346 



Dr. A. J. Wall. On the [June 16, 



injected into its saphena vein. No cliange was noticed for thirty 

 seconds, at the end of that time normal respiration abruptly stopped, 

 its place being taken by violent and irregular contractions of the 

 respiratory muscles. The heart's action continued strong, but increased 

 greatly in frequency. Very soon all movement ceased, with the excep- 

 tion of that of the heart, which continued acting for about ten seconds 

 longer. The whole time from injection to death was under 100 

 seconds. 



Chart No. 5 is a continuous tracing of the respiration of this 

 animal from the administration of the poison till death. It will be 

 seen that the normal respiratory rhythm is suddenly displaced by 

 violent alternate upheavings and depressions of the chest walls, and 

 that then all movement ceases suddenly. But it will be noticed that 

 the convulsions, though of course irregular, have a distinct respiratory 

 character. When cobra poison enters the blood rapidly and in large 

 quantity, its first action is to stimulate the respiratory centre so 

 as to cause more irregular respiratory movements, and then one might 

 almost say simultaneously it paralyses it completely, the heart acting 

 for a short time longer. This, however, is not the usual course of 

 events. A much more common method is the one depicted in the 

 stethometric charts, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, where a fair amount of cobra 

 poison is gradually absorbed, as from the bite of a cobra, and where 

 there is in consequence gentle primary acceleration of respiration, 

 with gradual lessening of its rapidity and excursus, and death with 

 convulsions. In still more gradual cases, the primary acceleration is 

 very faint, and the diminution of the respiratory function very gradual, 

 and there is often an attempt — half conscious — to fight against the 

 poison by occasional deep inspirations : at last respiration is arrested, 

 and generally without convulsions, the heart stops after a short 

 interval. This appears to be the usual course in man. 



On the circulation, cobra poison cannot be said to exercise a very 

 great influence. The heart nearly always acts for some little time 

 after respiration has ceased, and if the place of normal respiration be 

 supplied by artificial means, the heart will continue acting for very 

 many hours. On the temperature, also, no decided effect can be deter- 

 mined. There may be a slight rise or even fall, but in several cases, 

 watched carefully for the purpose, no change was observed. Nor is 

 there any noticeable effect on the special senses, the poisoned animal 

 appears to hear and see perfectly. The pupil of the eye is also 

 unaffected, and answers to light. If life be preserved by artificial 

 respiration, the pupil remains somewhat contracted. I once noticed 

 the pupil remain contracted after death from cobra poisoning, in which 

 long continued artificial respiration had been resorted to. 



On secretion, generally, cobra poison has great influence ; nearly all 

 secreting tissues are stimulated by it. The lachrymal glands act 



