1904 Thr Zoologist — November, 1869. 



survived the bite of a powerful, fresh and full-grown daboia nearly 

 twelve hours. 



" The difference in the effects of the poison of the daboia and 

 cobra in these two cases is very remarkable, not only as to the dura- 

 tion of life in the animals bitten, but also in the pathological con- 

 ditions before and after death. The mare bitten by the cobra was 

 rapidly affected — staggered, became exhausted, and died in less than 

 an hour and a half. The post-mortem examination showed distinct 

 rigor mortis, firm coagulation of the blood ; the heart and large ves- 

 sels, aorta as well as venae cavae, distended by firm ante and post- 

 mortem coagula. The lungs were very slightly congested, frothy 

 when cut into, and on the anterior surface rather pale and bloodless 

 than the reverse, whilst all the abdominal viscera were equally free 

 from congestion. The horse bitten by the daboia, on the other hand, 

 was affected very slowly, and seemed to doze his life away until just 

 at the last, when a few unconscious plunges terminated his existence : 

 the post-mortem examiuation in this case showed less cadaveric 

 rigidity, fluid blood, empty cardiac cavities, and lungs and other 

 viscera congested. But it is to be noted that the cobra bit more vigo- 

 rously, forced his fangs deeper, and had to deal with a more feeble 

 animal than the daboia, who bit a more powerful and healthy horse, 

 and did not insert his teeth with such vigour as the cobra. The 

 snakes were both fresh and fully grown, and their terrible power was 

 strikingly illustrated by the death of these two horses. 



" The difference observed in the pathological appearances and 

 state of the blood after death may probably be accounted for by the 

 greater rapidity of death in one case, rather than by any essential 

 difference in the nature of the action of the poisons : the mare bitten 

 by the cobra died in eighty minutes, and after death the blood coagu- 

 lated firmly, and was found distending the heart and great vessels 

 with firm coagula. Death was probably caused by the rapid effects of 

 the poison on the nerve centres before the blood had time to be 

 thoroughly devitalized. In the other case, where death did not occur 

 for nearly twelve hours, there was no coagulation either in or out of 

 the heart or vessels ; sufficient time had elapsed to allow the blood to 

 be thus thoroughly changed. 1 am inclined to believe that if death 

 were protracted after a cobra bite, the condition of the blood would be 

 as it was in the case of the daboia bite." — ^Indian Medical Gazette'' 



for November^ 1868. 



C. HORNE. 

 3, Bernard Villas, Upper Norwood. 



