SNAKES OF CEYLON. 519 



(1) Pain : Where venom has been injected pain is an 

 almost certain symptom. It is burning or stinging in 

 character, often extremely acute, and it comes on immediately. 

 It is possible that the stings of certain other creatures, such as 

 scorpions, spiders, hornets, &c, might be as severe, and as 

 rapidly produced ; but if pain is experienced only to the 

 degree normally met with in ordinary wounds from mechanical 

 agency, it is highly probable that poison has not been in- 

 troduced. The pain due to the poison may be masked by 

 that produced by surgical interference, that evoked by local 

 remedies of a caustic nature, such as acids and permanganate 

 of potash, and also that occasioned by ligatures which is 

 usually very distressing. 



(2) Swelling : Snake venom is an extremely powerful 

 local irritant, and as such causes swelling in the injured part 

 almost at once, similar to that seen after the bite of a mos- 

 quito. Swelling to an equal degree, and as rapidly manifested, 

 might result from insect or scorpion stings. If, however, no 

 trace of swelling accompanies the wound, there is good reason 

 to consider that no poison has gained entry, and the longer 

 the interval since the bite the greater the justification for 

 assuming a non-venomized wound. 



(3) Bleeding : One of the chief effects of snake venom, 

 whether Colubrine or Viperine in quality, is its power of 

 reducing the coagulability of the blood, and this fact affords 

 very valuable information as to whether or not venom has 

 been introduced into a wound, since when it has gained entry 

 a constant oozing of thin bloody serum results, which often 

 continues for many hours. In a case recorded by Lamb and 

 Hanna this continued for 24 hours . If lacerations or punctures 

 are seen sealed up with blood within a few minutes of the 

 casualty, as in the case of ordinary wounds, there is very 

 strong justification for believing that no poison has been 

 injected. 



(4) Tissue Changes : Should the presence of any of the 

 above local conditions call for local operative measures, the 



