132 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



But, administered independently of the poison, it has no 

 effect whatever. 



Sulphuric and nitric acid have no action on the 

 poison, except they are added in sufficient strength to 

 cause actual destruction of the organic matter. 



Ammonia neither diminishes the strength of a solution 

 of cohra-poison, nor lengthens life if given separately. 



Perhaps the class of agents from the actions of which 

 we can learn most ahout the nature of cobra-poison is 

 that of the fixed alkalies, though very many contra- 

 dictory statements have been made on this subject. 



Experiment VII. 



One decigramme (r54 grain) of dried cobra-poison 

 ■was dissolved in three cubic centimetres of the officinal 

 solution of potash, and the solution was injected into a 

 fowl, but the bird never had the slightest symptom of 

 poisoning. 



In this experiment it is shown that cobra-poison 

 dissolved in a solution of potash has no effect. In 

 repeating it, two points must be borne in mind ; one is, 

 that the solution should not be made hastily, and the 

 other is, that the solution of potash should be pufe. 

 At the high temperature at which chemical re-agents 

 are necessarily kept in India, solution of potash rapidly 

 takes up carbonic acid. In India it may be said that 

 liquor potassse is merely a solution of potassio carl^nate. 

 In all the experiments made with this re-agent, the 

 solutions were specially prepared for the purpose. 



