140 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



But, of course, as an india-rubber band is seldom 

 accessible, recourse must often be had to its nearly 

 useless substitute. But the india-rubber cord is so 

 inexpensive, so easily applied, and so completely fulfils 

 its purpose of preventing further absorption of the 

 poison, and thus placing the patient in a position of 

 complete safety for the time, and it is of so much 

 importance that it should be applied as quickly as 

 possible after the bite, that I cannot but think that 

 every thana, as well as every dispensary, in districts 

 •where deaths from snake-bite are common, should have 

 one, and that the officials should be instructed how to 

 apply it properly. I think it would not be going too 

 far to express a belief that European households, and 

 those of the upper classes of natives in the same districts, 

 should also be provided with so simple means for the 

 immediate treatment of snake-bite. 



The india-rubber band should be firmly and tightly 

 bound round the extremity above the seat of injury, and 

 should encircle the limb several times, and it should' be 

 applied in all cases as soon as possible after the receipt 

 of the injury. The patient having thus been secured 

 against any further absorption of the poison, tim6 is 

 allowed for treatment. 



The surgeon's first care should be to ascertain 

 if the patient has been really poisoned ; for the most 

 venomous snakes may bite, and yet, from their 

 poison-apparatus having been exhausted on some oh- 



