116 



THE LAND-MARKS OF 



The Indiiln 



Snake- 



poiison 



Oommission. 



Object of the 

 appointment. 



The cause of death in chronic or secondary 

 poisoning Weir Mitchell says, '' may, -with 

 propriety, then be referred to the incipient putre- 

 factive changes which affect the blood, as well 

 as to the continued influence of the agencies 

 which first act to depress the heart's action, and 

 destroy nerve function." 



We have now arrived at the time when the 

 Indian Snake-poison Commission (of which Dr. 

 Ewart was President, and Dr. Mackenzie and I 

 Members) issued their report in the latter part of 

 the year. The object of the appointment of the 

 Commission is thus described in the report : — 

 " From experiments made in London with the 

 dried poison of the Naga, Tripudians (cobra), Drs. 

 Fayrer and Lauder Brunton were led to infer that 

 artificial respiration, applied to animals or human 

 beings, poisoned by any of the Thanatophidia 

 of India, might prove successful in prolonging 

 or saving life.* Dr. Fayrer states, in a letter, 

 dated 29th November 1872, to Her Majesty's 

 Secretary of State for India, that ' since my re- 



* Artifioal respiration was first recommended by Dr. 

 Beddoes (vide Chapter II.) It was tried also by Dr. 

 •Weir Mitchell. 



