222 EFFECTS OF THE BITE OF A. RATTLESNAKE. 



Ai>p -arances bitten, the body had the natural appearance. The skin 

 ou(!;s4ieLnon. ^^_^^ clear and white; and the muscles contracted. 



The wounds made by the fangs at the base of the thumb 

 wti-e healed, but the puncture made by the lancet at the 

 back of the wrist was still open. That part of the back of 

 the hand, which immediately surrounded the wounds made 

 by the fai.L^s, for the extent of if inch in every direction, 

 as also the whole of the palm, was in a natural state, ex- 

 cept that there was a small quantity of extravasated blood 

 in the cellular membrane. The orifice of the abscess was 

 enlarged, so as to form a sore on the outside of the arm, 

 elbowij, and forearm, near six inches in length. Around 

 this, the skin was in a state of iflortification, more than 

 half way up the outside of the arm, and as far downwards, 

 on the outside of the forearm. The skin still adhered to 

 the biceps flexor muscle ia the ai-m, and flexor muscles in 

 the forearm, by a dark coloured cellular membrane. 

 Every where else in the arm and forearm, from the axilla 

 downward, the skin was separated from the muscles, and 

 between these parts there was a dark coloured fluid, with 

 an ofl^ensive smell, and sloughs of cellular membrane re- 

 sembling wet tow, floating in it. The muscles had their 

 natural appearance every where, except on the surface, 

 which was next the abscess. Beyond tl.e limits of the 

 abscess, blood was extravasated in the cellular membrane; 

 and this appearance was observable on the right side of the 

 back as far as the loins; and on the right side of the chest 

 • over the serratus major anticus muscle. 



In the thorax the lungs had their natural appearance. 

 The exterior pait of the loose fold of the pericardium, 

 where it is exposed on elevating the sternum, was dry, re- 

 sembling a dried bladder. The cavity of the pericardium 

 contained lialf an ounce of serous fluid, which had a frothy 

 ap})earance, from an admixture of bubbles of air. On 

 cutting into the aorta, a small quantity of blood escaped, 

 which had a similar appearance. 'J^e cavities of the heart 

 contained coagulated blood. 



In the abdomen, the caidiac portion of the stomach was 

 tnoderatc'ly distended with fluid: tlie pyloric portion was 



much 



