3i8 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



I procured some of the Isibiba, which was such an infalHble cure, 

 from this gentleman, who assured me he obtained it direct from 

 a native medicine man. On examination, the stuff appeared 

 to be exactly the same as that which had been supplied to me 

 by the Hon. F. W. Reitz, for my first series of experiments. 



It is needless to detail the experiments. It is sufficient to 

 say, although the Isibiba was applied as directed, both internally 

 and to the incised wound, it did not delay a fatal issue. In no 

 case did it even prolong life. 



Another communication was received from a prominent 

 farmer in the Transvaal. He stated that all the farmers in his 

 district carried a " Snake bite cure " in a small bag sewn to their 

 belt or braces. The women carried it stitched to a garter. 

 These people believe the substance to be a certain cure for snake 

 bite, and in consequence display absolute fearlessness w^hen in 

 the presence of snakes. He was given a small bag of this cure 

 and told to carry it about with him always, because it was a 

 certain cure, provided the wound was scarified, and the powder 

 rubbed well in, and a small quantity swallowed. He says it is 

 also believed that if the skin is cut in several places once yearly, 

 and the powder rubbed in, it will give absolute immunity for 

 at least a year. My correspondent is prepared to contest this 

 cure against any other. A sample of this wonderful powder 

 was sent to me. It turned out to be Isibiba. Again I conducted 

 a series of experiments, with the same results as before. I carried 

 out the instructions carefully, viz. putting a little of the Isibiba 

 at the back of the tongue, scarifying the site of the bite, and 

 rubbing some of the powder well in. In other cases I scarified 

 the flesh in three or four places and rubbed the powder into the 

 cuts. Rubbing some on a piece of meat, I gave it to a Jackal. 

 After a lapse of fifteen minutes, to give the Isibiba every chance 

 of being absorbed into the blood, the Jackal was bitten on the 

 thigh by a Cape Cobra. The site of the punctures was scarified 

 and smothered with the stuff. The Jackal died in less than an 

 hour. 



Further Proofs. 



Another gentleman from the Transvaal wrote suggesting that 

 the first sample of Isibiba I experimented with, might not have 

 been the genuine article. He wrote as follows : "I had a fair 



