SNAKE POISONS.' 257 



this terrific poison as I found to my cost. In February, 1883, 1 read 

 a paper before the Institute, " On the poisonous snakes of North 

 America," pointing out in theory the use of iodine as a remedy and 

 little deemed I should be personally the fir.st on whom it was to be 

 tested. 



After the above mentioned snakes heads had been duly softened 

 I very cautiously manipulated them, opening their mouths and 

 examining the fangs with a powerful hand glass. Previously, that 

 morning in lifting a stove-stick I received a small abrasion and some 

 slight scratches on the ring finger of my right hand. I worked 

 away among this fluid for about three hours, the abrasions being 

 constantly immersed, and at first smarted a little, but this soon 

 subsided, and I continued my investigations and my notes. I then 

 drove into the country for a couple of hours and was unconscious of 

 any pains or annoyance whatever from the poison. About six in 

 the evening there was a dead numbness and great pain in the ring 

 finger and all up my arm, but I took little notice of it. At no time 

 did it extend above the shoulder. Then I became dizzy and squeamish, 

 but these symptoms were transient, but the pain and numbness were 

 continual and persistent and I asked myself what had i)roduced it. 

 I was asked if I had got my arm hurt? No, I had not. 



Were you working M'ith strychnine or other poisons'? No, I was 

 not. What were you doing with the snakes' venomous heads ? ^Has 

 that caused it ? No. Yes ! Yes perhaps. I felt very heavy. I 

 belittled the matter but felt truly alarmed. I then mixed a dram of 

 iodide of potash in two ounces of cinnamon water and swallowed it. 

 In ten minutes I did so again. Then in a few minutes more I took 

 an ounce of spirit of nitre in water and mucilage and a glass of 

 whisky. The relief was very rapid and I cannot have been mistaken 

 in attributing the quick relief to the remedy I took. It was no 

 fancy. It was a fact. I took some more whisky and a little after 

 nine o'clock I took a glass of strong brandy punch and went to bed. 

 The pain decreased but my arm felt as if recovering from a heavy 

 blow. I began to perspire and soon fell, asleep. Next morning I 

 was nearly all better, and in a few days I was quite well. 



In snake bites a deal depends as to deadliness, on the size and species 

 of snake, the season of the year, autumn and extremely hot weather 

 being worst, and the part bitten. A bite in the throat, an artery or 



