406 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Fraser and Elliot, however, have pointed out that there is 

 much greater respiratory embarrassment with Enhydrina 

 venom than cobra venom, and this is accounted for by the 

 fact that in Enhydrina poisoning, the heart and blood vessels 

 are practically unaffected by any direct action of the venom, 

 whereas in cobra toxaemia both are markedly affected. Again, 

 the paralysis of the end plates of the phrenic nerves is more 

 pronounced than in cobra poisoning. 



In the human subject then one would expect a clinical 

 picture such as I have portrayed under the cobra. Over and 

 above this, one would expect a greater degree of respiratory 

 embarrassment. Haemorrhages are not so likely to occur, and 

 the local effects, according to Lamb, are slight. Death, as in 

 other Colubrine toxsemiae, is due to a paralysis of the 

 respiratory centre. 



(j) Illustrative Case : It is very remarkable that in spite of 

 the abundance of this snake, literature does not furnish a single 

 casualty in the human subject. 



(k) Treatment : Fraser and Elliot have shown that 

 Calmette's antivenene has a very feeble action in neutralizing 

 the effects of the poison, so that this agent or the Kasauli 

 preparation may be tried. Otherwise treatment should be 

 symptomatic, and on the lines laid down for cobra poisoning. 



Epizoa and Epiphyta ; The following have been communi- 

 cated to me by Dr. Annandale : — 



(a) Polyzoa : Alcyonidium mytili (Dalzell). 



(b) Barnacles : Platylepas ophiophilus (Lankester). 

 This latter has only been found on seasnakes. 

 Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral : Rather deeper than 



broad, projecting below the level of the lip. Nasals : The 

 outer suture passes to the 1st supralabial. Prefrontals : 

 Touch the 2nd supralabial. Frontal : Entire ; longer than 

 broad ; the fr onto -parietal sutures subequal to or longer than 

 the fronto -supraoculars. Parietals : Entire. Prseocular : 

 One. Postoculars ; One or two. Temporals : Variable ; 

 usually one large anterior nearly descending to the labial 

 margin. Supralabials : Seven or eight ; the first four usually 

 entire, the rest subject to much variation. Sublinguals : 

 Usually absent ; two small pairs, both widely separated by 



