230 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL EISfORt SOCIM'Y, VolXlV, 



and tlie fowls no longer die. Who has not heard of the magic stone, 

 of the virtue of vein leaves, both when locally applied and when 

 internally administered, of spells and incantations ? What remedy 

 has not been tried and vamited as a specific for these cases ? Strych- 

 nine, alcohol, pushed to cause helpless drunkenness, &c., have all 

 at various times been praised and put forward as absolutely infallible. 

 All these methods and drugs, and many others besides, have had, 

 however, to give way before the test of scientific research. While, 

 however, scientists have so ruthlessly demolished all these so-called 

 specifics, they have given us a remedy, certain and trustworthy, for 

 at least all cases of Cobra bite. I speak, ladies and gentlemen, of the 

 anti-venomous serum prepared by Dr. Calinette of Lille, which 

 can be procured and easily used by any one. I have carefully guarded 

 myself by saying that this serum is useful at least for all cases of 

 Cobra bite, for while Martin of Melbourne has shown that it has 

 little or no power to neutralise the poisons of two poisonous Australian 

 snakes, viz., Pseiidechis and the dreaded Hoplocephahts^ I have demon- 

 strated in many experiments with different animals that it is of no 

 avail whatever in counteracting the poisonous effects of Daboia venom. 

 I have not yet tested it with the venom of the Krait family or with 

 that of the Bchis, but from d priori reasons it is almost certain 

 that it would have no power whatever to neutralise either of these 

 poisons.* But it is a great step in advance that we have at hand an 

 antidote to the venom of the Cobra, certain and reliable if properly 

 administered. If such is possible to obtain, then we have hopes, 

 amounting almost to certainty, that anti-toxic sera will ultimately 

 be obtained for the poisons of our other snakes. Such, then, is the 

 position of the question at the present day as far as our Indian 

 snakes are concerned. I am quite aware that Calmette claims that 

 his sernm is equally effective against every kind of snake venom. But 

 Martin, Cunningham, Stephens, Hanna and myself have shown beyond 

 a doubt that this statement is an untrue one and must be considerably 

 modified. As regards the reasons for this opinion, both d priori and 

 experimental, it is unnecessary for me to enter into any polemical 

 discussion. I have already done that elsewhere. 



Note. — Since writing tliia I have made some series of experiments with Calmelte^S 

 serum and the venom of Bungarus faeciatus. These experiments, which are in 

 process of publication, definitely show that this serum has no neutralising action with 

 this venom. My a jyriorl reasoning was, therefore, correct. 



