THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 143 



A quarter of an hour after the bite, it sat down afjain, 

 and died. All this lasted about twenty-four minutes. 

 Should not the endermatic application of this virus be the 

 real and true remedy against the hydrophobia? as this 

 poison affects the neck, as well as that of enraged animals. 

 "Extremis morbis, extrema remedial" It deserves to be 

 tried, if not on man, at least on animals. But many will 

 ask, how can we procure those serpents ? to which I reply, 

 that as soon as the efficacy of this substance is proved 

 in a satisfactory manner, it can easily be procured in 

 sufficient quantities from the natives. The reptile can be 

 preserved in Europe as easily as others, especially as its 

 term of life is stated to be of such a long duration. Having 

 found in the slough or cast skin of serpents manifold 

 medicinal virtues, when employed in the way I use them in 

 my system, it is possible that they would also produce a 

 good effect endermatically (introducing them in a pre- 

 pared state ), acting as a substitute for the virus. That is 

 also the case with inoculation ; in want of the lymph, the 

 crust dissolved in water, will answer the same purpose. The 

 cobra di capello is less venomous than the annulated serpent, 

 though its venom is stronger than that of the viper. The 

 joghees in Hindostan earn their livelihood by exhibiting 

 the cobra to the public. They carry them in boxes, and 

 when the box is opened, they begin to play on a sort of 

 bagpipe ; on hearing which, the serpent erects itself, its 

 neck swells, and it moves its head alternately to the right 

 and left, keeping time to the music as if it were dancing, 

 which affords much amusement to the spectators, and some- 

 times terror to those who do not know that their venomous 

 fangs have been extracted. The bite of the cobra can, as 

 well as that of the vipers, be cured, for which purpose spirit 

 of sal ammoniac, hartshorn drops, or Eau de Luce, are ex- 

 cellent medicaments ; but being seldom at hand when they 

 are wanted, I advise, in all cases of bites from venomous 

 animals, that the poison should be at once vigorously suck- 

 ed from the wound, which will not be productive of any 

 prejudicial effect on the healthy mouth or the stomach. 



