372 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Symptoms of Viperine Venom Poisoning. 



The symptoms of Viperine poisoning are as follows :— 

 Intense but not prolonged smarting, discolouration, and swelling 

 at the site of the fang punctures. Within twenty minutes the 

 venom begins to bring about constitutional symptoms such as 

 giddiness, and irregular fluctuating pulse. The skin grows cold 

 and ckmmy, the pupils of the eyes are dilated, followed by intense 

 nausea and vomiting, often accompanied with evacuations from 

 the bowels. If death fails to take place within twelve hours, the 

 sweUing becomes more extensive. If the bite be on the lower 

 part of the leg, the swelHng gradually extends upwards and into 

 the body. At the same time haemorrhage from the walls of the 

 capillary blood vessels takes place, causing purple patches, more 

 o: less large, to appear in various parts of the body. Oozing of 

 blood from the mouth, lining membrane of stomach, bowels, 

 bladder, and eyes occur. 



The swelling is progressive, and extends up into the body. 

 There is intense thirst and great dryness of the mouth and throat. 

 Pupil of eye dilates. The breathing becomes difficult, then 

 stertorous, with loss of consciousness and death. The heart con- 

 tinues to beat for ten or fifteen minutes after breathing ceases. 



How to Collect Snake Venom. 



One of the best ways to collect quite pure Cobra venom for 

 purposes of experimentation and chemical analysis is to procure 

 a large and strong watch-glass, as convex as possible. Obtain a 

 piece of sheet rubber or thin glazed cloth, preferably the latter. 

 Stretch this loosely over the rim of the concave side of the 

 watch-glass, bunch it up and tie it at the centre of the convex 

 side. Hold the hve snake by the neck, the forefinger of the 

 right hand (unless you are left-handed) round its throat, and the 

 thumb pressed firmly on the back of its neck, just behind the head. 

 Seize the tail firmly in the left hand. If the watch-glass can be 

 fitted into some fixture, all the better and safer. Faihng this, an 

 assistant holds it with his fingers and presses its edge against 

 the front of the lower jaw of the snake. The reptile instantly 

 bites, its fangs penetrate the stretched rubber or cloth, and 

 the venom is discharged on the concave side of the glass. If 

 it should show a desire to grip firmly and hold on, quickly 



