 began almost immediately. 



3.30. Restless. Hind leg paralyzed. 



4. Twitching acute in hind leg. 



4.10. Active hip-twitching, but hind leg still paralyzed. 



4.15. Making efforts to vomit. 



4.25. Vomiting repeatedly. 



4.30. Distinct repeated convulsive attempts to vomit. Limbs becoming 

 weaker; began to be convulsed; gradually becoming more and more 

 paralyzed. 



4.45. In convulsions. Dead. 



Experiment XIII. 



May 19*7i. Dried cobra-poison, dissolved in liquor ammonite, injected 

 into a guineapig's hip at 3.42. 



Twitching at 3.43. Eestless. 



4. Twitching ; restless ; weak in hind leg. 



4.8. A little more injected with a full quantity of ammonia. The 

 guineapig becomes immediately very restless. 



4.15. Paralyzed. Groing into convulsions. Pinching foot at once 

 causes reflex action ; marked reflex actions all over the body. 



4.20. Nearly dead. Heart disturbed ; continued to beat regularly for 

 some minutes after death. Lungs much congested. 



Influence of Constitution on the Action of the Poison. Supposed immunity 



of the Mongoose. 



With cobra-venom, as with other poisons, there is a general corre- 

 spondence between the size of the animal and the intensity of the effects 

 of a given quantity of poison, a small animal being more readily affected 

 by it than a large one. There are, however, some exceptions to this rule ; 

 for a cat will resist the action of cobra-poison as much as, or more than, a 

 dog five or six times its size. (Compare Experiment LVII. with Experi- 

 ment XLIV.) 



The mongoose (Herpestesgriseus)}i&s long been supposed to be unaffected 

 by the poison of venomous snakes, either on account of some peculiarity 



