CASES OF SNAKE BITE. 501 



of Cobra. Sometimes serum sickness develops within twenty- 

 four hours, and at other times it docs not appear for three or four 

 days after the injection. It takes various forms. A sort of 

 nettlerash appears on the skin in the vicinity of the injection, or 

 on other parts of the body. This is usually followed by itchiness, 

 more or less intense. It may be relieved by dabbing the parts 

 with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Slight swellings, nettlerash, and 

 the desire to scratch the skin to relieve the irritation are of no 

 consequence, and soon pass off. 



Anaphylaxis. 



Severe serum sickness, however, sometimes develops. Swelling 

 occurs at or near the site of the injection of scrum, and often in 

 other parts of the body. Sometimes the joints swell and become 

 painful, and the temperature of the body rises above normal. In 

 very grave cases of anaphylaxis or serum shock stricture of the 

 throat develops, and there is more or less difficulty in breathing. 



If this symptom does not subside and the breathing becomes 

 embarrassed, the spasm may be relieved by inhaling a small 

 quantity of the vapour of chloroform. There is no danger in 

 administering this, for the reason that the stricture or spasm will 

 be relieved long before the chloroform produces insensibility. 

 Should the spasm by any chance cause complete stoppage of the 

 breathing, artificial respiration must be resorted to. 



If one grain of calcium chloride in solution with a little 

 sterilized or boiled water is injected anywhere under the skin, it 

 will invariably cut short any symptoms of serum sickness. Should 

 one dose prove insufficient, give a second dose the following 

 day. It is, on the whole, the safer plan to give an injection 

 of calcium chloride a few hours after the injection of the anti- 

 venomous serum, if the patient has had an injection of serum of 

 any kind at some previous time during his life, not otherwise, 



Cases of Snake Bite. 

 Those who have read the book, " The Snakes of South Africa, 

 their Venom and the treatment of Snake Bite," will call to mind 

 Mr. James Williams. He was bitten by a "Boomslang" and 

 nearly died. Some time later he was severely bitten by a Puff 

 Adder in the fleshy part of the palm of his hand. The fangs 

 were driven home fully half an inch, and both broke off in the 

 flesh. Williams must have received about two fatal doses of 



