30 SNAKE-POISON AND ITS ACTION. 



paralysed respiration, heart, and vaso-motors almost 

 simultaneously, and caused the blood pressure to fall 

 to 0. By the kymograph respirations were found to 

 become shallower in proportion to their frequency. As 

 the latter was reduced, they became at first deeper, 

 but ere long shallower again, and were occasionally 

 interrupted by spasmodic inspirations. Artificial 

 respiration prolonged life for a short time only. 



C— Action on Centres of Cranial Nerves. 



Among the symptoms denoting paresis of motor- 

 centres of cranial nerves, together with sympathetic 

 ganglia, the first and most noteworthy is the early 

 dilatation of the pupil. This truly pathognomic con- 

 dition is never absent, and becomes intense when 

 paresis becomes intensified into paralysis. The most 

 glaring light, in immediate proximity to the eyeball, 

 has then no effect whatever on the pupil. If it 

 remains dilated after strychnine injections have restored 

 consciousness and the power to walk, it is a sure sign 

 that the snake-poison is not completely counteracted, 

 and will in all probability re-assert itself, necessitating 

 another injection, whilst a pupil restored to its normal 

 condition justifies the conclusion that the patient is 

 safe. 



Another symptom denoting paresis of the cranial 

 nerve-centres is a marked change in the expression of 

 the face. The features become relaxed, and lose their 



