86 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



serum had had little or no effect and that the case was hopeless. 

 Just at this time, however, some fresh serum arrived. Ten cubic 

 .centimeters were at once injected and the symptoms watched. In 

 about an half an hour the paresis of the legs showed signs of 

 improvement. A short time later our patient was able to walk 

 away and drive to the club. Locally, the pain and swelling con- 

 tinued for some time. A small slough formed. This, on 

 ^separating, left a deep hole which gradually healed up. A 

 .depressed scar is now the only sign of the accident remaining. 



No. 4. 



Cobra bite. Severe toxaemia. Recovery without treatment. 



Quoted by Calmette (Venoms, Venomous animals. &c., p. 370). 



A snake-charmer, Kingilien by name, aged 25, was bitten in the 

 first phalanx of the right forefinger, when taking hold of a cobra in 

 the courtyard of the Pondicherry Hospital. Refusing an injection 

 -of antivenomous serum, the man ran ofi" as fast as he could go, after 

 having a simple ligature applied to his wrist. Scarcely had he 

 reached his dwelling, when he fell into a deep coma, in which 

 .condition he was carried to Cottacoupom, to the abode of one 

 Souraire Kramani, a kind of sorcerer, who administered to him a 

 certain medicament in a betel leaf. After having vomited a large 

 quantity of bile he was taken home. At this time, according to the 

 .summary investigation that we caused to be made, the patient was 

 unable to utter a single word ; he could only open his mouth with 

 •difficulty, and his eyelids I'emained closed. Kingilieji, who had 

 partially regained consciousness, seemed to be suffering from conti- 

 nuous attacks of vertigo ; his head, if pushed to one side, drooped, 

 .and the man was incapable of voluntarj'^ movement. Respiration 

 was fairly easy, swallowing painful. The entire hand was greatly 

 swollen ; poultices of leaves were applied to it, after a fe'w incisions 

 had been made with a knife in the back of the hand, in order to 

 reduce the congestion. The arm was rubbed from above down- 

 wards with the very bitter leaves of the Venibou, or mango-tree and 

 prayers were recited. This is all the information that I have been 

 able to obtain with reference to this man, who, after a prolonged 

 convalescence, is said to have recovered. 



