VIPERA LACHESIS. lit 
The poison of Vipera lachesis niger always produces a 
shock, which throws down the person bitten with great vio- 
lence; an immediate and violent flow of blood ensues from 
eyes, mouth, nostrils, urinary canal, and from under the nails 
of the fingers and toes; veins of the conjunctiva are intensely 
injected ; suspension of the urine ensues, followed by violent 
fugitive pains in the bitten limb, and intense cephalalgia. 
Death-ensues in from one to twelve hours. A Curer informed 
me that he had known persons bitten by this snake to die in 
five minutes; but the only case to which I can attest is that 
of a dog, bitten by one of these snakes, that died in less than 
twenty minutes. 
The poison of the Vipera Calamaris venenosus develops the 
following toxical symptoms, viz.: Flow of blood from mouth, 
nose, and ears; suspension of urine; subsultus tendinum ; 
pains in the renal region; and lastly, ungovernable madness. 
This last symptom is developed in almost every case where 
the poison is active. 
The toxical effects of the poison of the Vipera pseudechis 
major are: Atrocious pains in the entire body ; flow of blood 
from mouth, nose, and ears; scanty or suppressed urine; con- 
stipation ; rheumatic pains, which recur for months and even 
years, in cases where the bitten persons recover. 
The poison of the Vipera echis striata, when it does not 
cause death, is said to develop pains of a rheumatic nature, 
which increase and diminish according to the age of the 
moon. If this symptom is constant, it is common with a 
similar one developed by the Crotalus horridus poison referred 
to on pages 120-121. 
The toxical effects of the poison of the Vipera Calamaris 
venenosus rubrum are as follows, viz.: One or two hours after 
