360 



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



time when the animal is often profoundly unconscious. It is quite 

 characteristic of daboia poisoning, though it is not always present, 

 sometimes the whole body taking part in the movement. After the 

 primary convulsions have occurred, it is exceedingly rare for death to 

 be preceded by the convulsions of asphyxia, the respiratory function 

 appearing gradually to fade away, as in the tracing VI. 



In its influence on the temperature and circulation, daboia poison 

 does not differ materially from cobra poison. But while cobra poison 

 has no effect on the pupil of the eye, wide dilatation is always, or 

 nearly always, to be seen during some stage of daboia poisoning. The 

 iris is sometimes barely visible during the primary convulsions. Over 

 secretion, daboia poison has also some power, though less than cobra 

 poison, and the mucous discharges are nearly always largely mixed 

 with blood. But salivation, the constant accompaniment of cobra 

 poisoning, is almost unknown in daboia poisoning. Out of a large 

 number of experiments, I have only seen it once, and in this case it 

 was by no means marked, and might easily have been overlooked, 

 unless special attention had been paid to its occurrence. 



In daboia poisoning there is a good deal of evidence to be considered 

 as to the effect of the poison on the blood. It is almost universally 

 found after death, that the blood has been rendered uncoagulable, the 

 only exceptions being when the animal has died almost instantly in 

 ■convulsions, or in those cases where the animal has struggled for a 

 long time against the poison, when the coagulation will be found to be 

 imperfect, as if an attempt towards restoring the normal condition of 

 the blood had been made. Even in rapid cases of daboia poisoning, 

 we have proof that the relation of the blood to the tissues is altered. 

 In Experiment VII a sanious discharge occurred thirty-seven minutes 

 after the infliction of the bite. So grave are these changes in the blood, 

 that they are by far the most frequent causes of death in daboia 

 poisoning (Experiments IX and XX). The haemorrhages chiefly take 

 place from the rectum and kidneys, but I have seen them from the 

 mouth, and even the skin. 



In cobra poisoning albuminuria is unknown, but in every case of 

 daboia poisoning in which symptoms were present, and in which six 

 hours elapsed before death, I have detected albumen in the urine. It 

 is generally not in large quantity, but it is quite unmistakeable. 



Experiment XXI. 



A solution of about 5 mgrms. of daboia poison was injected into a 

 dog. 



4 p.m. Injection. 



8 A.M. No symptom. 



4 ]\m„ 5 mgrms. more of daboia poison injected. 



9.30 p.m. Affected ; respirations 50 ; pupils widely dilated. 



