REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 
163 
ANTIDOTE FOR SNAKE BITES. 
The Beaufort Courier has been favoured by a respected cor- 
respondent with an interesting paper o.n snakes, containing notes 
on the puff-adder, springslang, hornsman, and the night-adder. 
The author maintains that Ipecacuanha is an infallible antidote 
against the bites of all venomous reptiles, and relates the following 
incidents in support of his view : — “ I soon discovered that a more 
reliable antidote was necessary for persons out of the reach of 
medical assistance ; and as my attention was drawn to the subject 
by something I read in an Indian newspaper, I resolved to give 
Ipecacuanha a fair trial, and soon discovered that I was in 
possession of the desired antidote. I will here relate a little of my 
experience in the use of this medicine. The first time I tried it 
was on a boy stung by a scorpion, and I found it cured him in 
about half an hour. The next case was a woman bitten in the 
back by a puff-adder. The wound was close to the spine, and 
received while sleeping at noon. She also recovered. Since then, 
I have cured people suffering from bites from many kinds of snakes 
and venomous reptiles, and have not known it to fail in a single 
instance. One of the most remarkable cures effected by the use of 
Ipecacuanha powder I will here relate. A reaper on a neighbouring 
farm was taking a nap at noon, under a shady tree, and a puff- 
adder came and lay alongside of him. As he woke he pressed 
against his unwelcome companion with his elbow, and in return 
received a severe bite in the fore-arm. The farmer not knowing 
what to use, dispatched a messenger on horseback for advice. 
Under the impression that it would be too late to apply the remedy 
in the shape of poultice, I mixed about two teaspoonsful of powder 
in a pint bottle of water, and told the bearer of it to let his master 
give it by table-spoonsful until he had used the whole of it. On his 
arrival with the medicine, it was discovered that the man was lock- 
jawed, and to all appearances in a dying state. The farmer, 
however, had the presence of mind to force his jaw open with an 
iron spoon, and give the medicine by spoonsful. During the 
evening it began to take effect, and by eight o’clock in the morning 
the man was able to walk abroad, and take his breakfast, and a 
