DOCUMENTS 367 



to that on which the preparation of antivenomous serum is based. 

 He, however, assured us that he knew nothing about such practices, 

 and that the properties of the plant in question had always sufficed 

 to cure him without other treatment. Such was his confidence 

 in his specific that, before the cobra was killed, he suggested to 

 our hospital-warder that he should allow himself to be bitten in 

 his turn, in order to render the experiment still more conclusive, 

 adding that his own assistant would be the subject at the next 

 demonstration. 



Nevertheless, a slight oedema began to appear round the bite. 

 The injured man seemed to be suffering a little, but the pain 

 did not extend above the wrist ; a slight trembling appeared in 

 the other arm. From time to time Coupin gently massaged the 

 affected limb with his left hand from above downwards, in order, 

 he said, to lessen the pain, and perhaps also with a view to check- 

 ing the diffusion of the venom. A slight perspiration broke out 

 over the body ; the pulse was regular, 92, twenty minutes after 

 the bite. 



Towards 6.15, or about an hour and a half after the experiment, 

 the man, refusing an injection of serum, prepared to go home, 

 but we insisted that he should remain at the hpspital for at least 

 two hours longer, so as to enable us to watch his condition. He 

 consented to this, and asked for something to eat. At this time 

 the back of the hand was somewhat more swollen, but Coupin 

 seemed to be little disturbed by it ; he even declared that the 

 swelling would increase still further on the following day, and 

 that, in two or three days, he would make an incision in order 

 to let out the impure blood collected at the spot; also that the 

 trouble was now ' localised, and would not extend higher. He 

 merely complained of acute thirst, and of a certain difficulty in 

 swallowing, which was due, he declared, to the extreme bitterness 

 of the leaves that he had just masticated. Temperature 38'8° C. ; 

 pulse 36. After the brief reaction at the outset, there was a certain 

 amount of hypothermia, but the general condition seemed satisfac- 



