THEIE NATURE AND EFPECTS. 105 



weakness. The breathing is at one period exceedingly 

 accelerated, and the pupil is greatly dilated. Even if 

 paralysis should not supervene, the victim may yet die 

 after a prolonged interval, of the effects of profuse 

 sanguineous discharges, which, however, begin soon after 

 the injection of the poison, there being no period of 

 incubation. 



In colubrine-poisoning, as seen with the cobra, there 

 are no primary convulsions, with the exception of those 

 cases in which there is injection of a large quantity of 

 poison directly into the circulation. The increase in 

 the rapidity of the respiration is slight, and is quickly 

 followed by retardation. Paralysis rapidly succeeds, 

 which is peculiarly distinguished by special paralysis of 

 the lips, tongue, larynx and pharynx. Salivation is an 

 almost constant symptom. Death may be preceded by 

 the secondary convulsions of asphyxia. Should death 

 not occur soon, the symptoms pass off, and speedy con- 

 valescence is established. In the case of the poison of 

 the Bungarus fasciatus, a special form of chronic 

 poisoning may occur. It differs from the chronic 

 poisoning of the daboia by coming on only after a long 

 incubation which is passed without any symptom, and 

 which may be prolonged to as long as five or six days. 

 The main features of this condition are excessive 

 muscular weakness, severe fever, albuminuria, purulent 

 disehferges from mucous surfaces, and death from ex- 

 haustion. There is no special tendency to haemorrhages. 



