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VENOMOUS ANIMALS 



of the larynx. The right heart is distended with blood. The liver 

 is congested and dark. The kidneys may be normal or intensely 

 congested. The intestines show nothing in particular. The bladder 

 is contracted 



Microscopically, fatty degeneration of the liver and kidney, and 

 necrosis of hepatic and renal epithelium, are to be seen, as well as 

 round-celled infiltration along bile-ducts, which is probably due to 

 excretion of poison. 



Turning now to the colubrine snakes, which resemble the cobra, 

 there are observations upon Naja haje, N. bungarus, Bungarus 

 candidus, B. fasciatus, and the Hydrophidce. 



Naja haje Linnaeus. — Calmette records that Dr. Deschamps 

 observed a case of this bite in Senegal in which the snake bit the 

 patient in the forehead. Almost immediately great weakness, 

 accompanied by nausea and pains in the head and neck, set in. 

 Locally two raised areas were seen, around which the tissue was 

 oedematous. Cold sweats occurred. The oedema spread to the 

 face, dyspnoea appeared, and the pulse became small and inter- 

 mittent, paralysis set in, and the patient became comatose, but 

 recovered on treatment with antivenene. 



Naja bungarus Schlegel. — N. bungarus, the hamadryad, is by far 

 the biggest of the Indian poisonous snakes. Rogers finds its 

 venom very like that of the cobra, producing paralysis and death 

 from failure of respiration, while the heart continues to beat for a 

 time. 



There is no intravascular clotting, and the haemolytic action is 

 very slight, but the phrenic nerve-plates are paralyzed. If small 

 doses are given, the respirations are increased. 



We are not acquainted with the symptoms exhibited by an 

 undoubted case of this bite in a human being. 



Bungarus candidus Linnaeus. — As to B. candidus L., the com- 

 monest of all Indian snakes, there is not much to say, except that 

 all researches (Fayrer, Wall, and Rogers) indicate that its venom 

 is almost exactly the same as that of the cobra, but is slightly 

 more virulent. 



Cases of this bite are common. In brief, the symptoms are: — a 

 sense of tightness across the chest, with paralysis, particularly of 

 the muscles of the face, deglutition, and phonation. The con- 

 junctivae are suffused, the pupils dilated, the pulse and respirations 

 quickened; the temperature is normal, and the local signs are not 

 marked. 



Coma and convulsions precede death, which is due to failure of 

 respiration. Congestion of the meninges and brain and liquid blood 

 are the principal signs found post mortem. 



Bungarus ceylonicus (Gunther).— B. ceylonicus, the Ceylon krait 

 or carawalla, has been reported by Green to have killed a man in 

 twelve hours. The man was bitten on the left foot at 4 a.m., and 

 felt quite well till 5.30 a.m., when he felt drowsiness, which in- 

 creased till 10 a.m., when he could hardly swallow and was very 



