THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. im 



made deeply into the .fang wounds, and potassium permanganate 

 crystals were nibbed in generously. Afterwards the wound was 

 bathed freely and for a long time (over an hour) ^^itli warm water, 

 massage and pressure being applied downwards and outwards with 

 a view to expelling from the wounds as much snake poison as 

 possible. It appears to me that it would be well worth while to 

 adopt this procedure without the application of potassium perman- 

 ganate, if none were at hand, in the hope of redu.cing the quantity 

 of snake venom in the tissues from a lethal to a non-lethal dose. 



Being in camp I had no antivenene to administer. The patient 

 made a good and rapid recovery. The day following the bite his 

 forearm was much swollen up to the elbow, and this swelling 

 persisted for four days, disappearing on the fifth. He suffered a 

 good deal of pain in the armpit for two days, but I could not detect 

 any hard or swollen glands there. 



The wounds in the finger remained free throughout from septic 

 trouble and inflammation. 



A wet antiseptic dressing was employed with the object of per- 

 mitting free oozing of blood and serum, possibly containing some 

 snake venom, from the wounds. 



For forty-eight hours after the bite temperature was sub-normal, 

 (lowest 96'8) subsequently normal. 



I have a few other records of casualties occasioned by this species, 

 none of which proved fatal. Lt.-Col. Fenton mentions four casual- 

 ties in the B. N. H. S. journal (Vol. XIX, p. 1002), three of which 

 were treated with ligature, incision and permanganate of potash, and 

 the fourth with vinegar. Pain and swelling were the main symp- 

 toms, and these passed oif in two or three days, and all the cases re- 

 covered. I have no record of a fatality, and the natives everywhere 

 agree in saying that bitten subjects recover. It would be a mistake 

 however to argue from these cases, and native reports that treatment 

 is unnecessary. It is highly probable that there are subjects to 

 whom the poison of our least venomous snakes may prove fatal. 



THE LAEGE SPOTTED VIPER (LAGHESIS MOKTIGOLA). 



The Toxins of Monticola Venom. 



No experimental work has been done with this poison. 



