BITTEN BY A RINGHALS. 491 



to take a photo when it reared, for we desired its photograph 

 ^vith hood expanded. The reptile would not do anything of 

 the kind. It lay as though dead. Its mouth gaped, and its 

 head and neck were twisted in the attitude of a snake which 

 had recently died. We prodded it with long sticks and turned 

 it over and over, but not a sign of life did it show. 



Becoming bolder, my assistant ventured rather near. Then, 

 in a second the snake reared a foot and a half of the anterior 

 part of its body, and the venturesome man received a shower of 

 finely-sprayed venom on his face and coat. Fortunately he had 

 previously donned a pair of curved spectacles, so none got into 

 his eyes. We carefully inspected his face to see if there were 

 any abrasions. He felt rather nervous because he had shaved a 

 few hours previously and his skin was tender in places. A few 

 minutes later I noticed thousands of tiny specks of venom, 

 ghstening in the sun, on his blue serge coat. 



After this ineffectual attempt to blind its aggressor, the 

 Ringhals glided away, endeavouring to find some place of con- 

 cealment. Getting annoyed, I prodded it with my stick, where- 

 upon it again reared and, this time, sprayed my face, neck and 

 coat with venom. I too wore spectacles, so no harm was done. 



Bitten by a Ringhals. Injecting Normal Salt Solution. 



Dr. H. Claude Wright, Medical Superintendent of the Victoria 

 Cottage Hospital, Wynberg, Cape Province, writes me as 

 follows : — 



" A railway labourer was admitted to hospital at 2 p.m., 

 having been bitten by a Ringhals at 11 a.m. He was collapsed, 

 livid, and semi-conscious— almost pulseless, which was very 

 rapid and uncountable. He was approaching death. I adminis- 

 tered a large dose of brandy, and immediately transfused him 

 in the left median vein to the extent of three and a half pints of 

 Normal Saline Solution, at the same time opening the median 

 vein in the right arm. At first very Uttle blood flowed out, but 

 as the dynamic pressure asserted itself due to the saline, he bled 

 freely to the extent of a quart by measure, some being lost in 

 the bed. His condition thereupon improved, and, with the 

 addition of plenty of hot boric and brandy, by the night he was 

 much better. His convalescence was uneventful with the 



