SECTION IV. 
CASES OF SNAKE-BITE. 
I have selected the following cases of snake-bite from returns 
that have been sent in by medical officers of the Bengal Presi¬ 
dency. They give a fair idea of the symptoms, of the duration 
of life after the reception of the bite, and of the pathological 
appearances and condition after death. The details in many 
are meagre, for the cases are often not seen until after death, 
and the description and name of the snake are not in every 
instance reliable, for the reason that it was not seen by the 
medical officer. Still the cases sufficiently illustrate the subject 
and show the fatality of the bite of the Indian poisonous snakes. 
They also show that little reliance is to be placed on the accounts 
given by ordinary persons, as to the description of snake that 
inflicted the wound; and that some were no doubt cases of bites 
of innocent snakes—the symptoms that followed the bite being 
the results of terror and anxiety. The natives believe nearly 
all snakes to he poisonous, and as the accident so often occurs 
in the night, it is only natural that though the snake is inno¬ 
cuous, the greatest fear should he excited when a person has 
been bitten ; the dread of impending death in some instances 
well-nigh producing a fatal result. 
It will be observed, that in nearly every case where the body 
was examined the blood is stated to have been fluid. This 
I am unable to explain, for repeated experiments on the lower 
animals showed that after death from the coluhrine snake 
poison, the blood coagulated firmly, whilst after death from the 
viperine poison, the blood always remained permanently fluid. 
I would venture to suggest that further investigation should 
he made by those who have the opportunity of doing so, with 
the view of testing the accuracy of these results, so different 
in man from the lower animals. 
The following cases are reported by Mr. Shircore, Civil Sur¬ 
geon of the twenty-four Pergunnalis :— 
Badhee Bewa, a Mahomedan woman, aged thirty-six years, 
was bitten by a snake (not seen) on the night of Feb. 27tli, 
1870, while near a tank at the village of Bistopore. She com¬ 
plained of a great burning pain at the bitten part, and thirst, 
and was very restless. She was treated by incantations, charms, 
and native drugs, but died during the night of Feb. 28th, twenty- 
eight hours after being bitten. The body .was examined, and 
the following appearances noted. The lungs were rather pale, 
but congested posteriorly. The heart and great vessels con¬ 
tained fluid blood. The abdominal viscera were normal. The 
blood was fluid. The brain, &c., normal. Cadaveric rigidity 
was not present when the post-mortem examination was made. 
Bassee, a Mahomedan labourer, aged fifty-eight years, was 
bitten by a snake (probably a Cobra) while crossing the field of 
Fort William, at daybreak of March 20th, 1870. He com¬ 
plained of pain at the bitten part. He did not receive any 
treatment, and died one hour and a half after being bitten. 
The body was examined. The lungs were highly congested. 
The heart and great vessels contained a great quantity of fluid 
blood. The abdominal viscera were normal. The blood was 
fluid. The vessels of the brain were distended with blood. 
Cadaveric rigidity occurred eight hours after death. 
Gunesh Ghose, a Gowallah, aged thirty-two years, was bitten 
by a snake (not seen) on the night of March 26th, 1870, at 
Tollygunge, near Calcutta. He is said to have complained of 
very severe pain at the bitten part. He -was treated by incan¬ 
tations and native drugs, but died forty-two hours after receiv¬ 
ing the bite. The body was examined. The lungs were natural 
and healthy. The heart contained thick blood. The abdominal 
viscera were normal. The blood was semi-fluid, and contained 
clots. The brain was normal. Cadaveric rigidity was not 
present when the body was examined. 
Alahee, a Mahomedan boy, aged twelve years, was bitten by 
a snake (name unknown) on the afternoon of April 25tli, 1870. 
He is said to have complained of pain. He was treated by 
Kobirajes, but died eighteen hours after receiving the bite. 
The body was examined. The lungs were normal. The heart 
and great vessels contained a small quantity of fluid blood. 
The abdominal viscera were normal. The blood was fluid. The 
brain and nervous system were normal. Cadaveric rigidity was 
not present when the post-mortem examination was made. 
Kouree Latu, a Mahomedan, aged forty-six years, was bitten 
by a snake (unknown, but probably the Bungarus cceruleus , or 
Ivrait) on the night of May 5th, 1870, at the village of Achee- 
pore. Fie is said to have complained of pain, and was treated 
by incantations and charms, but died ten hours after being 
bitten. At the post-mortem examination the lungs were found 
congested. The heai’t contained fluid blood. The abdominal 
viscera were normal, excepting the kidneys, which were highly 
congested. The blood was fluid. The brain, &c., was normal. 
Cadaveric rigidity occurred six hours after death. 
Benee Madhub Khan, a Bengalee hoy, aged eight years, was 
bitten by a snake (name unknown) on the afternoon of May 8th, 
1870, at the village of Acheepore. He did not come under the 
observation of Mr. Shircore, but is said to have complained of 
pain, and to have quickly become insensible. He was treated 
by charms, incantations, and the administration of some leaves, 
but died twenty-four hours after being bitten. The body was 
sent in for examination. The lungs were healthy. The heart 
was empty. The abdominal viscera were normal, except the 
kidneys, which were very much congested. The blood was 
fluid. The brain was normal. Cadaveric rigidity was not 
present when the body was examined. 
Soondree Podeeni, a Bengalee, aged fifty years, was bitten by 
a Keautiah (Ninja tripudians) on the night of July 5th, 1870, 
at the village of Bistopore. She is said to have complained of 
a burning pain in the bitten part, and to have been treated by 
incantations and charms, but she died two hours after receiving 
the bite. The body was examined. The lungs were normal. 
The heart and great vessels contained fluid blood. The kidneys 
were highly congested. The blood was fluid. The brain was 
normal. Cadaveric rigidity was not present when the body was 
examined. 
Poorno Bewa, a Bengalee woman, aged thirty years, was 
bitten by a snake (not seen) on the night of July 5th, 1870, at 
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