^Q(\ KFFECTS OP TKB BITE OF A RATTLESNAKE. 



ffTrctiof the unusnal la his bdiuviour. After leaving Mr. Hanbury the 

 ^*®* hand began to swell, which alarmed him, and he went to 



St, George's hospital. He arrived there at three o'clock. 

 T'le wristband of his shirt had been unloosed, ^nd the 

 swelling had extended half \vay up the foje-arui before [iia 

 admission. The sV.io on the back of his \\a.nd was very 

 tense, and tlie part very painful. At four o'clock the 

 swelling extencled to the elbow, and at half past four it had 

 reached half way up the arm, and the pain had extended 

 to the axilla. At this time Mr. Brodie, who visited him in 

 Riy absence, first ^^avv him; he fovmd the skin cold; the 

 man's answers were incoherent : his pulse beat 100 strokes^ 

 i;i a. minute, c^nd he compluined of sickness. 



At 9 o'clock he had the feeling of great depression, hi& 

 •skin was cold, aijd his pulse weajcj be?^ting 80 strokes in s, 

 minute. At a quarter after 10 the pain had become very 

 violent in the arm : his pulse was stronger, but tits of fa,int- 

 nfss attack^ed him everj'^ fifteen minutes, iu vyhich the pulse 

 was not perceptible ; vet irv the interval hi& spirits were less 

 depresses;!. At half after 11 the hand and arm were much 

 sv.'elled, up to the top of the shoulder, aud into the armpit. 

 T'le arm v/as quite cold, and no pulse could be feltj evei^ 

 is;i the armpit, where the swelling was. such a,s to prevent 

 the artery from being acciirately distinguished, The 

 wounds made on the thumb were just perceptible; those 

 on the finger were very distinct. |^is skin in general was 

 oiiusually cold, 



In the morning of the 18tli liis pulse beat 132 strokes in 

 n minute, and was very feeble. The swelling had not ex-i 

 i traded upward to the n^ck, but there was a fulness dovxn 



the f'ide, and blood was extravasatcd under the skin as low 

 as. the loins, giving the back on the right side a mottled 

 appearance. The whole of the arm and hand was cold, but 

 painful vvhen pressed; the skin was very tens*^ ; on the in- 

 side pf the arm vesications had formed below the ar!;iipit 

 and near the elbow, and under each of the blisters w^s a, 

 red spot of the size of a crown. The skin generally over 

 t\ie body had become warm. At noon the skin of the whole 

 ^rm find a livid appearance, similar to what is met with in a 

 {]■ i!(l l)ody, when putrefaction has begun to take place, 



ixnlik«5 



