SNAKE BITE AND ITS ANTIDOTE. 
361 
parissias , and having expressed some of the juice, he pressed it 
into the wound and applied the bruised leaves. The doo* recov¬ 
ered. 
Dr. B. J. D. Irwin, U. S. A., A. J. M. S., Phila., 1861, n. 
s., p. 89, speaks of using Euphorbia Prostrata— called Gollindri- 
nera by Mexicans. Gave four fluid ounces of a watery solution 
of E. p ., and applied bruised plant to wound—repeated dose in 
one hour. Animals recovered. Other Euphorbias said to be 
useful: Capitata , correliata, palustris, and villosa. 
In view of these statements it was determined to try the anti¬ 
dotal effect of Euphorbia , but unfortunately only one species 
could be obtained at this season— Euphorbia maculata , of which 
a strong tincture was made, and to ascertain if it possessed itself 
poisonous qualities, at 12:45 p. m., Nov. 12, 1887, a healthy male 
rabbit received in right hind leg a hypodermic injection of 50 
minims of the tincture, and no unpleasant symptoms were mani¬ 
fested, the animal having been carefully watched. Nov. 14 he 
was perfectly well. The next experiment was as follows: 
E~ov. 12 — 12:30 p. m. —Injected 5 minims of venom solution 
in hind leg of rabbit, followed at once by 50 minims of alcoholic 
tincture Euphorbia maculata :, and 2 fluid drams given by stomach, 
and wet pad of tincture applied over wound. 
12:35 p. m.— When released animal was very feeble, hardly 
able to stand. 
1:15 p. m. —Gave rabbit 1 dram of tincture Euphorbia and 1 
dram of water per mouth \ animal very weak. 
1:20 p. m. —Babbit very nearly dead ; respiration fast; has 
lost all motion. 
2:15 p. m. —Babbit quietly died ; very little swelling or discol¬ 
oration of the part injected. 
This single experiment is given for what it is worth, and can 
hardly be considered as a fair test, but efforts will be made to 
obtain the species of Euphorbia mentioned as an antidote by Dr. 
Irwin, and its effects will be further investigated. 
Dr. Bobert Fletcher, in his valuable paper entitled, “A Study 
of some Becent Experiments in Serpent Venom,” in the Am. 
Jour, of Med. Sci ., 1883, n. so., LXXXVL, 144, mentions acase 
