o 



60 CLASS REPTILIA. 



greater and greater intensity ; fierce shooting pains are felt 

 at some distance from the wound, and a sort of fire seems to 

 insinuate itself into the intermuscular spaces. At the end of 

 a few minutes the eyes, which are red and burning, water 

 abundantly. This is speedily followed by sAvoonings, nausea, 

 bilious vomitings, pains in the stomach, difficult breathing, 

 heart-burn, a cold and colliquative sweat, tympany, sharp 

 pains in the loins, a relaxation of the sphincter of the anus, 

 a paralysis of the neck of the bladder, and, consequently, 

 involuntary stools and evacuations of urine. The pulse is 

 small, hard, concentrated, intermittent, and even convulsive, 

 and the skin becomes as pale as virgin wax, or as yellow 

 as lemon-peel, while a black, watery, and sanious blood 

 flows from the wound, which presents a gangrenous appear- 

 ance. 



If these fearful symptoms be not speedily assuaged by the 

 force of nature, or the assistance of art, the scene changes 

 and assumes a still more terrific character. A yellowish 

 serosity, and without consistence, takes place of the blood 

 which was escaping through the wounds, the neighbourhood 

 of which is then invaded by a soft oedema, and is covered 

 with small pellucid vesicles announcing the approaching de- 

 velopment of a sphacelus which is the precursor of death. 

 A period, however, is not put to the sufferings of the unfor- 

 tunate victim, until he has been left some time longer a prey 

 to a violent cephalalgia, fatiguing vertigoes, excessive prostra- 

 tion of strength, an overwhelming and involuntary terror, a 

 devouring thirst, repeated bleedings at the nose, and passive 

 and disgusting haemorrhages from the gums and the mucous 

 membrane of the rectum. 



To these symptoms are often united the most insupportable 

 fetidity of breath, convulsive hiccoughs, and inexpressible 

 anguish, and death does not terminate them until the most ex- 

 treme degree of prostration has taken place. 



