POISON OF SOME INDIAN VENOMOUS SNAKES. 69 



strongest was employed. On exposing the sciatic nerves and 

 dividing one of them, and applying a Faradic current, no effect 

 could be perceived when the electrodes were applied to either 

 the central or the distal end of the nerve. The motor nerves 

 were thus seen to be paralysed. 



The heart continued to beat vigorously all the time. On 

 laying open the abdominal cavity, the intestines and peritoneum 

 were found in a state of intense congestion. Electrodes applied 

 to the lumbar nerves caused no contraction anywhere. 



Thorax opened. The heart was beating vigorously. The 

 lungs were normal. A Faradic current applied to the phrenic 

 nerve caused no contraction of the diaphragm ; but when 

 applied to that muscle directly, it caused vigorous contractions. 



The left vagus was divided and its peripheral end stimulated 

 by a Faradic current. The pulsations of the heart were at once 

 arrested, but again commenced ; and no further irritation of the 

 vagi had any effect on the heart. 



2.2 P.M. Stomach removed. Its coats were intensely congested, 

 as though some irritant had been swallowed. It contained 

 much bile. The blood was tiorid, and formed a firm coagulum. 



This experiment clearly shows that cobra-poison produces 

 paralysis of the motor nerves in warm as well as in cold-blooded 

 animals, the sciatics being so completely paralysed that they 

 did not respond to the strongest irritation, although respiration 

 was efficiently kept up and the circulation continued unim- 

 paired. In almost all the other experiments, when the nerve 

 was irritated immediately after death, contractions were pro- 

 duced ; but the same is the case when the animal is poisoned 

 with curare, and the contractions are due to the poison not 

 having had sufficient time to exert its full action. 



The complete cessation of vomiting after division of the vagi 

 seems to indicate that the poison produces emesis by acting on 

 the peripheral terminations of the vagi, and not on any nerve 



centre. 



Action of Cohra-poiso7i on Secreting Nerves, 



A notable symptom of cobra-poison in dogs is great 

 salivation ; and this might be supposed at first sight to indicate 

 that the poison acted as an irritant to the secreting nerves of 



