188 ANIMAL SKETCHES. CHAP. 



he gives, however, it seems at least possible, if not 

 probable, that some of the poison was hanging about the 

 wound unabsorbed, and had thus entered his system 

 directly, and not, as he believed, indirectly. 



After all that has been said and done in the matter we 

 do not know very much concerning the venom of snakes. 

 Its active principle has never been chemically isolated ; 

 nor is it by any means certain whether there is one poison 

 or many. There seems, indeed, to be some difference 

 between the physiological effects of the venom of vipers 

 and of cobras ; and since they belong to distinct groups 

 some such difference might be expected. But Dr. 

 Stradling goes so far as to say that there are many kinds 

 of distinct virus, a view that cannot be accepted without 

 further evidence and confirmation. The effects on the 

 system are in all cases exceedingly rapid, causing intense 

 pain and swelling of the part affected, and in a short time 

 giving rise to paralysis of the nerve centres, and general 

 exhaustion and collapse. Nor does there seem to be any 

 specific and infallible antidote to the virus, though 

 ammonia and permanganate of potash have been 

 successfully applied in some cases. Dr. Stradling has 

 tried on himself the system of inoculation, and he 

 believes successfully ; and quite recently Dr. Mueller 

 writes from Victoria to say that he finds that a solution of 

 nitrate of strychnine in 240 parts of water, mixed with a 

 little glycerine, is almost invariably successful as an anti- 

 dote. The strychnine poison is thoroughly antagonistic to 

 that of the snake's venom, and may, Dr. Mueller says, be 

 safely injected, twenty drops at a time, every ten or twenty 

 minutes, until slight muscular spasms indicate that the 

 new poison introduced into the system has vanquished 

 the venom and is beginning to assert its independent 

 influence. 



