SNAKE BITE AND ITS ANTIDOTE. 
423 
is intended to try the effect of the Bibron antidote again if a 
sufficient supply of venom can be obtained. 
In 1853 Dr. David Brainerd, of Chicago, in conjunction with 
Dr. Green, proposed a plan of treatment for snake bite, known 
popularly as the iodine treatment, which attracted some attention 
at the time, the process being as follows : “ lOgrs. iodine and 
30grs. iodide of potassium are dissolved in loz. of water. The 
bitten part is cupped, or a ligature is placed on the limb until the 
tissues are so swollen with serum as to allow of the injection 
passing readily through the distended areolar space. A small 
trocar and canula is then pushed laterally into the bitten part, so 
as to reach the site of the wound, and the injection effected by 
screwing to the trocar a small syringe charged with iodine, and 
so filling the part by pressing down the piston of the syringe, 
while the cupping glass remains over the wound and exhaustion 
is kept up with its aid.” 
Dr. Mitchell, commenting upon the procedure, very justly 
says: “Apart from the antidotal value of this ingenious means, it 
is clear that the necessary apparatus is rarely at hand, and that 
cups of various curves to fit the equally various surfaces of the 
body, as advised by Dr. Brainerd, are not likely to come into 
general use in localities where the rattlesnake is found.” In 
Brainerd’s experiments one-half of the pigeons treated by Green 
and himself died, and in Mitchell’s experiments out of seven 
^pigeons six died, so that he states that he was unable to confirm 
Brainerd’s conclusions, although he admits that the preparation 
has a retarding action upon the venom. In cases in which the 
venom and iodine was mixed together before being thrown under 
the skin all the pigeons died. It is a fact, however, that iodine 
does prevent the usual local manifestations to a certain degree. 
Tannic acid was found to act similarly, and Dr. Mitchell thinks 
it is due to the action of these agents upon the tissues and not 
upon the venom. 
Different preparations of arsenic have been recommended 
from time to time by various authors, the famous Tanjore pill 
having attained quite a celebrity in the East Indies. It is composed 
of arsenious acid, three East India roots, of which two are purga- 
