THE POISONOUS SNAKES OP INDIA. 139 



has always, as far as I am aware, been given internallj^ and it has 

 been pointed ont through experiment in human beings that calcium 

 so taken has little oi' no effect on the coagulability of the blood, 

 being only slightly, and very slowly absorbed in the stomach. On 

 the other hand if it is injected under the skin the effect on the clot- 

 ting power is very remarkable, and very rapid. Further, in the cases 

 known to me where it has been employed, the dose of the chloride 

 has been about 10 or 15 grains. Leonard Williams says that it 

 may be given in one drachm doses three times daily without fear of 

 ill-effects. These considerations may very materially enhance our 

 opinion of the value of the drug if pushed in viperine tox^mise. 



Adkenalin (Hemisine or Epinine). 



This, the active principle of a gland situated near the kidney, has 

 been shown to have a very potent action in reducing or actually 

 arresting haemorrhages, and has been employed in a few cases of 

 viper poisoning. It very powerfully constricts the small blood 

 vessels, which we have seen are structurally damaged by snake 

 venom, so allowing transudation of their contents. This constricting 

 influence by rendering the walls denser should overcome to some 

 extent the damage wrought by the venom. Hitherto it has not 

 controlled the bleeding in all cases in which it has been used, but 

 like calcium, it may be that it has not been sufficiently pushed. Its 

 effects are rather evanescent, but - even so a hfemorrhage from a 

 leaking vessel may be sealed in a few minutes, especially in conjunc- 

 tion with the action of calcium just referred to. More important 

 still in cases of ophitoxsemia is its action upon the heart. It 

 reinforces that organ in two ways. It exerts a direct stimulating 

 effect on the heart muscle, and further stimulates it indirectly by 

 increasing blood pressure. It will be seen from these remarks that 

 it is the ideal remedial agent in cases of viperine poisoning, acting 

 in almost every particular in an antagonistic manner. In colubrine 

 poisonings where the heart is weakened, notably in the banded krait 

 (fasciatus^ and hamadryad it is for the same reasons an ideal 

 remedy. 



PiTuiTEiN (Pituitary extract, etc). 



Another and even more potent remedy than the last is pituitrin, 

 the active principle of a small gland at the base of the brain. It 



