108 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



feet and over the prae-cordial region, and saline infusions injected 

 per rectum, and the patient seemed to rally somewhat, the pulse 

 falling to 118 per minute. At this stage, however, his case was 

 taken over by a native "snake physician of known repute," and 

 English treatment given up, but the case was watched by me with 

 interest to the end. 



Drops were instilled into the eyes by the " vedarala," and this 

 •appeared rather to aggravate the dimness of sight. Internal 

 remedies were also administered, but with the withdrawal of stim- 

 ulants there was a steady rise in the pulse, till at 5 p.m. it regis- 

 tered 132 beats per minute, and was soft and feeble. Eespiration 

 :also became more hurried and difficult. 



At 10 p.m. the pulse rose to 142 per minute, and slight signs of 

 lividity were noticed about the face. The native physicians were 

 now making preparations against the twenty-fourth hour, which is 

 stated to be a critical time with cases of snake bite. At about 1 1 

 p.m. dried bile from chickens was insufflated into the nostrils, 

 -R'hich made the patient feel very short of breath. Within a couple 

 ■of minutes he called out to his wife to hurry quickly up to him, 

 .and taking leave of her dropped back on his pillow and expired 

 instantly. Consciousness and power of speech were retained to the 

 very last. Death appeared to have been due to asphyxia and heart 

 failure, and I am firmly convinced that free stimulation from the 

 Tery onset is strongly indicated in cases of snake bite, if only to 

 prevent the extreme exhaustion which marks these cases. 



The external appearances noticed > eight hours after death were 

 Jividity of the face, which was almost black. The lower portion of 

 "the face was swollen. Livid , patches were also seen on the neck, 

 ■chest, and lower extremities. The palmar aspect of the fingers was 

 black in colour, and the nails were of a deep purple hue. A blood- 

 ■stained fluid was issuing from the mouth and nostrils. The pupils 

 ■were widely dilated, and the eyeballs congested. Post-mortem 

 rigidity had disappeared, and decomposition was setting in early. 



(Rema/rks. — In this case it is impossible to say to what extent 

 the early vomiting, and tendency to collapse were due to the 

 venom, as these very symptoms might have been entirely produced 



