THEIR NATUEB AND EfFEC'i'S. ] 1 



usually described, as in the case given, as being of a 

 stinging and burning character. The site of the wound 

 may also become swollen, red, and painful on pressure. 

 The evidence of the pain occurring in dogs is very 



»olear: the animal often turns round and licks the 

 bitten spot ; and if it is the leg that is wounded, it either 

 limps on that leg, or, what is more usiial, it draws it 

 up, so as to raise it- and relieve it completely of the 



^ ■weight of the body. This action has been termed 

 paralysis of the bitten leg, due to the local contact of 

 the poison with the muscles. Now, though it can be 

 proved that the local effect of cobra-poison on muscle 

 is to weaken it, yet after the bite of a cobra a very small 

 extent of muscle indeed comes in contact with the 

 poison, very often none at all ; and if the limb were 

 really paralysed, it would hang uselessly down, dragging 

 upon the ground, instead of being drawn up. 



An interval now occurs before the accession of any 

 fresh symptom, but its length varies greatly in different 

 cases. In that of the man quoted it was fifteen minutes; 

 but this is probably considerably under the average 

 time. In anoiher case, related by the same careful 

 observer, an hour and a quarter elapsed in this way; and 

 an intelligent eye-witness, who described a case with 

 great accuracy as to details, stated four hours was 

 passed before any change was noticed. Taking into 

 consideration all the evidence on the subject, it appears 

 probable that in the majority of cases of cobra-bite in 



