PREFACE 



The following is an attempt to present in a concise 

 form the chief features of snake-poisoning as seen in 

 India. The object that has been kept in view has been 

 to define, as closely as possible, the conditions on 

 which the mortality from snake-bite depends, both as 

 regards the physiological nature of the poisoning 

 process, and the relations between the reptiles and their 

 ■victims, so as to indicate the way in ■which we should 

 best proceed with the hope of diminishing the fearful 

 mortality that exists. 



The observations were made by the author in India 

 under the auspices of the Government. It was during 

 the experiments made for the purpose of finding out 

 the exact cause of the fatal results — one of the first 

 steps that must be taken whenever a method of treat- 

 ment is sought — that the great and numerous differences 

 in*the effects of the various poisons became manifest. 



Although every effort has been made to test the- 



