150 INDIAN SNAKE POISONS, 



After the tissue bearing the poison has, as far as 

 possible, been removed, advantage undoubtedly nan be 

 obtained by using either potassio hydrate or potassio 

 permanganate to the wound, and they should, if used, 

 be applied in solutions of considerable strength. Per- 

 haps potassic hydrate is the best agent, but it should be 

 applied in as strong a solution as can b6 obtained, and 

 it should be used to the tissues above and around the 

 wound, especially in the direction of the returning blood- 

 current. It should be remembered that liquor potassee 

 is never in India more than a solution of potassic 

 carbonate, and therefore a fresh solution of the solid 

 re-agent should be made. 



Sucking the wound inflicted by the snake is com- 

 pletely useless. A fair idea of its efficacy can be 

 obtained by attempting to remove a hypodermic in- 

 jection of morphia by suction. 



When the symptoms of snake-poisoning have once 

 developed, a condition of appalling gravity is produced, 

 of which little that is hopeful can be said here. The 

 patient will sooner or later present symptoms of advan- 

 cing paralysis. Now nothing can be clearer in the case 

 of animals than the evidence that anything that disturbs 

 the victim or excites his circulation hastens the develop- 

 ment of this state. In administering remedies to 

 animals suffering from snake-poisoning, nothing is more 

 conspicuous than the fact that the more frequent^ or 

 the more exciting the administration of the antidote is. 



