SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 95 



Vol. II. of the " Medical and Physical Trans- ^^- i3u«er 



•^ recommenas 



actions of the Calcutta Society," contains an "PintTdote.™ 

 article " On the treatment of persons bitten by 

 venomous snakes," by Donald Butter, Esq., m.d. 

 The author had such faith in his mode of treat- 

 ment that he reprinted his paper and circulated 

 it gratis. After referring briefly to the essays 

 by Messrs. Williams and Boag, he says: "As I 

 thought it probable that some of my professional 

 brethren, who have had opportunities of seeing 

 such cases,might have been in the habit of employ- 

 ing a more active treatment, I endeavoured, in a 

 letter printed in the Calcutta John Bull of the 

 20th October 1823, to draw their attention to the 

 general advantage which would arise from a 

 publication of the results of their practice." 

 To the letter there appears to have been little 

 response by the medical profession. Dr. Butter 

 recommends the administration of opium, bran- 

 dy, and sulphuric aether, and this treatment is 

 founded on the hypothesis that the heart and 

 arterial system are principally affected. It will 

 be seen hereafter that this theory is altogether 

 untenable, and that the main action of the venom 

 of the cobra is upon the respiratory centres. 

 This plan of treatment appears to have been advo- 



