1874.] Poison of Indian Venomous Snakes. 89 



Experiment XXVIII. 



September 5th. About 2.35 P.M. injected f cubic centimetre of a 2-per- 

 cent, solution of dried cobra-poison into the thoracic cavity of a guinea- 

 pig. It was uncertain whether the lung (right one) was pierced by the 

 point of the needle or not. Within a few seconds the animal gave several 

 convulsive struggles, and died in half a minute or so. The head was then 

 cut off. Immediately afterwards a second guineapig was killed by deca- 

 pitation. On opening the thorax of No. 1 (the poisoned guineapig) the 

 lungs were found congested. The heart was tetanically contracted and 

 quite still. The heart of No. 2 was contracting vigorously. The vena 

 cava contained a few bubbles of air. The lungs were pale. 



2.40. Peristaltic movements are going on very actively in the intes- 

 tines of both animals. 



2.42. The muscles of the abdominal wall irritated by single induced 

 shocks. 



Gruineapig, No. 1. No contraction. Coil at 0. 



Guineapig, No. 2. Contraction. Coil at 14*5. 



Muscles of the hip irritated in the same way : 



^ -, f Trace of contraction of muscle. Coil 13, 

 I Contraction still slight. Coil 0. 



N 2 I Contraction. Coil 37. 

 " 1 Powerful kick. Coil 0. 



2.50. Rigor mortis is coming on in No. 1. The legs are quite stiff. 

 A trace of peristaltic movement still going on in the small intestine. 



The muscles of No. 2 are quite flexible. 



2.55. No. 1. Muscles of back of thigh and of abdominal wall irritated 

 directly as before. No contraction. Coil at 0. Muscles of the front of 

 thigh twitch slightly. Coil at 0. 



No. 2. Muscles of back of thigh twitch decidedly. Coil at 37. 



3.12. No. 1. No contraction in any muscles. Coil at 0. The animal 

 is stiff. 



No. 2. Muscles are quite limp. Muscles of back of thigh twitch de- 

 cidedly. Coil at 25. 



All the muscles do not lose their irritability with the same rapidity, 

 some of them becoming paralyzed before others. The intercostal muscles, 

 serrati, and abdominal muscles seem to lose their irritability first ; and 

 such muscles of the limbs as have a dark colour become paralyzed sooner 

 than those which are paler (Experiment XXV.). 



Experiment XXIX. 



September 4th. A cannula was placed in the carotid of a large guineapig, 

 and | cubic centimetre of a 2-per-cent. solution of cobra-poison injected 

 into it towards the heart. The animal was seized with violent convul- 

 sions, passing into complete opisthotonos in about twenty seconds after 

 the injection of the poison. These ceased, and the animal seemeJ quite 



