THEIE NATUEE AND EFFECTS. 43 



into several different sites, or into a spot where absorp- 

 tion is very active. The other is clearly dependent on 

 some secondary change produced by the poison, pro- 

 bably in the blood, for which time is necessary; for if 

 the part into which the poison has been injected be 

 excised before the occurrence of a single constitutional 

 symptom, yet, nevertheless, the animal may die appa- 

 rently as rapidly as if no interference had been attempted, 

 showing that the mere presence of the poison in the 

 blood, even in sufficient quantity to kill, is not capable 

 of producing directly a physiological efFoct. On the 

 other hand, to prevent grave misconception, it should 

 be stated that it is quite possible to save life by excision 

 of the bitten part, if it be done sufficiently quickly to 

 prevent any material absorption. 



But that the changes in the blood are not consider- 

 able there is abundant evidence. Thus, when an animal 

 has survived the nerve symptoms produced by cobra- 

 poison, it at once passes into a state of complete health, 

 and to suffer no further inconvenience from blood- 

 poisoning or other causes, save the local inflammation 

 produced by the bite. The evidence of this, in the 

 following experiment, is very conclusive : — 



Experiment XIV. 



A large pariah dog had five milligrammes (-j^ of a 

 grafc) of dried cobra-poison dissolved in 0*3 cubic 

 centimetre of distilled water injected into its hind-leg. 



