126 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



constituent added to the paralysing agent to discharge 

 some special function. 



In investigating the nature of snake-poison, it is not 

 only necessary to note what physical changes the venom 

 undergoes when treated with re- agents, but, what is more 

 important to observe, any alteration in its physiological 

 effects after it has been subjected to any chemical 

 process. It is more to this latter method that we must 

 look for light as to the constitution of the poisonous 

 agent, as the substance itself can only be recognised by 

 its effects. 



The first group of substances that would be naturally 

 selected to ascertain the effect on cobra-poison, are the 

 agents termed antiseptic. To enable, as far as possible, 

 a comparison to be made as to their relative effects, in 

 each case the same amount of poison was used, and it 

 was exposed to the action of an equal quantity of each of 

 the re-agents for the same time under the same physical 

 conditions. As, however, some of the agents were 

 gaseous, is was not always possible to use the same 

 quantity of substance. The agents chosen were carbolic 

 acid, ferrous sulphate, potassium permanganate, sodium 

 hyposulphite, zinc chloride, sulphurous acid, and chlo* 

 rine. The method employed was the following : — One 

 centigramme ("154 grain) of the dried poison was dis- 

 solved in one cubic centimetre of water. To this was 

 added one cubic centimetre of water, which contained 

 five centigrammes ("77 grain) of the re-agent, the effect 



