SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 23 



other, in ordered sequence, to effect a certain 

 end ; and as Dr. Weir Mitchell says, " The 

 3)hysician may learn from their study how he 

 may be deceived as to the occurrence of poisoned 

 wounds, and how the snake which appears to 

 strike, may really fail in its object, even though 

 seeming to have inflicted a wound," and then be 

 gives the details of the manner in which the 

 reptile inflicts an effectual bite. "At the in- 

 stant, and while in motion, the jaws are separated 

 widely, and the head is bent somewhat back upon 

 the first cervical bones, so as to bring the point 

 of the fang into a favourable position to pene- 

 trate the opposing flesh. Owing to the back- 

 ward curve of the tooth, this, of necessity, 

 involves the opening of the jaws to such an 

 extent, that an observer, standing above the 

 snake, can see the white mucous membrane of 



the mouth as the blow is given 



Consentaneously with the forward thrust of the 

 body, and with the opening of the mouth, the 

 spheno-pterygoids act from their firm cranial 

 attachments to draw forward the pteiygoid plate, 

 and thus through its attachment to the maxillary, 



to erect the fang As the spheno- 



pterygoid acts, the submaxillary bone rocks 



