1873.] of the Poison of some Indian Venomous Snakes. 361 



It is in the application of similar principles that we may hope to 

 realize a similar result in cases of snake-poisoning ; and it is with this 

 object that the inv estigations by Dr. Lauder Brunton and Dr. Fayrer, since 

 his return to England, of which the present paper is an instalment, have 

 been pursued. 



Our investigations so far confirm the opinion by Dr. Fayrer already re- 

 corded, that death is due to the action of the poison on the nerve-centres, 

 to which it is conveyed by the blood with terrible rapidity when the injec- 

 tion of the poison takes place into a large vein like the crural or jugular. 

 But we have not yet arrived at absolute conclusions as to the extent to 

 which this neurotic action is carried, whether it be localized in the nerve- 

 centres only, or whether there be, and to what extent, any action on 

 other portions of the nerve-apparatus. 



Our experiments so far, though pointing distinctly to the centres as the 

 seat of its action, in some cases seem to imply that the nerve-periphery 

 and perhaps even the muscles themselves are involved ; but on this head, 

 for the present, we reserve the expression of a positive opinion. 



"With reference to remedial measures in cobra-poisoning, we would 

 remark that, so far as our experiments have as yet gone, artificial respira- 

 tion has certainly had the effect of prolonging life ; and without com- 

 mitting ourselves to any opinion, we would say that we would not yet 

 abandon hope that it may, as in the case of the curara, even save it alto- 

 gether. This must of course depend on, first, the nature of the action of 

 the poison on the nerve-apparatus — that is, whether it be of a transient 

 or permanent character. Is it, for example, like curara, which though it 

 destroys the power of the peripheral extremity of the motor nerves 

 during its presence, yet leaves them uninjured and capable of resuming 

 their functions after the poison is removed (as it may be) by elimination, 

 life being supported by artificial respiration during that process. 



If so, and the cobra-poison, even though antagonistic and annihilative 

 of the action of the nerve-centres and peripheral distribution, or of the 

 muscular irritability itself, be only so whilst it is present, and would, if 

 removed within reasonable time, leave the nervous apparatus or muscles 

 in a condition to resume their operations, then, if elimination could be 

 carried on whilst respiration is artificially sustained, we might hope to 

 succeed eventually in cobra as in curara poisoning. 



Or could we, indeed, conceive of and find any agent so subtle as to 

 overtake and neutralize the virus whilst it is in the system, and before it 

 should have compromised the nerve-centres or other parts, then we should 

 have the antidote which has been so long sought for, but yet, we fear, not 

 found*. We do not now wish to speak of the action of the cobra-virus as it 



* Fontana thought he had discovered such an agent in the " pierre a cautere " (caustic 

 potash). He says of it: — " Mais on pent point douter cependant de l'efficacite de ce 

 remede, et on peut affirmer que la pierre a cautere est le vrai specifique de ce terrible 

 venin." — Sur les Poisons, p. 324 (Florence, 1781). 



This agent has been tried in India, but has not proved of any service in cobra- 

 poisoning. 



