THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 97 



(2) (a) The effects of the clotting ferment are only produced by- 

 large doses of venom. The dose capable of injection 

 by any banded krait would not be large enough to 

 produce clotting in the human subject. 



(6) This effect is only seen in doses of moderate concen- 

 tration. 



(c) The amount of " hsemolysin " is relatively small in this 

 venom. Slight augmentation of the respiratory em- 

 barrassment set up by 1 (a) probably occurs. 



Lamb by experiment on rabbits found the virulence of the 

 venom nine to ten times less than that of Cobra venom. Rogers 

 by experiment on pigeons fixed the virulence at about one four- 

 teenth that of Cobra venom. From this we are justified in con- 

 cluding that fatalities in the human subject are unusual. 



This inference receives actual support from the Burmese who are 

 an observant race, and remarkably well informed concerning their 

 animals and trees. This snake is very common in the Burmese 

 Province, and though there is conflicting evidence on the subject 

 of fatalities from its bite, many Burmese vigorously protest that it 

 is a poisonous snake. In Assam too it is a very common snake, 

 and it is remarkable that we have no records of casualties under the 

 circumstances, although it is a notably lethargic and peaceful 

 species. 



Fasciatus Toxemia. 



As already stated, this venom, like that of other Colubrines, 

 contain two toxic elements that may produce death by their action 

 on nerve cells in the brain and cord, viz., " neurotoxin " and 

 " amyotrophin. " 



It differs from that of other Colubrines, in that the " neurotoxin" 

 is less concentrated, so that the " amyotrophin " is the predomi- 

 nant partner in the association. The result is that two very 

 different forms of toxeemise are seen from the effects of the same 

 dose of poison. In that produced by " neurotoxin " the symptoms 

 show themselves in a couple of hours or so ; they are evoked by the 



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