CHAPTER IX. 



The Brain and Nervous System. 



In order to understand clearly what has been written in this book 



on the effects of snake 

 venom and the treat- 

 ment of snake bite, some 

 elementary knowledge of 

 the circulation of the 

 blood, the digestive 

 organs, brain, and ner- 

 vous system is desirable. 



A chapter on human 

 physiology, therefore, has 

 been introduced, as the 

 aim of this book is to 

 make knowledge of 

 snakes, their venom, and 

 the treatment of snake 

 bite, as practical and as 

 understandable as pos- 

 sible to the average man 

 and woman living in 

 countries swarming with 

 venomous snakes. 



Owing to lack of 

 knowledge of the circula- 

 tion of the blood, the 

 digestive apparatus, the 

 brain, nervous system, 

 etc., methods in the treat- 

 ment of snake bite are em- 

 ployed which are utterly 



ridiculous, alarming, and manifestly absurd to those possessing 



283 



Fig. 115. — The brain, spinal cord and nerves which run 

 to every part of the body. They are the telegraph 

 wires of the brain, and form a vast network all 

 over the body. (From Blackie's Physiology.) 



