150 OPHIDIANS. 
Tur Use oF SNAKE-POISON IN MEDICINE BY THE KABIRAJES* 
OF BENGAL. 
Furnished by Babéo Ganga Pérsed, Senior, one of the most 
learned Kuabirdjes in Calcutta. 
The poison generally used is taken from the Keautiah 
variety of the Cobras, and not from the Gokurrah (spectacled 
Cobra), Sunkerchor, Sankni, or Bora, as the poisons of these 
latter varieties are extremely acute. 
The snake is introduced into an earthen pot, in which are 
placed two or three green plantains, the opening of the pot 
being covered with an earthenware plate. The application of 
heat to the bottom of the vessel causes the snake to become 
furious, and he bites the plantains. 
The bitten part turns black, and is cut out, dried, and re- 
duced to powder, then purified, and it is ready for use. The 
poison thus obtained is impregnated with saliva and other 
impurities, and is said to be in this state an irritant, warm, 
sharp, penetrating, exceedingly quick in its action, and pro- 
duces derangement of the nervous and digestive systems ; 
hence learned practitioners of ancient times used to purify it 
by mixing therewith the juice of neem leaves and lime-juice, 
and then it was dried. 
This process is repeated five times. They consider its physi- 
ological action to be warm, irritant, stimulating ; a promoter 
of the virtues of other medicines; antispasmodic; a promoter 
of the action of the organs of secretion. 
tts Therapeutical Action—Used in the latter stage of low 
forms of fever, when other remedies fuil, it accelerates the heart’s 
action, and thus diffuses warmth over the whole surface, and 
dissipates coma. It is used successfully in the collapsed stage 
of cholera; also in dysentery, and some complicated diseases ; 
* « Rathers in medicine,” 
