EFFECTS OF THE feiTE OF A RATTLESNAKlit g^^ 



^uch contracted ; th^ internal membrane had its vessels Appearances 

 %ery turgid with blood. The intestines and liver had a ^*" *^^-^^*'^'^'^"" 

 healthy appearance. The gall bladder was rnoderateiy full 

 of healthy bile. The lacteals and the thoracic duct were 

 empty ; they had a natural appearance. 



in the cranium the vessels of tlie pia mater and bralu 

 were turgid with blood; the ventricles contained rather ^ 

 more water than is usual, and water was efluscil into tiie 

 cells, connecting the pia mater and tunica arachnoidtes. ll 

 is to be observed, that these sippearances in the brain and 

 its membranes are very frequently found in cases of acute 

 diseases, which terminate fatally, 



Mr. Home then adds two caries, that were ?ent front 

 India to the late Dr. Patrick Ilussell, which correspond in 

 many of the circumstances with the preceding; and an ex- 

 periment he made formerly in the island of St. Lucia en 

 the effects of the poison of a snake on two rats, 'i'he first 

 <:ase is that of a boy, who was bitten by a snake, called 

 A-dww/^e by the natives, in the lower part of the arm, at 8 

 o'clock in the evening. The blood flowed very freely fo^ 

 some time. He died next day at noon in great pain. 



The second is that of a sepoy, 60 years of age, bitten 

 on the Vrack part of the hand by a cobrd di capclfo. He re-* 

 covered, though slowly. 



The paper concludes with the following observations. 



It appears from the facts, which have been stated, that Effects of the 

 the effects of the bite of a snake vary according to the inten- "Jtesof siiakcs 

 sity of the poison. 



When the poison is very activp, the local irritation is so When ihe 

 sudden and so violent, and its effects on the general system poison is very 

 are so great, that death soon takes place. When the body 

 is afterward inspected, the only alteration of siructure met 

 with is in the parts close to the bite, where the ceilular 

 membrane is completely destroyed, and the ne;g|-:bouring 

 niuj-cles very considerably inflamed. 



When the poison is less intense, the shock to tlie ypncr.'\t v7hca 'eo so» 

 system does not prove futul. It brings o.i a siigiit degree 

 of delirium, and the pain in the part bitten is very severe: 

 in about half an hour, swelling takes place from an e{Tu;,i.>a 

 of serum in the cellular meuibraue. wliicu continues to in- 



