62 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE ARTIFICIAL 
SECTION V. 
Experiments on the Artificial Insertion of the Poison of Serpents , into the Bodies of Living 
Animals. 
Experiment I. October , 1787.-On a dog, which some hours before had been bitten twice, by a 
Katuka Rekula Poda, without suffering any perceptible disorder, it was determined to try what might be the 
effect of the poison, when inserted into a wound. With this view, a small incision was made, where the skin 
was thinnest, on the inside of the thigh, and some threads imbued with recent poison, from the same snake, 
were laid into the wound, and secured by a bandage. 
The operation was attended with no consequence; the wound suppurated, and the dog was well in a few 
days. The snake had been captive some time, and had two days before ineffectually bit two dogs; yet, that 
the poison fully retained its vigour was evident from the death of a chicken, in one minute and a quarter, 
which was bitten immediately after the operation on the dog. 
Experiment II. January 2, 1788.-The skin of the inner part of the thigh, of a middle sized dog, being 
first divided, a small incision was made with an envenomed scalpel, through the p'anniculus carnosus, into 
which some recent poison, from a Cobra de Capello, (caught two days before,) was inserted on the edge of 
the scalpel, and threads soaked in the poison were applied also to the wound. The dog was secured in such 
a manner, as to prevent his reaching the part with his tongue. 
The wound at first bled more than was intended, and, though the bleeding had ceased before applying the 
venom and the threads, some reddish serum continued to transude through the threads. 
The dog, after half an hour, being let loose, began immediately to lick the wound, and the threads drop¬ 
ped off. 
The wounded thigh caused a slight halt, but no other symptoms appeared of the poison having taken effect: 
and the dog, after a few hours, eat heartily. 
The bleeding was suspected of having impeded the effect in this experiment; as the poison had been taken 
from a fresh and vigorous snake. 
Experiment III. March 9.-An incision being first made through the skin, on the inside of the thigh 
of a stout dog, several small wounds were made into the parts beneath with a scalpel, dipped in the poison of a 
young Cumboo Nagoo, and poison was besides inserted into each wound. The skin of the other thigh was in 
like manner divided, and several punctures made into the subjacent parts, with an envenomed needle, charged 
repeatedly with fresh venom. The punctures were pretty deep, and some of them into the belly of the muscle. 
The dog remained perfectly well, without the least appearance of being infected. 
Experiment IV. March 23.-Of three drops of poison procured from two Katuka Rekula Podas, one 
half was inserted by means of a grooved hook, (made in imitation of the snake's fang,) into the muscle on both 
thighs of a stout dog: the skin having previously been divided. The dog when let loose, appeared to have 
lost the use of both legs; he drooped visibly, lay along, and moaned; and the parts about the wounds began 
to swell. Before night, the lameness was almost gone, and next day he was very well recovered. 
Experiment V.-Some threads soaked in poison, procured from a Katuka Rekula Poda, (caught only 
four or five days before,) were passed in the manner of a seton, through the skin, near the groin of a slender 
dog, and the ends clipped off close to the apertures. 
After a short time, both legs were affected, (though slightly.) as usual, where the poison takes effect; but 
no other symptoms supervened, and the dog was very well in a few hours. 
Experiment VI. March 29.-Some days after, the poison of a Katuka Rekula was applied to another 
dog, exactly in the same manner, and with the same success. 
