144 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



the site of the bite till the bone is reached, and, if 

 necessary, on the back of the hand or foot, tendon and 

 every structure may be cleared right down to the bone. 

 Every part that may contain the poison must be removed. 

 Life is not to he saved by a haphazard cutting away of 

 anything that comes first, but by an intelligent and 

 careful dissecting away of the parts holding the poison, 

 bearing in mind the anatomical peculiarities of each 

 region. On the surface of the limbs it will be enough, 

 as a rule, to remove freely the subcutaneous tissue, 

 especially if this be thick. The skin should in all cases 

 be rdmove^ over an area of an inch and a half square. 

 It need scarcely be remarked that amputation .is totally 

 unnecessary, as excision answers every purpose ; but if it 

 is found requisite to remove all the soft parts from one 

 of the less prominent fingers or toes, it may be perhaps 

 to the patient's advantage to remove that finger or toe 

 completely. Careful but free excision, guided by the 

 appearance of the parts, is all that is necessary ; but it 

 should be remembered that any shortcoming in carrying 

 out the excision may result in the death of the patient. 

 It would be cruel leniency to leave any tissue, however 

 important, that served as a receptacle for the poison. After 

 the whole of the suspected parts have been thoroughly 

 dissected out, the india-rubber band may be removed, but 

 not till then, the part having first been freely washed with 

 a solution of caustic potash or potassic permanganate. 

 It may be urged that the appearances of the in- 



