1890 The Zoologist— November, 18G9. 



feet long, which closed its jaws upon the place, holding on for some 

 seconds. Several other attempts were made to make the cobra bite 

 again ; but it is not certain whether a second bite was given or not. 

 The slut was then tied up, and meat was offered to her about an hour 

 afterwards, at the instance of the kelaree, which she refused. He 

 subsequently gave this as a reason why he thought his antidote had 

 not been quite powerful enough ; but said confidently, that the re- 

 maining effects of the poison would pass off in a few hours. The 

 slut showed no symptoms of distress or lethargy for two hours, after 

 which she lay down and appeared drowsy. The kelaree then 

 administered a second dose of his antidote, which in the course of an 

 hour entirely dissipated all drowsiness and weakness. At 1 p.m., the 

 slut having been for about an hour and a half lively and apparently 

 well, was let loose and ran away to the neighbouring village to which 

 she belonged. 



4. Another dog, full grown, in good condition and apparent health, 

 was bitten at 8 45' 50" a.m. by a cobra over four feet long, the snake 

 closing its jaws upon the place. Strong symptoms of uneasiness after 

 three minutes, with very hurried and spasmodic breathing; pupil of 

 eye vjolently acted on ; in about fifteen minutes action of the heart 

 much enfeebled and very hurried; pupil of eye still more evi- 

 dently under a foreign influence; very shortly after this the breath- 

 ing became more hurried and the animal very restless; frothy 

 saliva also began to flow freely ; the kelaree asserted the dog 

 would go mad. Shortly afterwards, on putting anything within reach 

 of his mouth, he snapped spasmodically and laid hold of a rope, but 

 more convulsively than with any object. The first effects seemed to 

 be excitement and distress, followed by considerable lethargy; after 

 which its muscular eflx)rts appeared to be nervously spasmodic, 

 excited by some foreign influence, and evidently not voluntary. The 

 hinder extremities first appeared to lose power ; action of the heart 

 hurried, weak and intermittent; about this period the pupil of the eye 

 became fixed, lower jaw powerless, tongue lolling out and of a bluish 

 black colour ; breathing distressed, hurried and spasmodic, with only 

 partial expansion of the chest. Died easily, after one or two spas- 

 modic gasps, at 9'29 a.m., that is, in forty minutes and ten seconds 

 after being bitten. Just before death it showed a dislike to the pre- 

 sence of water. — ' Indian Medical Gazette.' 



PS. (by the compiler). — Experiments Nos 2 and 4 appear to have 

 been quite unnecessary, as all know that animals die of cobra biles 

 and the symptoms have often been described. '' 



