CROTALUS HORRIDUS. 



tirely changed, so that the death was attributed to the bites 

 of the snakes, rather than to the original wound inflicted by 

 the dog. How far this inference was just, it is impossible to 

 determine. 



The following case, quoted by Lenz from Latreille, is more 

 curious as illustrating the habits of the time and people 

 where it happened, than as an example of the effects of the 

 poison. " At the time that Dillon, in the seventeenth century, 

 was on a visit at Cananer in Malabar, the private secretary 

 of the prince was bitten by a snake. The wounded man was 

 brought to town, and along with him the snake, well secured 

 in a vessel. The prince was much distressed by the accident, 

 made the Brahmins be sent for, who ordered the snake into 

 their presence, and explained to it how important to the state 

 was the life of the wounded statesman. They used both 

 entreaties and threats. They clearly told the snake, that, if 

 the wounded man died, he, the snake, should be burned in 

 the same funeral pile ; but the snake was inflexible, and the 

 secretary died of the wound. The prince was sore depressed; 

 yet he reflected, that perhaps the dead man had committed 

 a deadly sin, and the anger of the gods had overtaken him. 

 Upon which he had the vessel containing the snake carried 

 out of the house and the reptile set free, and with much fer- 

 vor and many profound obeisances apologized to it for what 

 he had done. See A^ts xxviii. 3, 4." 



For the following experiments, made by inserting the poi- 

 son into a wound, we are indebted to Dr. Stokes of Stroud, 

 to whom all must feel under obligation for having exposed 

 himself to what might have been, for all that he knew, very 

 serious danger. The result proves that a considerable quan- 

 tity may be thus inserted without producing decided symp- 

 toms ; and it is hoped the courageous example set by Dr. 

 Stokes will find many imitators, and that before long such 

 a body of evidence may be produced as to turn this powerful 

 agent to a useful account. 



" First Experiment. 



" Nov. 7, 1852. A. S., stout, robust male, thirty-seven 

 years of age, brown hair and eyes ; temperament bilio- 

 sanguine and lymphatic; has undergone an antipsoric treat- 

 ment of two and a half years. 



Received a drop of the poison, and as it was mingled 



12 



