CHAPTER XVI 



VENOMOUS ANIMALS {concluded) — 

 REPTILIA AND MAMMALIA 



Reptilia: Ophidia — Historical- — Classification — Geographical distribu tion — 

 The act of striking — The venom— Entry of the venom into the body — 

 Minimum lethal dose — Effects of the venom — Excretion of the poison 

 — Immunity — Diagnosis ■ — Prognosis — Treatment — Prophylaxis — 

 Lacertilia — Mammaha. — References. 



REPTILIA. 



The Reptilia include two groups which are of interest to medical 

 men in the tropics — viz., the Ophidia and the Lacertilia; but the 

 former is infinitely more important, as it includes the venomous 

 snakes. 



OPHIDIA. 



Definition.- — Reptilia with limbs absent or vestigial; without 

 movable eyelids, or ear openings; with retractile elongated forked 

 tongue, transverse anus, paired copulatory organs, and elastic liga- 

 ment in place of symphysis menti. 



Remarks — The bite of certain snakes causes ophidismus, or snake 

 poisoning. 



Historical. 



The history of the study of snake-bite; and their effects V!ia.y be divided 

 into three periods: — 



1. Period of ancient theories. 



2. Period of one venom. 



3. Period of more than one venom. 



1 . Period of Ancient Theories. — The ancients were acquainted with a number 

 of snakes, which they described under the terms Echis and Colubra, but it 

 is not known definitely to what species these referred. Echidna was a term 

 used to denote the female viper. 



They were acquainted with the main symptoms of a snake-bite, and had 

 many remedies, including the tying of a ligature around the part, followed 

 by cupping after scarification, and the administration of wine and theriac, 

 the last mentioned being a celebrated remedy which, among other substances 

 contained the burnt body of the viper. Celsus recommends the sucking of 

 the wound, but only if there are no ulcers on the gums, palate, and other 

 parts of the mouth. 



2. Period of One Venom. — In 1664 Redi studied the effects of viper-bites 

 by experiments on animals, and Morse Charas, in 1669, noted the important 

 fact that the blood of animals bitten by vipers was coagulated, and came to 

 the conclusion that the symptoms and death were due to this coagulation. 



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