﻿PERSONS BITTEN BY SNAKES. 329 



while he was sitting on the ground ; and that he put 

 himawav with his hand once, but that he turned about 

 and bit him, as described. 1 he snake was brought to 

 me, which I examined : it was about two feet and a half 

 long, of a lightish brown colour on the back, a white 

 belly, and annulated from end to end with 208 abdo- 

 minal, and forty-six tail scuta. I have met with se- 

 veral of them from thirteen inches to near three feet 

 in length : it had two poisonous fangs in the upper 

 jaw, which lay naked, with their points without the up- 

 per lip. It does not spread its neck, like the Cobra de 

 Capello) when enraged ; but is very active and quick 

 in its motion. 



I have seen instances of persons bitten by snakes, 

 who have been so long without assistance, that, when 

 they have been brought to me, they have not been able 

 to swallow, from convulsions of the throat and fauces, 

 which is, I observe, a constant symptom of the bite 

 of the Qobra de Cafiello: and indeed I have had many 

 persons brought to me who had been dead some 

 time ; but never knew an instance of the volatile caus- 

 tic alkali failing in its effect, where the patient has 

 been able to swallow it, 



Y4 



