4 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
The following are the muscles concerned in these processes :— 
The masseter, which arises from the ecto-pterygoid and passes 
backwards, winding round the tympano-mandibular joint, to he 
inserted into the mandible as far forward as the dentary. The 
membranous origin of this muscle extends over the poison gland. 
The temporal muscle arises from the parietal bone, and 
is inserted into the coronary process of the mandible. It 
is partly covered by the masseter. The posterior temporal 
takes its origin from the anterior part of the mastoid and 
parietal, and is inserted into the coronoid ridge near the joint. 
The tympano mandibular, or digastric, arises from the pos¬ 
terior part of the tympanic bone, and is inserted into that of 
the angular process of the mandible. 
From the fascia of the anterior vertebrae, a muscle, called 
the neuro-mandibular, and another smaller slip, called the 
costo-mandibular, extend downwards and forwards, to be 
inserted into the lower border of the mandible. The action 
of these muscles is to retract and depress the lower jaw. 
The ecto pterygoid passes forwards and expands into a fascia, 
which, in the poisonous snakes, covers the sac in which the 
fangs are enveloped. It is inserted also into the lower part 
of the posterior extremity of the maxillary bone. It helps to 
fix the maxillary when the fang is used, and it also retracts the 
fang when the erectile force is relaxed. The ento-pterygoid 
arises from the pterygoid bone, and passes outwards and back¬ 
wards, to be inserted into the posterior part of the lower jaw— 
the inner surface of the angular and sur-angular elements 
covered by the ecto-pterygoid. Its action is to draw together 
the mandibles,whilst it separates and draws backwards the palato- 
pterygoid bones. The anterior parts of the mandibles, which 
are relaxed in the stretching of the ligament during deglutition, 
are drawn together again, and corrugated by a transverse band 
of muscular fibres called the inter-mandibular. This muscle 
also sends off a slip on either side, which expands on the inter- 
mandibular integument, the action being to corrugate it after 
the stretching it has undergone, and it is aided in producing 
this effect by an additional thin layer of muscle. 
The pre-spheno-pterygoid arises from the pre-sphenoid, and 
extends backwards and outwards to the pterygoid and ecto- 
pterygoid, where they unite. In contracting, it draws or 
rather pushes forwards the pteiygoid, ecto-pterygoid, and 
maxillary bones, rotating the latter and erecting the fang. 
The pre- spheno-palatine takes its origin from the side of the 
fore-part of the pre-sphenoid, and passes outwards to its inser¬ 
tion along the inner surface of the palatine. From the side of 
the pre-sphenoid the pre-spheno-vomerine muscle arises; it 
sends a slender tendon to the vomer, the action of which is to 
depress and retract the pre-maxillary, restoring it to its na¬ 
tural position with other bones which have been displaced in 
swallowing the prey. 
Such are the muscular arrangements by which the mouth is 
opened vertically, and laterally; the poison gland compressed 
and the venom injected through the poison fang, which, by a 
simultaneous combined action of muscles and consequent move¬ 
ment of bone, has become erect, and is fixed in that position 
during the infliction of the deadly blow by which the fangs are 
imbedded in the flesh of the snake’s prey. 
A few words now on the poison gland, and its duct. 
The poison glands are situated behind the eye, and in front 
of the tympanic bones. They are oval bodies about the size of 
an almond in the Cobrdf; the secreting structure consists of a 
series of elongated lobes diverging from the principal duct. 
The lobes are sub-divided into lobules, which are sub-divided 
into caeca. These, having secreted the poison, convey it 
through the poison duct to the base of the poison fangs in the 
capsule of mucous membrane surrounding them. These glands 
are of different form and size in different families of snakes, 
but they are all modifications of the structure I have de¬ 
scribed. The gland is encased in a capsule, and is partially 
covered by fibres of muscle (the masseter), whose action in 
Diagram, of the Poison Gland of a Poisonous Snalce. 
L. Lobe of Gland. 
D. Duct. 
F. Fang. 
G G. Gland. 
M. Mucous Capsule of Fang. 
R. Reserved Fangs. 
A A. Fascia covering Gland. 
closing the jaw at the same time compresses the gland, and 
squeezes the poison through the duct into the perforated tooth. 
The secretion of the gland varies much in colour and viscosity 
in different snakes, but its general appearance is that of a clear, 
lightly viscid fluid, soluble in water, and slightly acid in reac¬ 
tion. It manifests its deadly effects most powerfully if inocu¬ 
lated into the blood when the snake is fresh and vigorous in 
the warm weather, and when it has not bitten for some time. 
It seems to act through the circulation, paralysing the nerve 
centres, and thus destroying the vital force. But there is no 
doubt, I believe, that, notwithstanding all that has been said 
to the contrary, it is capable of absorption through the mucous 
membranes with which it is brought into contact, though with 
much less dangerous effects than when it is introduced into the 
blood. In certain experiments in which the poison of the Cobra 
was placed on the conjunctiva of dogs, the symptoms of poison¬ 
ing were rapidly and strongly, though not in all cases fatally, 
developed. I shall have more to say on the subject of snake 
poison subsequently, but meanwhile I would remark that there 
are- certain differences in the action of venom derived from 
different families of snakes. 
Thus, the poison of the Naja generally kills without destroy¬ 
ing the coagulability of the blood; whilst that of the Viper— 
the Dciboia —more frequently produces perfect and permanent 
fluidity. Such, at all events, has been the case in the majority of 
the experiments performed. Apparently it is not always so in 
Man. 
The poison may be diluted with water, or even ammonia 
or alcohol, without destroying its deadly properties. It may 
be kept for months or years, dried between slips of glass, and 
still retain its virulence. It is capable of absorption through 
delicate membranes, and therefore it cannot safely be applied 
to any mucous surfaces, though no doubt its virulence is 
much diminished in the endosmosis. It kills when introduced 
into the stomach, when put into the eye, or when applied to 
the peritoneum. The Prince of Canino, L. Bonaparte, gave 
in 1843 an analysis of the venom of the Viper (Pelias herus), 
and he pointed out the presence of a principle representing the 
ptyaline of saliva. This he called viperine. He also found 
albumen and mucous fatty matter, substances soluble in alcohol, 
yellow colouring matter, and saline matters. 
The elementary analysis of viperine has yet to be made; it 
appears to act by a catalytic force—that is, it kills by some 
occult influence on the nerve centres ; viperine is a neutral 
substance, and very unstable. 
The terms ecliidnine, crotaline, have been given to a similar 
principle derived from other snakes. They are no doubt 
identically the same. 
The poison acts most rapidly on birds and mammals. Less so 
on the cold-blooded animals, but fishes, frogs, molluscs, and non- 
venomous snakes are destroyed by it, and often die very rapidly. 
I have not been able to satisfy myself positively, after many 
experiments made on purpose, that the poisonous snakes are 
absolutely insensible to their own, or to the venom of others, 
but to a great extent they certainly are so. 
1 have repeatedly made Cobras and Daboias bite themselves, 
and each other, and they never seemed the worse for it. But I 
