478 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Snakes kept a few months in captivity yield less than one-half the venom 

 that they are capable of in the wild condition. 



Cobras and Mambas are far more to be dreaded than Adders, because 

 their venom acts so rapidly. 



Adder venom being much slower, there are better opportunities of 

 applying remedial measures with success. 



Solutions of venom in pure glycerine will keep indefinitely. 



In a liquid condition it will keep good a couple of weeks in a corked 

 bottle. It then decays and loses its poisonous properties. 



Cobra venom specially paralyses the nerve centres of respiration in 

 the top of the spinal cord, known as the Medulla Oblongata. 



Most snake venoms act upon the nerve cells of the central nervous 

 system. 



One drop of the venom of a Cape Cobra injected into the hind leg of a 

 dog killed it in one hour five minutes. 



Boomslang venom, bulk for bulk, is as powerful as Cobra venom. One 

 drop will kill a large dog or a monkey. 



Curari, a South American poison of vegetable origin, like snake venom, 

 has no bad effect if swallowed, but if injected under the skin acts Uke 

 snake venom. 



There are people in South Africa who actually believe that if a man be 

 inoculated with snake venom, no poisonous serpent will ever attempt 

 to bite him. They say the snake knows by instinct he is proof, so they 

 refuse to waste their venom. Snake " instruction " is evidently badly needed. 



Snake venom dissolves readily in water. It is usually injected in 

 .solution with water when experimenting. 



Snake venom may be dried between slips of glass and stored away 

 in a dry, dark place. It will keep fresh for a lifetime. 



One of the methods of treating snake bite in India is to sit round the 

 bitten person and chant charms. 



For technical details of the anatomy of Snakes, see " Encyclopaedia 

 Britannica." 



Snakes are not as a rule proof against their own venom, but it usually 

 takes a big dose to kill an adult snake. 



Snakes often die when bitten by other snakes, or if venom is artificially 

 injected in very large doses. 



The poison of one snake is not an antidote to the venom of another. 

 If rubbed into the wound it considerably increases the chances of death. 



The head of a venomous snake is often dried and pulverized. It is 

 popularly supposed to be a cure for snake bite. It is the very reverse. 



Quinine is of n<j antidotal value as a remetly for snake bite, either 

 injected or applied to the wound. 



If a large Cobra bites a dog or other animal, and if the bite be full and 

 complete, enough venom gets into the circulation within t\so seconds to 

 cause death. Permanganate of potash and ligaturing fail to avert a 

 fatal issue. 



An exce.ssively minute quantity of Cobra venom is sufl&cient to kill 

 a fowl or rabbit. 



