SUCCESSFULLY TREATED. ■ %m. 



stimuli is to excite, it follows, that the poison of the^serpent is a stimulus,- 

 and of the most powerful nature, that destroys life b^^.|ts 'exceiss. ■: Yllsr/ps 



; .. :uoiio ,:> : vbcd i'';:.Kijfl siJ 



The symptoms of debihty which so immedi^^t^ly ensued, viz.. the 

 sickness at stomach, profuse cold sweat, and low pulse, are also con- 

 sequent to the application in excess of other stimuli; and; according to the 

 greater or less degree of this excess, so is the state of debility that ensuesj, 

 and death follows, sooner or later, from it. There are instances; recorded, 

 where the poison of the serpent proved so quickly fatal, as in a manner to 

 preclude the possibility of applying any remedy ; but, in general, some 

 hours elapse, from the time of receiving it into the habit, before it destroys 

 life ; and there is consequently an opportunity afforded, of counteracting 

 its efFe61;s, when assistance is at hand. The volatile alkali has been long in 

 use in such cases ; and has been frequently administered with the greatest 

 success; but, unfortunately, our knowledge of the disorder, consequent to 

 the bite of the snake, has been so imperfe6l, and the principle upon which 

 its cure had been accomplished, (whenever this happened,) had been so 

 little understood, as to have produced much indecision in our praclice; 

 and this valuable medicine, therefore, has been, on many occasions, either 

 entirely laid aside, or it has been given in such trifling doses as could do 

 no good ; and it has, in consequence, been considered as of very doubtful 

 virtue, if possessing any. Indeed, this want of confidence prevails with 

 respect to the elEcacy of every description of medicine, in the cure of this 

 alarming disease. But, in the foregoing case, is given a connected detail 

 of symptoms, as they succeeded each other, from the earliest stage, with 

 an accurate account of the operation of the alkali, from its first percepti- 

 ble effe6l, in countera6ling them ; and having thus a complete history,, as 

 well of the disorder, as of its remedy, we are thereby enabled to form a 



