CAPABLE OF COMMON AND EASY PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 161 



advocated may produce good results, even when it is not put 

 into operation until considerably longer periods than in any of 

 the above experiments, especially when only slightly supra- 

 minimal lethal doses have been received into the tissues. 



Conchtsions. 



Further experiments will be necessary to ascertain the exact 

 limits of the value of this form of treatment, and they will be 

 undertaken immediately by one of us (Eogers) in India, fresh 

 venoms being tried, as it is possible that they may be more 

 rapidly absorbed than those which have been dried and 

 redissolved. We think, however, that the results reported in 

 this communication are sufficiently promising to make it 

 advisable to place them on record, with a view to a trial being 

 given to the method in suitable cases, especially as the crystals 

 of permanganate of potash are actively antiseptic without 

 acting as more than a superficial escharotic, so that the treat- 

 ment has no markedly injurious effect which can be weighed 

 for an instant against the terrible results of bites by venomous 

 snakes. The process here recommended has already yielded 

 experimental results far in advance of anything hitherto 

 attained. 



It is w^orthy of note that the earlier experiments of the first 

 two authors were stopped nearly 30 years ago by the passing 

 of the Act for regulating experiments on animals in England, 

 but for which this logical sequence of their earlier work might 

 very probably have been made many years ago. 



(95) M 



