SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 



89 



is also in error in stating that the poison is not 

 generally fatal to cold-blooded animals. Although 

 its action is, of course, somewhat slower, it is 

 none the less fatal. I would not be understood 

 to mean that de-oxidation of the blood to some 

 extent is not a result of snake-poisoning — I 

 believe it is — but that it is not the cause of 

 death. 



The treatment Mr. Boag recommends is in- 

 teresting. The principle is the speedy oxy- 

 genation of the system, and the means to this 

 end are the following : — 



" External treatment," which may be divided 

 into local and general ; first, suction of the wound 

 as recommended by Celsus. This measure 

 should not be omitted, though Mr. Boag does 

 not think it is very successful. Mr. Boag 

 evidently believed with Celsus that this proceed- 

 ing can be adopted with perfect safety to the 

 operator ; but that it is not so, has been proved 

 by Fayrer and others; undoubtedly, the risk 

 is slight, but still it exists. 



The next measures are the ligature and scari- 

 fication of the wound, which should then be 

 washed with a weak solution of lunar caustic 



Ligature and 

 Scarification. 



