152 METHOD OF PREVENTING DEATH FROM SNAKE BITE, 



The plan now proposed is to make a free opening into the site 

 of the bite, and to rub in crystals of permanganate. For this 

 purpose the limb should be surrounded by a tight bandage above 

 the bite, the puncture of the tooth or teeth should be freely cut 

 into by the lance-shaped blade and the crystals of permanganate 

 introduced and rubbed round. A few drops of saliva may be 

 added. 



To test the efficacy of the proposed plan, several lethal doses 

 of venom dissolved in a few drops of water, go as to resemble, as 

 far as possible, the natural poison, are to be injected into the 

 limb of an animal, a ligature placed round the limb above the 

 seat of injection, an incision made, and crystals of permanganate 

 placed in the wound, moistened and rubbed in. 



Experimental Investigation, hy Leonard Rogers. 



In order to test in as practical a manner as possible the value 

 of the suggestion of the two first-named authors of this com- 

 munication,' the following experiments were carried out at the 

 Physiological Laboratory of the London University by the 

 third-named author. In the first place it was necessary to 

 ascertain if crystals of permanganate destroy the activity of 

 other venoms besides that of the cobra, for we are not aware that 

 its action in this direction has been tested against any extensive 

 series of snake venoms. As the value of the suggested 

 treatment would evidently be greatly enhanced if the per- 

 manganate could be shown to act efficiently against every class 

 of snake venom, a series of experiments were carried out to test 

 this point. The venoms in solution were mixed with small 

 quantities of a 10-per-cent solution of pure crystalline per- 

 manganate of potash in 0*9 per cent. NaCl, and after given 

 times the mixtures were injected into pigeons, several times a 

 lethal dose of each venom being used, so that if recovery took 

 place it would be evident that the permanganate had destroyed 

 the activity of the poisons. The following table (p. lol) 

 summarises the results of these experiments. 



It will be seen that the table includes venoms of each main 

 subdivision of snakes, namely the two true vipers, the Daboia 

 Bussellii of India and the Puff Adder of Africa, the Pit Viper, 



