102 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OP INDIA. 



in highly concentrated doses of poison. It, causes clotting of 

 blood inside the blood vessels, and to this is attributable the con- 

 vulsive seizure, and death from asphyxia. He further showed that 

 the dose necessary is so large that it is very unlikely that this 

 mode of death would ever be seen in the human subject. 



The other two forms of toxaemise, one acute, the other sub-acute 

 or chronic, are to be met with in the human subject. In the 

 acute form there is general depression, in which the vital functions 

 connected with both the heart and respiration are profoundly 

 affected. The pulse becomes rapid and weak, and breaching rapid 

 and irregular. General weakness of the muscular system is seen, 

 and the mental activities may be reduced to the degree of uncons- 

 ciousness. Nausea and vomiting are frequent, and the pupils 

 become dilated, and insensitive to light. The surface temperature 

 is reduced, and the skin is cold and often bedewed with sweat. 

 There are no paralyses such as we see-in Colubrine toxsemiae. 

 Concurrently with these effects on the nervous system, others 

 dependent on the altered state of the blood are most likely to be 

 exhibited. Bleedings from various mucous orifices, beneath the 

 skin, or invisible haemorrhages into serous cavities. The watery 

 state of the blood may occasion oedema in dependent parts, or in 

 organs, especially the lungs. Death from cardiac or respiratory 

 failure, may terminate this toxaemia, or these symptoms may 

 decline, and the patient appear as if about to recover. A repeti- 

 tion of the above may occur, or recovery may pass on to the third 

 form of toxasmia. 



The sub-acute or chronic poisoning appears to be connected with 

 the local state of the wounds, which from the intensely virulent 

 nature of the poison are very apt to be seen in a sloughing condi- 

 tion, favouring the development of septic germs. In the course 

 of a few days added to the general depression, emaciation sets in 

 and anaemia which will depend in degree largely upon the extent 

 of the haemorrhages. The enfeebled state of the system can 

 oppose little resistance to the effects of invasion of any germs into 

 the local wounds, and various forms of blood-poisoning, including 

 tetanus, may result. Diarrhoea may occur, albumen appears in the 

 urine and the patient ultimately dies of exhaustion from 



