PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF VENOM OF BLACK SNAKE. 169 
the intravenous injection of very small quantities of the poison, 
viz.—0-00001 to 0-00002 gramme per kilogramme of body weight.’ 
Tam aware that such an observation on the fluidity of the 
blood, following the introduction of snake poison into the system, 
is by no means new. 
Fontana,? more than one hundred years ago, noticed that the 
blood remained fluid in animals dead of viper bite, and Brainard,® 
writing forty years back, states, that when death occurred im- 
mediately (the italics are mine) in animals bitten by rattle snakes, 
the blood was found at the post mortem examination to be clotted, 
but if some time elapsed before the animal succumbed, the blood 
remained fluid in the vessels. These observations of Brainard 
“were confirmed by Weir Mitchell* in 1860, who explained the 
difference by the hypothesis that in cases of very rapid death the 
poison had not had time to affect the blood. A few years later, 
Halford’ observed the same continued fluidity of the blood to 
follow the injection of the venom of some Australian species.° 
More recently Feoktistow’ has confirmed Fontana’s observation 
on the condition of the blood after the injection of viper poison 
(V.ammodytes and V. berus ). The continued fluidity of the blood 
after death from the bite of the Indian viperine snakes, has been 
frequently noted during past years by numerous observers in that 
country, and contrasted with the negative results in this respect 
following the injection of cobra poison in animals. In death from 
rss rs 
' The weights refer to the poison in the dry condition. The method of 
acquiring the venom has been described in a previous communication in 
eonjunction with Mr. McGarvie Smith.—Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W. 1891. 
?“ Fontana on Poisons,” Translated by J. Skinner, London, 1787. 
3“ Smithsonian Reports,” 1854. 
: Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge,” Vol. xu. 
: apa Times and Gazette,” 1873, Vol. 11. 
dimi uite recently Dr. Skinner of Beechworth, Victoria, has recorded 
— coagulability of the blood during life, in a case of snake bite 
occurred in his practice.—“ Australian Medical Gazette,” March 
