132 On the Poison of Indian Venomous Snakes. [Jan. 22, 



out the stomach from time to time, in order to remove any poison which 

 might be excreted through the gastric walls, keeping it partially filled 

 with milk or other nutrient fluid during the intervals, in order to sustain 

 the strength of the animal. 



We are by no means certain that some of these methods may not prove 

 useful adjuncts ; but as our hope of stimulating excretion, by the salivary 

 glands at least, has been much lessened by our discovery that the poison 

 paralyzes the nerves of secretion, we are inclined to think that, perhaps, 

 the readiest method of removing the poison from the body may be to 

 allow it to flow out along with the blood in which it is circulating, and 

 supply the place of the poisoned blood thus withdrawn by means of trans- 

 fusion. 



The greater part of the poison present in the system is probably con- 

 tained in the blood, and only a small proportion in the tissues ; for one of 

 us (Dr. Fayrer) has found that a few drops of the blood of a dog killed 

 by the bite of a cobra or Daboia caused death in seventy-five minutes, 

 when injected into the thigh of a fowl (' Thanatophidia,' pp. 80, 83, 

 119, 120). By removing as much blood as could be taken without endan- 

 gering the life of the animal, a great part of the poison would be with- 

 drawn from the system ; and, probably, any harm from the copious bleeding 

 would be prevented by transfusing fresh blood immediately afterwards. 



"We have tried one or two experiments with transfusion ; but they have 

 hitherto been unsuccessful. 



"We are therefore by no means confident that death may be prevented 

 by the combined use of artificial respiration and transfusion; but we 

 think that they present some chance of success, and that, at all events, 

 the suggestion is justifiable on scientific and rational grounds. 



The treatment of animals poisoned by cobra-virus by the hypodermic 

 injection of liquor ammonise has been frequently tried in India by one of 

 us (Dr. Eayrer) (vide Thanat. pp. 89 et seq.), and also by Mr. Eichards, 

 of Balasore, and by ourselves again in London, on several occasions. 



The alkali has been administered internally, injected into the areolar 

 tissue, and also into the veins, over and over again ; but no benefit has 

 resulted. The objection has been made that experiments of this nature, 

 made on animals, are not conclusive in reference to the probable action 

 of the agent experimented with on human beings ; but this objection can 

 hardly be considered valid in a physiological point of view. 



At any rate the trials that have been made, of this mode of averting the 

 lethal effects of the poison, in India by Dr. Hilson, Civil Surgeon of 

 Moradabad, do not afford any indication that the intravenous injection of 

 liquor ammonias was followed by any diminution of the effect of the 

 poisons, the man in both cases having died* (vide 'Indian Med. G-azette,' 

 Oct. 1873). 



The same may be said of other reputed antidotes, such as : Tanjore 

 * It is unnecessary to occupy time by describing in detail the various substances 



