70 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OP INDIA. 



Varanus bengalensis). The subject was a woman of 50 who was 

 bitten on the toe, and she died in 1^ hours. I believe there is not the 

 slightest doubt that this lizard is completely innocuous. Mr. E. E. 

 Green I'emarks that year by year in Ceylon the Registrar General's 

 annual mortality report returns one or more cases of death from the 

 bite of the brahminy lizard (Mabuia cwrinata), a little skink which is 

 perfectly harmless, though the natives think otherwise. 



A man came under my care in Rangoon in an unconscious state 

 having been bitten by a harmless water snake (Tropidonotus fisca- 

 tor), and was 17 hours unconscious in spite of vigorous stimulating 

 remedies. Dr. Willey reported the death of a woman in Ceylon 

 from the bite of a common wolf-snake (Lycodon auUcus), a perfectly 

 harmless species, and Dr. Ewart met with serious symptoms after 

 the bite of the same snake, all of which were due to fright. 



The same species was responsible for another instructive case 

 reported by me in the Bombay Natural History Journal (Vol. XX, 

 page 521). 



A cooly woman in Chanda (C. P.), aged 22, was bitten by a 

 snake in two places on the middle of the middle right finger. 

 Twenty-five minutes later she was brought to a dispensary, where 

 the subordinate in charge believing the snake which had been kiUed 

 and accompanied her, was a krait, applied a ligature, freely incised 

 the wounds, rubbed in crystals of permanganate of potash, and 

 injected two doses of antivenene 30 c.c. each. She complained of 

 thirst, burning pain in the hand and arm which later became numb 

 and vomited twice. Half an hour later, she was comatose with 

 respirations 30 per minute, and a weak pulse of 120, which later 

 became imperceptible, and swallowing was reported as impossible, 

 ^fter lying unconscious for 5^ hours, with brief intervals of con- 

 sciousness, she revived, asked for water, drank, and then slept 

 soundly to awake next day quite well, except for burning pain and 

 numbness in the hand and arm. 



Fortunately the snake was killed, and our correspondent had it 

 placed in a bottle, and sent it to the Honorary Secretary of the 

 Bombay Natural History Society when it proved on examination 

 to be the harmless Wolf snake (^Lycodon aulicus). The notes of the 

 case were supplied by the Hospital Assistant who attended the case. 



