38 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
to compress the limb as to completely stop the circu¬ 
lation. 
I have found it all but impossible, with tlie strength of a pair 
of hands, so to tighten the ligature as to effect complete stran¬ 
gulation of a dog’s hind leg. 
The method most likely to succeed would be to tie the ligature 
tightly round the pai’t, including a piece of stick, or some such 
lever, and then, by twisting the stick, so completely to stran¬ 
gulate the part that circulation ceases—at whatever cost this 
should be done. If the bite be in a finger, thumb, or toe, the 
first ligature should be applied a short distance above the bite, a 
second on the forearm or leg, and even a third higher up; it is 
the best, perhaps the only chance of saving life ; and however 
great the pain it must be endured. No time should then be lost; 
the punctures must be scarified so as to allow the blood to flow 
freely; and then fire, a live-coal, a red-hot iron, or some caustic, 
mineral or carbolic acid, must be applied to the wound, so as to 
destroy the poison which is contained in the strangulated part; 
the disorganization must be very complete, or even then it will 
fail, as enough of the poison may remain to be subsequently 
absorbed when the ligature is removed, and after all destroy life. 
In the case of a finger or toe, I believe that immediate ampu¬ 
tation would be justifiable, if the sufterer or his companions, an 
instrument being at hand, had the morai courage to lop oft the 
part at once. 
The natives are in the habit of placing a live-coal, or of ex¬ 
ploding gunpowder, on the bitten part, and no doubt they are 
right in doing so. 
The place and circumstances under which snake-hites occur, 
are frequently such as not to leave much choice of means; but 
it would generally be possible to extemporize a ligature and a 
hot coal, or among sportsmen a little gunpowder might be 
forthcoming. Should the bite be inflicted on a part of the body 
where a ligature could not be applied, the only expedient re¬ 
maining is to excise the part to the depth of the punctures, let 
it bleed freely, and then apply fire or caustic. There is no 
time for reflection or consideration ; it must be done at once, 
and thoroughly, or there is no hope of avoiding the influence of 
the poison. If the snake has been seen and recognised as 
venomous, no doubt remains as to its necessity. Hut if it have 
not been seen, and the marks indicate a poisonous snake-bite, 
the patient must have the benefit of the doubt, or his chance 
of life may be lost. 
Suction either by the mouth or cupping-glasses is useful; 
for the latter purpose any small vessel might suffice ; a little 
spirit or a piece of burnt paper alone would serve to exhaust 
the air; that by the mouth is efficacious, but it must be borne 
in mind that there is danger in applying the poison to the lips, 
for it may be absorbed, and evil results follow to the operator. 
But suction, however practised, should be applied after the 
ligature in those cases where that application is practicable; 
where it is not, after excision, and before the application of 
caustic or cautery. Fire may be applied, as I have said, either 
by the live-coal, the hot iron, or by exploding gunpowder on 
the part, or by the moxa. 
The mineral acids, chloride of zinc, carbolic acid, or strong 
acetic acid, may be applied with a piece of old linen or cotton 
attached to the end of a piece of stick or other convenient 
vehicle. 
The liquor ammonite or liquor potassse are among the local 
applications recommended, but I have ascertained by experi¬ 
ment that they do not destroy the poisonous properties of the 
venom, although mixed with it in even more than equal quan¬ 
tities, and therefore they are not to be trusted. Ipecacuanha, 
iodine, and other specifics, are recommended as local applica¬ 
tions. They are, I fear, useless. 
Such are the local measures to be resorted to. At the same 
time, as there is great and rapidly increasing depression both 
from mental as well as physical causes, stimulants should be 
given at once frequently and freely. Hot brandy, or whisky, 
or rum and water, equal parts of each, are the best. Ammonia 
is also useful as a stimulant, and may be given in any of its 
officinal forms, the carbonate, the liquor ammonke, or the eau- 
de-luce. But it is to be given simply as a stimulant, it has no 
specific or antidotal action beyond this. At the same time, 
warmth and sinapisms to the prsecordial and epigastric regions, 
in some cases cold douches, and all measures that may tend to 
rouse and stimulate the failing nervous energy should be re¬ 
sorted to. So far popular notions are supported by science. 
But another popular mode of treatment of the so-called 
lethargy induced by the poison, that by walking the person 
violently about and keeping him awake by flogging, pinching, 
and other such violent measures, is, in my opinion, of very 
doubtful efficacy, if not altogether wrong. The man who is 
dying from snake-bite is perishing from rapid exhaustion of 
nerve force. To make him take violent exercise and deprive 
him of rest seems to me more likely to do harm than good. It 
would be almost as reasonable to give a man a blow on the 
head to recover him from concussion of the brain, or to give 
him antimony to cure him of sea-sickness. Let him lie down; 
leave him to rest, to sleep, if he can. Many of the cases of 
so-called poisoning are not poisoning at all; the snake has not 
been seen, and it may have been innocent; or it may have 
been a poisonous snake, but exhausted. The punctures are 
there, and the appearances are all those of snake-bite. But the 
depression is due to mental shock from the dread of impending 
death. I have seen such a case. 
Bousing, in the fashion I have alluded to, might do good 
here, but I believe that in real poisoning it can only do harm 
by exhausting the already sinking powers of life. It may be 
said it has often succeeded; people have been so treated and 
have recovered. Who can say they would not have recovered 
as soon, perhaps sooner, without it ? “ Post hoc ” does not 
always mean “ Propter hoc.” 
With reference to the snake-stones which, when applied to 
the bites, are said to absorb and suck out the poison and obviate 
its evil effects, I have only to say that I believe they are per¬ 
fectly powerless to produce any such effect. Of this more 
subsequently. 
As unfortunately, in a large number of cases, persons who 
have been bitten by venomous snakes are not so promptly and 
vigorously treated, and the poison has found entry and mani¬ 
fested its presence by dangerous symptoms, it is too late to 
hope for any benefit from the application of the ligature or 
other local measures having for their object neutralization or 
destruction of the poison. The only course of treatment now 
to be adopted, is that of endeavouring to neutralize or counter¬ 
act the action of the poison which has already affected the nerve 
centres and poisoned the blood, and to support the strength 
during the continuance of the depressing influence. 
This brings me to speak of the so-called antidotes, many of 
which have been and are so much vaunted. To name them all 
would be impossible, but I may say that most reliance has been 
placed on a few, such as ammonia, arsenic, iodine, bromine, the 
poison and the bile of other snakes, the guaco plant, ipeca¬ 
cuanha, aristolochia, senega. Indeed, nearly every diug in 01 
out of the Pharmacopoeia has been recommended; to say 
nothing of many other things that have been in vogue among 
the ignorant, vulgar, or superstitious, and that have nothing 
whatever but credulity to suggest their utility. I have made 
repeated experiments with many of them on the lower animals, 
and have seen nothing to induce me to believe that they have 
any good effect whatever. 
I have no hesitation in saying that I believe them to be use¬ 
less, and that, excepting for their stimulant action, when they 
have any, they are inert. When the symptoms of poisoning 
