68 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



tracing taken from a fowl that died from daboia- 

 poisoning. In the first line no change will he perceived, 

 in the second line the breathing becomes slightly- 

 exaggerated, and then instantly, at the spot marked 

 thus (*), the convulsions begin, and do not cease till 

 death. Eespiration was perfectly well performed up to 

 the moment of the invasion of the convulsions, which, 

 therefore, could not have been due to asphyxia. 



But the following experiment is still more conclusive 

 on this point. 



Experiment XVIII. 



A fowl had its trachea opened, and a tube in connec- 

 tion with a bellows, for artificial respiration, inserted 

 into it. A solution, containing two centigrammes 

 ("3 grain) of dried daboia-poison, was then injected 

 suhcutaneously into its leg. Immediately on the 

 injection being completed, artificial respiration was 

 commenced. 



8.23 P.M. Injection. 



2.23J P.M. Artificial respiration begun. 



2.26 P.M. Convulsions in which the bird died. 



Here, though ample means were employed to keep 

 the blood oxygenated, the bird died immediately in 

 convulsions. It is clear, therefore, that these con- 

 vulsions are primary, and in no way due to defective 

 aeration of the blood, like those usual in cobra- 

 poisoning. The convulsions are generally very violent. 



