82 
OF THE EFFECTS OF THE POISON 
The snake mentioned in Case VII. comes very near the description I have often had of the Cobra Monil, 
which, as I have mentioned in another place, I never could procure, though great pains were employed in 
the search. 
The snakes which did the mischief in Cases IV. V. and VI. were certainly different from any of those con¬ 
tained in the present collection, and on that account become more particularly objects of inquiry. In Case VIII. 
the snake was not found; which frequently happens, when persons are bitten by snakes accidentally crossing 
the road in the night; for though immediately pursued by some of the company, the snake usually makes its 
escape among the stones and bushes, especially if it is small in size. 
Case IX.-In the beginning of June 1788, a Gentoo man, about forty years of age, was bitten by a 
Cobra de Capello, in the fleshy part between the thumb and the fore-finger. 
He was one whom I retained in my service for the purpose of procuring serpents, and also, as he was very 
adroit in handling them, for assisting in my experiments. He met with the accident after sunset, in 
attempting, at the request of some neighbours, to catch a Cobra de Capello, just before discovered in one of 
the houses of the village. His usual caution seemed to have deserted him, or, as he pretended, he missed his 
aim in the dusk. 
The account he gave was, “ that he felt instantly a sharp pain in the part bitten, which soon spread on the 
“ palm, and upwards on the arm. He was sensible also of sickness at the stomach, but did not vomit. In 
“ less than an hour, the hand and the wrist were considerably swelled, the pain extended nearer the shoulder; 
“ he was sensible of a confusion in his head, and a strong disposition to doze.” From this time, he himself 
was for several hours ignorant of what had passed; but from the report of those about him, (so far as could 
be collected,) “ he at times showed much inquietude, without making any specific complaint; at other times 
“ he lay moaning, and dozing. Towards midnight, his disorder increased, startings about his throat were 
“ observed, his breathing became laborious, he could not speak articulately, and seemed not to perceive objects, 
“ though his eyes were open.” 
They had applied a poultice of herbs to the arm, and administered a secret antidote internally; besides which 
a B ram in performed his functions: but finding he grew worse and worse, it was determined after midnight, 
by the relations, to acquaint me with what had happened. 
Between one and two in the morning, I sent back the messengers with two doses of the Tanjore medicine 
prepared in draughts. On their return they found the patient much better; he had recovered his senses, and 
finding that the messengers had omitted to inform me of his having already swallowed a medicine, he declined 
taking the draught, lest the two remedies should happen not to agree together. 
In the morning, I found the hand and arm monstrously swelled, and I suspected the parts round the 
punctures were livid; but part of the poultice adhered so closely, and had tinged the skin of so deep a yellow, 
that I could not absolutely determine. 
The man had perfectly recovered his senses, he had no fever, complained only of confusion in the head, of 
languor, and of pain in the arm. 
The bark was ordered, but a few doses only were taken. The parts about the punctures mortified first, 
the gangrene then spread over the back and palm of the hand, and part of the wrist, laying the tendons 
bare, and forming an ulcer of considerable extent; which, however, healed favourably, under the usual 
treatment. He recovered his health in eight or ten days; but it was several months before he recovered the 
use of his hand. 
Observations. -The external, or local disease, was remarkably severe in this case; and, from the 
account of the patient, it was near an hour before he was sensible of the confusion in the head, and drowsy 
disposition. In Case V. the most formidable internal symptoms appeared within a quarter of an hour, while 
the local effects of the poison were slight. 
It has been observed in animals, that where a ligature was applied immediately after the bite, with a 
view to prevent the access of the poison into the current of circulation, the internal disease was mitigated, 
