144 THE POISONOUS SXAKBS OF INDIA. 



{two to five volumes) into tin-- woiinds freely. Ilnzymol by liquify- 

 ing and digesting the dead tissues will help to rapidly clear up the 

 nnhealtliy state, and pi'omote antisepsis. It should be used with 

 e(|ual parts of water. X dressing of cyanide gauze should cover up 

 the wounds, and the member be kept still on a splint. Bier's cups 

 afford another excellent method of treatment. If fever continues a 

 vaccine prepared from the patient's own flora should be injected. 

 The general strength of the patient should be kept up with nourish- 

 ing soups and a generous diet without alcohol. Should tetanus, or 

 any other disease occur attributable to any specific germ the anti- 

 toxin or other suitable serum should be injected. The layman 

 will probably do best by immersing the ^^'ounds where j^racticable 

 for an hour or more in perchloride of mercury solution (1 in 2000), 

 or permanganate solution of a clear bright crimson hue (1 in 5000). 

 After this the wounds should be dressed with lint, and bandaged, 

 and the immersion repeated each day. 



TRE.iT.MEXT OF ECHIS POISOXING. 



Here no suitable antivenene * is available, and our efforts nmst 

 be directed towards a control of the haemorrhages. Bleeding is so 

 characteristic and so profuse in this poisoning that it will be wise 

 to anticipate it, and exhibit such drugs as calcium, pituitrin, or 

 adrenalin as soon as possible (See remarks on pages 138 and 139).' 

 Syncope is very likely to be present in some degree, and this too 

 should be anticipated, and every care taken to prevent or control it 

 as laid down u.nder that heading (p, 14G). Being so small a 

 enake the amount of venom injected is likely to be correspondingly 

 •small, and local treatment in the form of excision, and treatitient 

 with permanganate may in many cases reduce a lethal to a sublethal 

 dose. Subsequently treat the wounds as laid down under Daboia 

 (p. 143.) 



Treatment of other Viperine Poisoninus. 



Haamorrhages are specially likely to occur in every form of 

 viperine poisoning, and they are best anticipated, and treated by 

 calcium, pituitrin and adrenalin as already advocated (pages 138 and 

 ] 39). 



* Lamb tested the efficacy of antivenene a^'ainst Echis venom and foimd it 

 inoperative. 



