SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 



123 



great extent, according to the quantity of poison 

 introduced into the system through the absor- 

 bent channels of the body, is therefore placed 

 beyond all question. 



" But its influence in saving life, even when 

 very small quantities of the poison have found 

 entrance into the juices, is extremely proble- 

 matical. It occurred to us that there might 

 be hope of preserving life if the method were 

 employed in conjunction with certain drugs. 

 And though that hope was, from our previous 

 experience of the mortal nature of the poison 

 over animal life, very faint, we resolved to try 

 artificial respiration with the exhibition of medi- 

 cines, and in a few instances with the transfusion 

 of blood from a healthy dog into dogs poisoned 

 with the virus of the cobra." But the Com- 

 mission found that the exhibition of drugs in no 

 way improved the chances of prolonging or pre- 

 serving the lives of the animals experimented 

 upon, The Commission performed nearly two 

 hundred experiments on dogs, and as many of 

 them occupied both day and night, and I per- 

 sonally conducted every one of them, I am in a 

 ■position to say that the. strain upon the experi- 

 menter was sometimes exceedingly great. After 



Artificial 



respiration 



combined with 



tlie exhibition 



of drugs, etc. 



