The Zoologist — ^November, 18C9. 1903 



that I have seen, after many observations, supports the view in ques- 

 tion ; and I am constrained to believe that the change in the blood is 

 of a much more subtle character than can be detected by the micro- 

 scope. Moreover, in rapid death, as for example, when it occurs in 

 from thirty to forty seconds, it is impossible that such developmental 

 changes could have taken place. The cause of death is evidently an 

 impression made on the nerve centres through the medium of the 

 circulation ; but it is, I think, evident also that it is one of a dynamical 

 nature, and not immediately dependent on any structural changes that 

 may, if any do, occur in the blood, and can be seen with the micro- 

 scope. When death is protracted, and the venom has thus time 

 to set up blood changes, as in the case of zymotic poisoning, I can 

 well imagine that the blood, as such, becomes unfitted for the pur- 

 poses of life, and that death results in consequence of these changes ; 

 but I have not as yet seen anything to confirm this view of the cause 

 of death, nor do the post-mortem appearances show that it is due to 

 asphyxia, from pulmonary congestion or embarrassment. I do not, 

 however, positively assert that such is not the case ; I merely record 

 the fact that, up to the present time, I have been unable to discover 

 the blood changes discovered by Professor Halford: further investi- 

 gations may lead me to a different opinion. 



Experiments on Snake-Poison, hy Dr. Fayrer, M.D., Calcutta. — 

 " I am indebted to Messrs. Greenhill and Rutherford, Veterinary- 

 Surgeons, for the opportunity of making the following experiments : — 



" The horses experimented on had been condemned to be destroyed 

 for the disease, partial paraplegia (" gone in the loins"), and were 

 placed at my disposal by the above gentlemen, for whose valuable 

 aid in noticing the symptoms and recording the pathological con- 

 ditions I am under much obligation. The disease, though incapaci- 

 tating the animal for work, is not such as to reduce bis strength so 

 much as to vitiate the evidence derived from the effects upon him of 

 the poison ; and I believe these experiments may be accepted as fair 

 illustrations of the action of snake-poison on the larger animals. The 

 subjects experimented on were a stud bred mare about 14 hands 3 in. 

 high, and aged twenty-seven years, suffering from partial paraplegia, 

 and an Australian horse, 15 hands 1 in. high, nine years old, a 

 powerful animal and in good condition, although also paraplegic. 

 The mare succumbed in an hour and twenty minutes, from the effects 

 of the bite of a large cobra, whilst the younger and stronger horse 



