SNAKE-POISON LITERATURE. 



139 



tention to a curious fact, viz., that by heating a 

 solution of daboia-poison to 100° 0. it loses com- 

 pletely the power of producing primary convul- 

 sions, even in birds, which under other circum- 

 stances it is difficult to poison without their occur- 

 rence. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by 

 some alteration in the albumen-venom being 

 affected by heat ; though it is true, Dr. Wolfenden 

 says, that albumen-venom is not destroyed by 

 heat (95°5), it may, however, be altered. This 

 is a point which requires elucidation. In daboia- 

 poisoning there are three forms in which death 

 occurs. Firstly, from the primary convulsions. 

 Secondly, from advancing paralysis. Says Dr. 

 Wall, " the respiration and pulse become greatly 

 accelerated, and there is gradual loss of power in 

 all the limbs, vomiting may occur, sanious dis- 

 charges issue from the rectum and other parts, the 

 pupils are usually widely dilated, and the respira- 

 tion becomes less and less, and may cease with or 

 without convulsions." These secondary convul- 

 sions are simply the expression of carbonic acid 

 poisoning. The third form of death from daboia- 

 poisoning is altogether unlike anything observed 

 in cobra-poisoning. It occurs in those cases in 

 which insufficient poison has been injected to 



Three forms of 



death in daboia^ 



puisouiiig. 



Secondary 

 convulsiona. 



