SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 



Ill 



Indeed, Brunton and Fayrer affirm that they are 

 quickened. I have constantly observed this fact 

 in the course of the conduct of my experiments. 

 Weir Mitchell examined the cilia from the mucous 

 membrane of the throat of a frog ; their activity 

 appeared to be undisturbed in both acute and 

 chronic poisoning. Brunton and Fayrer found 

 that their activity was generally, though not 

 invariably, arrested by cobra-poison. 



The poison has no direct influence on the 

 nerves, as was proved by the application of 

 venom to the exposed sciatic nerve. 



Dr. Weir Mitchell states that in crotalus- 

 poisoning the loss of nervous power com- 

 mences in the nerve centres, but whether the 

 sensory nerves are or are not affected, is diffi- 

 cult to determine. The motor nerves are not 

 affected. In cobra-poisoning Fayrer and Brun- 

 ton assert that the grey matter of the spinal 

 column is paralyzed, but that the white sensory 

 columns remain intact ; further, that while the 

 motor nerves are sometimes unaffected, they are 

 often completely paralyzed, or at least are so far 

 deadened that they no longer transmit to the 

 muscles (such as those of respiration) the ordi- 



Action of 

 venom on 

 ciliary move- 

 ment. 



Action of viper- 

 venom on the 

 nervoua syatem. 



Action of 

 venom upon 

 the sensory 

 and motor 

 nerves, and 

 upon the 

 nerve centres. 



