66 
THE TIIAN ATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
Experiment No. 2. 
On the same day at 1.25 p.m., a half-grown Domestic Fowl was 
inoculated on the inner side of the right thigh with the poison 
taken from a Cobra on the spot, by making it bite through a 
leaf into a mussel shell. A considerable quantity of the virus 
was inserted by means of a sharp-pointed bistoury. 
No paralysis of the part followed, as in the case of the Dog 
in the first experiment. The bird ran about, picked up food, 
and ate some of the Aristolochia and rice which had been 
vomited by the Dog. At 1.29 p.m. it began to be restless, but 
still picked up food ; starting and seeming alarmed. 1.38 p.m. 
-—Standing; crouched together; the wounded leg contracted and 
drawn up. 1.40 p.m. —Again picking food, but seems uneasy. 
1.45 p.m. —Starting and restless ; lame in the injured leg. 
1.52.—Seems better. 1.58.—Appears sluggish; eyes closed; 
lies down; still picks food; is occasionally drowsy. 2 p.m.-— 
Very drowsy, but starts. 2.10. p.m.— Comatose; does not rise, 
but can be raised ; head resting on the point of the beak. 
2.13.—Cannot stand ; falls if raised. Head hanging down, and 
resting on point of beak. 2.16.—Gasping; respiration very 
slow. 2.20.—Apparently profoundly asleep, but still can be 
roused. 2.30.—Lies in any position in which it is placed. If 
thrown into the air, the wings perform the movements of 
flying by reflex action. 2.37.—Slight convulsions. 3.15.— 
Still moves its head: respiration still perceptible, and reflex 
action in the wings remains. 3.46.—Relaxation of sphincters. 
3.48.—Slightly convulsed for a second. From 3.48 to 4.24 
perfectly motionless, respiration being very feeble and slow. 
4.24.—Dead. 
Autopsy. —There was no congestion of lungs. The blood 
coagulated firmly, and was examined that evening under the 
microscope. The blood of the Dog (Experiment No. 1) was 
also examined with a Powell and Iceland’s is inch object-glass, 
for the use of which I was indebted to Professor C. N. Mac- 
namara, who very kindly examined the blood with me. 
In the Dog’s blood nothing remarkable could be observed. 
The red corpuscles seemed unaltered, and the white corpuscles 
were present in the usual proportion. But in the Fowl’s blood 
the appearances were remarkable. In this case death occurred 
slowly—in three hours; whereas in the Dog it took place in 
twenty-six minutes. On carefully examining the Fowl’s blood 
with the T V inch object-glass and “ A ” eye-piece, the following 
appearances were observed :— 
The oval red corpuscles were unaltered; but in the field of 
the microscope, in addition to the blood-corpuscles, a number 
of large granular bodies were to be seen, which, after careful 
examination, were discovered to be contained within a distinct 
cell wall. These granular bodies were coloured by an amrno- 
niacal solution of carmine, but neither the cell wall enclosing 
them nor the red corpuscles were affected by it. As many as 
five or seven of these large nucleated cells were seen at one 
time in the field of the microscope. The granular nucleus was 
very distinct, and appeared to be adherent to the inner side 
of the delicate though distinct cell wall. Although these 
nucleated cells were numerous, we were unable to detect the 
circular patches in the cell wall depicted by Dr. Halford, and 
which he states were coloured by carmine. 
Whatever be the result of further investigation there could 
be no doubt of the appearances here described, for they were 
peculiarly obvious. The absence of any such appearance in 
the Dog’s blood was equally certain. 
It is curious that such a difference in the time of death 
should have occurred. The full-grown Dog died in twenty-six 
minutes, when the poison was inoculated by the snake’s fane's. 
The small bird died in three hours, when inoculated with the 
same poison perfectly fresh, transferred at once from the 
poison-gland to the knife, and from the knife to the Fowl’s 
thigh. It would seem, to judge from this experiment alone, 
that the poison had lost something of its effect in being 
removed from the snake.* 
Experiment No. 3. 
A full-grown Ptyas mucosus (Rat Snake), about five feet 
long, very vigorous and active, was bitten at 1.46 p.m., in two 
places, by a fresh and powerful full-grown Cobra. The snake 
was made to close his jaws, and the fangs pierced deeply, and 
were kept there long enough for a large dose of the poison to 
be inoculated. 
At 1.56 the respiration appeared somewhat accelerated, but 
gradually became normal; this quickening of the respiration 
was probably not a morbid symptom. At 3.15 the Ptyas was 
active and vigorous as usual, appearing in no way affected by 
the bites. I made inquiry about it the next day, and it was 
reported to be perfectly well. 
The snake-catcher, who handled the Cobra, said, when the 
Ptyas was bitten, and persisted in saying so for some time, 
that it was sure to die. He was mistaken, for no evil result 
followed. The snake-catcher says that innocuous snakes suffer 
from the bite of their poisonous congeners, but that poisonous 
snakes are unable to harm themselves or each other with 
their poison. 
Experiment No. 4. 
A full-grown Cobra was made to plunge his fangs into 
another equally large Cobra at 2.13 p.m. At 3.15 not the 
slightest effect was produced, nor did any follow subsequently, 
the reptile remaining perfectly unaffected. 
Experiment No. 5. 
At 2.42 p.m. a full-grown Pariah Dog was bitten on the 
thigh, in the same way as in the first experiment, by a large, 
fresh, powerful Cobra. 
The limb was immediately drawn up, and became partially 
paralysed. Respiration became hurried, and the Dog was very 
restless. By 2.46 salivation commenced. 2.48.—The Dog is 
lying down licking the wound, but continually rising up and 
lying down again ; looking exceedingly distressed, with saliva 
running from the mouth, and curious movements of the head, 
and snapping of the jaws. 2.58.—Staggering and throwing 
the head upwards and downwards, and oscillating the body 
backwards and forwards irregularly. This continued for a few 
moments, when the animal lay down again, staggering as if 
intoxicated; head drooping; coma coming on with jerking 
diaphragmatic respiration and twitching of the angles of the 
mouth ( risus sardonicus). 3.2.—Hind quarters convulsed, rest¬ 
lessness great. 3.3.—Convulsion repeated, eyes glazed, tongue 
hanging out of the mouth; involuntary discharges. 3.12 p.m. 
—Dead. 
Autopsy. —No congestion of lungs; blood coagulated shortly 
after removal; heart empty; no coagula; abdominal viscera 
healthy. Membranes of brain slightly injected; tissue about 
the snake-bite infiltrated with dark discoloured blood. 
In this case a full-grown Dog, severely bitten by a vigorous 
full-grown Cobra, died in thirty minutes from the effects of the 
poison, showing that the Aristolochia could have had little or 
no effect in the first experiment, where a similar Dog was 
bitten by an equally vigorous Cobra, and died in twenty-six 
minutes. 
Oct. 2m, 1867. 
Experiment No. 6. 
The poison used on this occasion was some taken from a Cobra 
on Oct. 21st, and preserved in a small glass tube well corked. 
A Pup about three months old was inoculated in the inner side 
of the thigh, at 9.7 a.m., with a small quantity of the poison. 
9.10 a.m. —Restless; drags the limb slightly in walking; no 
* See, however, Experiment No. 5, Fourth Series. 
