OF THE POISON OF SERPENTS. 
65 
was inserted into two parts of the biceps muscle of each pinion of a pigeon. The bird continued lively and well 
for ten minutes: it then retired into a corner, and visibly drooped ; but did not seem stupified, and it pecked 
at a chicken which approached too near it. At the end of an hour, the parts about the punctures were swelled, 
and extravasated blood appeared under the skin. It remained another hour in a torpid state, without stirring, 
and expired in two hours and a half after the operation, having suffered only slight convulsions before death. 
Observations. -Though recent poison was employed here, on a subject of all others the most easily 
infected, yet the pigeon lingered two hours and a half; while the chicken to which the poison, after being 
kept an hour, was applied exactly in the same manner, survived only four minutes. 
Experiment XXV.-The skin of the pinion of another pigeon being first divided, a small incision 
with a lancet, was made in two places of the biceps muscle, into which was carefully inserted some poison 
from a different Katuka. 
The bird, as in the former experiment, walked about for ten minutes, and then drooped, (though in a less 
degree,) and retired into a corner: she remained evidently disordered, for an hour and a half, recovering, 
however, sufficiently at intervals, to walk about and pick up grains. At the end of two hours the parts were 
much swelled, and discoloured. The next day the bird was very well, the swelling and discoloration only 
remaining. 
Observations. -Here the poison was inserted into one pinion only, but into two incisions, and in 
quantity deemed fully sufficient. Perhaps the bleeding of the incisions prevented the complete admission 
of the poison. 
Experiment ~XXV I. May l g. -Into the pectoral muscles of a chicken, two drops of poison, which a 
Katuka had shed in biting a stick, were inserted; in one muscle with the hook, in the other with a lancet. 
The parts swelled, and became somewhat livid, without any further consequence. 
The poison employed in the two following experiments was taken from a Cobra de Capello. 
Experiment XXVII. August 14.-The pinion of a chicken being partially cleared of the feathers, 
a part close to a pretty large vein, was slightly abraded with a file, so as to remove the epidermis, but without 
starting any blood; one drop of poison was then well rubbed into the part. 
For several minutes, the bird showed no signs of being infected, and only retired into a corner; but in a 
quarter of an hour it seemed to be somewhat stupified. In five minutes more, it fell down, the head drawn 
towards the breast. Slight convulsions soon supervened, which returned at intervals, till forty-six minutes 
after the operation, when the chicken expired. 
A second chicken treated by the file in like manner, had some scratches made besides in the skin, after the 
application of the poison, but so superficial as not to fetch blood. 
The experiment proved fatal; the approaches of death were also equally slow, and the symptoms exactly 
the same as in the preceding experiment. 
Observations. -It may be remarked, that in this mode of applying the poison by abrasion, the local 
swelling and discoloration were much less than in any of the other modes. 
Experiment XXVIII. December 17.-The recent poison of a Cobra de Capello applied to the pinion of 
a chicken, in the manner last described, produced no visible effect for twenty minutes. The bird then began 
to droop; at the expiration of half an hour, it appeared much disordered, and after suffering convulsions 
as usual, died in one hour and ten minutes. 
Experiment XXIX.-Another chicken had the same poison applied with a hook to the same part of 
the pinion; but the poison, (little in quantity,) having stood till thickened, and no symptoms of disorder 
appearing for one hour, the experiment was conceived to have failed. 
At the end of the first hour, however, the usual symptoms supervened; at the expiration of the second 
hour, the bird lay on one side, as if dying ; yet lingered one hour longer. 
Experiment XXX.-The poison of a Katuka Rekula Poda applied, by abrasion, to the pinion of one 
pigeon ; and with the hook, to the pinion of another, produced no symptoms of poison whatever. 
