THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 117 



He was re-admitted into the station hospital where his pnlse, 

 respiration and temperatiire were found to be normal. His tongiie 

 however was swollen and discoloured, and his right arm too up to 

 the shoulder. He passed blood in his urine, and also from the 

 bowel. He was given internally calcium chloride, adrenalin 

 chloride and ergot. 



On the 19th he had severe vomiting, necessitating feeding and 

 medication by the bowel, but his bleedings had reduced, and his 

 general state was reported quite good. He complained only of 

 pain in his hands. 



He continued to improve, and the bleeding diminished imtil the 

 21st (the 7th day after the bites), no blood appearing then in the 

 stools. At 4 P.M. that day however he suddenly collapsed, became 

 delirious and then comatose. He was given strychnia and other 

 stimulants, and transfusion of salt sokition was performed. Under 

 this treatment he rallied temporarily, but a recurrence of the 

 collapse at 10-30 p.m. culminated in death. 



The case was thus a very typical one of viperine toxaemia. 

 There were no symptoms at any time referable to the nervous 

 system, all the action of the poison being exerted upon the blood. 

 The reduction in the coagulability of this fluid was responsible 

 for the visible hgemorrhages, and there is no doubt that the swollen 

 and discoloured condition of the tongue, and the tissues in the 

 right arm was due to subcutaneous haemorrhages. The actual cause 

 of death was obviously heart failure, due no doubt to the drain 

 upon the system from continued and persistent bleedings. One 

 could not expect beneficial results from antivenene in this case, 

 which was a wholly unsuitable one for the exhibition of this 

 remedy. The serum prepared at Kasauli is only antitoxic to the 

 venoms of the cobra and the daboia. 



I have examined the snake that caused this fatality, and have 

 the skull in my collection. 



THE COMMON HIMALAYAN VIPER (ANGISTBODON 

 HIM ALA YA YANUS) . 



The Toxins of Himalayanus Venom. 



No experimental work has been done with this venom. 



