Reptiles. 3673 



without hesitation. I now proceed to detail the experiments, adopt- 

 ing the curt form and language of my notes. 



First experiment. — Puff-adder (Cloth o arietans) and guinea-pig. — 

 Struck by snake and screamed at 8h. 54 min. a.m. Convulsions 

 supervened in one minute. An infusion of the Simaba Cedron was 

 poured freely down the throat, and the moistened powder applied to 

 the wound. The convulsions (like a painful hiccough) gradually in- 

 creased in violence and frequency. At five minutes after the blow 

 the pupil was insensible; the animal gasping for breath; its nose, lips 

 and feet (originally flesh-coloured) became first pale and then livid. 

 In 8j minutes the convulsions had ceased, the bladder contracted and 

 emitted its contents, the quantity being very large for the size of the 

 animal. In 10 minutes the guinea-pig was quite dead. After this 

 we could not induce another puff-adder to bite. We tried the cobras 

 with a like disappointment. 



Second experiment. — Cascarilla rattlesnake (Crotalus horrid us) and 

 guinea-pig. — Struck behind the ear, near the jugular vein ; dead be- 

 fore he could be carried to the table, certainly within a quarter of a 

 minute. There were no convulsions. Unable to use the antidote. 

 On a dissection roughly made by Dr. Quain (for, our object being to 

 test the value of an alleged remedy, and not to note all the morbid 

 appearances, we had not provided proper instruments), there was 

 observed an effusion of dark-coloured blood below and around the 

 wound; it extended from the jugular fossa to the spinal canal, and 

 even within it, giving to Dr. Quain an impression that the spinal cord 

 itself had been injured more or less by the powerful fangs of the ser- 

 pent — a conclusion which would account for the wonderful rapidity of 

 death. One very interesting fact was witnessed in this experiment. 

 I saw, for the first time, the beating of an animal's heart. It has been 

 stated that the heart of Bellingham, the assassin of Mr. Percival, beat 

 for a considerable time after removal from the body. Several minutes 

 after apparently complete death, the heart of this animal continued its 

 pulsations. For every contraction of the apex of this organ, there 

 seemed to be two of its auricles, which were gorged with venous blood. 

 Generally there was much congestion of the vessels. 



Third experiment. — Same snake and a guinea-pig. — Struck and 

 screamed at 9 h. 26 min. 45 sees. The bite was on the left side, near 

 the hind leg. In ten seconds the eye closed, and there followed a 

 complete paralysis of the hind quarters. The remedy was applied. 

 Slight convulsions supervened. Spasm of the diaphragm and gasping 

 for breath within four minutes ; pupil insensible in six minutes ; 

 X. 3 A 



