THEIB NATUEE AND EFFECTS. 109 



The following case from Dr. Weir Mitchell's work 

 describes the symptoms of poisoning by the Crotalus in 

 the dog. A dog weighing thirty-one pounds, was bitten 

 by a Crotalus. After the bite there was considerable 

 twitching of the muscles around, and great local swell- 

 ing. The pulse at the fifth minute after the bite was 

 140, and the respirations 35. At the fifteenth minute 

 he appeared weak, the pulse was 160, and the respira- 

 tions 40. At the twentieth minute there was some 

 tenesmus, and a loose grey discharge from the rectum. 

 At the twenty-fifth minute the pupil was normal. At 

 the forty-filth minute, pulse 160, respirations 45, and 

 laborious. Fifty-fifth minute, loss of power in the hind- 

 legs. Eightieth minute, respiration very quick and 

 laboured ; and at the third hour the dog was found 

 dead. 



The next instance is also from Dr. Weir Mitchell's 

 book. A rabbit was bitten by a snake which, appa- 

 rently, had nearly been exhausted of its poison. Very 

 soon after, the animal showed signs of weakness, and its 

 respiration became rapid. It then improved somewhat, 

 but the next day it passed a large quantity of blood 

 mixed with fseces, and its urine was very albuminous. 

 These symptoms increased in severity, and the animal 

 died on the third day. 



In another case, in which a dog was bitten twice, the 

 first^ime without efi'ect, five minutes after the infliction 

 of the second bite by a Crotalus, the dog fell on its side 



