74 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



Phonation 



Deglutition 



Salivation 



(e) Hsemorrhages 



(/) Other symptoms 



Treatment. 



In addition to this I would suggest that in every case where a 

 snake is produced it should be sent to the Parel Laboratory, the 

 Bombay Natural History Society or the Indian museum, for compe- 

 tent and confirmatory identification, no matter whether believed to 

 be harmless or poisonous. 



Prom the foregoing remarks it is obvious that the symptoms of 

 snake-poisoning must be thoroughly understood before rational 

 treatment can be carried out. First of all it is most necessary to 

 determine whether a case is one of snake bite or snake poisoning. 

 The symptoms due to fright have been sufficiently detailed in the 

 comparison of this condition with that of cobra-poisoning. 



Another train of symptoms is likely to be met with in snake 

 bitten subjects of a hysterical type which may complicate the case 

 for the diagnostician. I have on more than one occasion witnessed 

 such. It is not uncommon for a reputed snake bitten subject to be 

 brought to hospital in an apparently unconscious state. Such acts 

 as vacantly staring with open eyes and twitching or tightly closing 

 the eyes, or partially closing them so that the patient may see what 

 is going on around him, without appearing to do so to the anxious 

 relatives, rolling the eyeballs, pufiing out the cheeks, twitching the 

 lips, gnashing the teeth, and lying prostrate with rigid limbs may 

 deceive those who do not realise these are exaggerated acts, not 

 paralytic ones. 



These symptoms are of great importance in diagnosis, and treat- 

 ment, and should always influence the inductions to be drawn in a 

 case of recovery from supposed snake bite. 



In this connection it is most important that the following facts 

 should be realised : — 



(1) That it is quite possible to he bitten by a poisonous snal-e 

 without being poisoned. 



