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



If death do not rapidly follow, great swelling from infiltration of the 

 areolar tissue may occur, or, in some cases, gangrene of the skin and sub- 

 jacent cellular tissue and subsequent changes indicative of general blood- 

 poisoning. 



The local action of viperine is probably more active than that of 

 colubrine virus. 



Action of Cobra-poison upon the Blood. 



The blood of animals killed by cobra-poison generally presents a dark 

 colour, as death is due to failure of the respiration and not of the circu- 

 lation ; but it readily assumes a florid colour when exposed to air. The 

 same is the case with the blood of animals poisoned by Daboia-venom. 

 (Experiments II., V., and VI.). 



Coagulation usually occurs readily and firmly in the blood of animals 

 killed by cobra-poison, while it is frequently absent from the blood of 

 those killed by that of the Daboia. In experiments made in India, this 

 occurred almost invariably ; and it is illustrated by Experiments II. and 

 IV. In Experiments I., V., and VI., however, coagulation occurred in 

 the blood of a pigeon and guineapig poisoned by Daboia- venom; and a 

 similar occurrence has been sometimes observed by one of us (Dr. Fayrer) 

 in fowls bitten by this snake in India*. 



In numerous instances we have been unable to detect any alteration in 

 the blood-corpuscles after death from cobra-poison ; but in Experiments 

 XXI. and XXII. we observed a most distinct crenation in the corpuscles 

 of rats poisoned by it. This was probably due in some degree to evapora- 

 tion, as in Experiment XXI. it was to a great extent prevented by sur- 

 rounding the preparation with oil ; but it indicates a change in the blood, 

 as the corpuscles did not present this appearance before the injection of 

 the poison although they were prepared for observation in exactly the 

 same way, and were as much exposed to evaporation in the one case as in 

 the other. 



Experiment XXI. 



A drop of blood from the tail of a white rat was examined micro- 

 scopically. The corpuscles did not form rouleaux ; but no trace of cre- 

 nation could be observed in them. 



12.10 P.M. '018 gramme of dried cobra-poison, dissolved in 1 cubic 

 centim. of water, was injected into the flank. Almost immediately the 

 nose of the animal began to twitch up every few seconds. 



12.15. Head has sunk down. The breathing was laboured. The animal 

 made a sudden start forwards. The hind legs dragged behind. It did not 

 move readily when irritated. The breathing was laboured ; the expiration 

 convulsive. General convulsive movements occurred. 



12.18. The animal seemed dead. The heart was still beating. A drop of 

 blood was taken from the tail ; and, the thorax being opened, another was 



* Thanatophidia of India,' pp. 80, 100, 101, 104. Vide Mr. Cunningham's remarks 



