after Death from Snake-bite. 81 
ferior vena cava contained many of the characteristic cells, 
and in that of the saphena vein of the bitten leg were many 
free nuclei “germinal matter” exactly corresponding to 
those of the serpent’s poison. 
Puate LV. 
Germinal matter, or free nuclei, and large maculated nucleated 
cells from the blood of the saphena vein of a kitten, bitten in the foot 
by young Australian Black Snake. 
_ (@) 
®@ 6 | 
S@ © 
x 400 diameters. 
From a drawing by Mr. Ashworth. 
After this a pigeon was bitten, and died in twenty-two 
minutes. The blood was not fluid, and none of the 
characteristic cells were found. It would be impossible to 
say that in this case none existed, the fluid part was 
only examined, and therefore there might be such cells in 
the clotted parts. Want of time, caused by family illness, 
&ec., prevented my examining this case, in fact the case of 
the kitten and the following were more observed by my 
students than by myself. ! 
However, the condition of the blood of pigeons bitten by 
the rattlesnake has been recorded, according to Nysten in Le 
Dictionarre de Medicine, by Dr. Brainard, of Illinois. 
“Ist. Change of shape of the red corpuscles from oval to 
round. 
“2nd. Abundance of white corpuscles, grouped together 
in nipple-shaped masses. 
“ 3rd. Liquid state of the blood in the cavities of the heart 
from want of coagulation of fibrine.” 
Lt ws not virprobable the doctor saw similar cells to those 
we have been describing, taking them, as I did at first 
glance, for white corpuscles. 
Not having then seen the cells in the poison of the 
serpent as particularly as I wished, I killed the reptile, 
