70 
THE TH ANATOPHTDIA OF INDIA. 
Experiment No. 14. 
I poured a few drops of carbolic acid on to tlie floor of a 
large wooden cage, with a wire front, in which there was a 
large Bungarus fasciafus. The snake was not handled, and the 
carbolic acid could scarcely have got into the mouth, though it 
touched the head. The Bungarus immediately withdrew his 
head from the spot where the acid fell, and became very much 
excited and convulsed, the tail being for a time quite rigid. 
It turned over on its back in about three minutes, and lay 
almost motionless for about five or six minutes more, during 
which slight convulsive movements occurred, as in the Cobra, 
and in less than ten minutes it was quite dead. This snake 
was five feet long, and very powerful, sluggish as the Bungarus 
fasciafus always is, I believe, in the daytime ; but very active 
when roused. 
Life in this snake was much more rapidly extinguished, and 
by a smaller dose of the poison, than in the smaller Cobra. As 
they lay stretched out side by side, convulsive twitchings were 
apparent in the Cobra for some minutes after the Bungarus 
fasciafus was quite dead. This would indicate that the Bungarus 
fasciafus is much more susceptible than the Cobra, for it was 
apparently destroyed by the vapour, or, at all events, by the 
very small quantity that might have trickled down from the 
head into the mouth. After death, the mucous membrane of 
the mouth was natural; whereas in the Cobra that had drops 
placed in the mouth, these had completely whitened the mucous 
membrane, and coagulated the poison which had exuded from 
the fangs. 
The use of carbolic acid as a preventive against the entry of 
snakes into houses and other places where they may prove 
dangerous, or as a means of getting rid of them where tliej^ 
have taken possession, is clearly suggested by these experiments, 
for there can be no doubt that the drug is most deadly and 
disagreeable to the reptiles. 
FOURTH SERIES. 
Experiments on the Action of the Poison of the Cobra on Warm- 
and Cold-blooded Animals , and on the Influence of Carbolic 
Acid on the Cobra and Prog. 
June Qih, 18G8. 
Experiment No. 1. 
At 3.29 p.m. a full-grown, vigorous, and fresh Cobra was 
made to bite a very powerful full-grown Cobra of a black 
colour. The scales were scraped off near the head, and the 
other snake was made to plunge his fangs into the exposed 
part, and retain them there for some time. It was then 
made to bite the Cobra in the mouth, by closing the jaws 
on the under-jaw of the bitten snake. The wounded snake 
was then placed in a large cage, and watched. It did not 
show any symptoms of being affected by the poison, and was 
perfectly well, vigorous, and active on the 10th at 2 p.m. —At 
2 p.m. on June 11th the bitten snake was well and active. 
This appears to be almost conclusive that the Cobra is not 
affected by the poison secreted by another Cobra. 
Experiment No. 2. 
At 3.30 p.m. a full-grown, fresh Cobra of light brown colour, 
with one ocellus on the hood, was made to bite a large Rano 
tigrina (Bullfrog) on the inner side of the thigh, the integument 
having been previously raised. The snake was made to close 
his jaws on and insert the fangs in the muscle, retaining them 
there for some tiqne. 3.36 p.m. — Apparently not affected ; leg 
not paralysed; moves about as usual. 3.55. —No very apparent 
change, except that the bitten thigh is much ecchymosed; rather 
sluggish. 4.10. —Very sluggish ; hardly moves when stirred ; 
appears almost paralysed. 4.25. — Appears to be paralysed, so 
as to be unable to move ; respiration goes on well. There are 
reflex movements when the hind legs are irritated. The legs 
are drawn up. 4.30.—Reflex movements have ceased. 4.45. 
—Dead. Body much swollen and distended with air. This 
experiment proves that the Frog is susceptible, though much 
less so than warm-blooded animals, to the action of the poison. 
Experiment No. 3. 
A full-grown, active Ptyas mucosus (“Dhamin”) was bitten at 
3.36 p.m. in the mouth by a powerful, vigorous, and fresh 
Cobra. The snakes were made to close their jaws on each 
other. The snake remained unaffected, and on the lltli, at 
2 p.m., was quite well. There could be no doubt that the 
Cobra’s fangs were deeply inserted in this case. 
Experiment No. 4. 
A large Varanusflavescens (“Gohsamp”) was bitten at 3.55 p.m. 
by a full-grown, fresh, and vigorous Cobra of the light coloured 
variety, with one ocellus, which the natives of Bengal call 
“ Keautiah,” in the mouth and in the thigh, the integument 
having been previously raised to insure the penetration of the 
fangs and insertion of the venom. 3.57.—The bitten leg is 
dragged as though paralysed; the mouth is bleeding from the 
Cobra’s bite. 4.25 p.m. —Drags the leg ; is rather sluggish, 
but not much affected. 4.27.—Lies prone. Is nearly para¬ 
lysed and moves with great difficulty. 4.35.—Apparently 
paralysed; can be moved with difficulty. 4.55.—Much the 
same. After this the Varanus began to improve, and at 2 p.m. 
the following day he appeared better, though still sluggish. 
On June 11th, at 2 p.m., I found the Varanus dead in the 
cage. He was seen alive about noon. 
Experiment No. 5. 
At 4 p.m. a half-grown Domestic Fowl was inoculated in the 
muscular part of the thigh with four drops of Cobra poison re¬ 
moved from the snake the day before. The poison was injected 
with the ordinary hypodermic syringe. The effect was almost 
instantaneous. The Fowl staggered when placed on the 
ground; was in convulsions at 4.1, and was dead at 4.4. This 
experiment would appear to show that the poison loses very 
little of its power, if any, by removal; and that its action 
depends much, on the instrument with which it is injected. 
The hypodermic needle resembles the Cobra’s fang, and was 
almost as rapid in inducing the full effect of the poison. 
Experiment No. 6. 
At 4.7 p.m. a very large liana tigrina was injected with ten 
drops of the same poison, with the same instrument as that 
used for the Fowl. The axilla and the abdominal wall were the 
places selected for injection. 4.20.—He is beginning to be 
sluggish, but is very slightly affected. 4.22.— Slightly con¬ 
vulsed, and then partially paralysed. 4.30.—Almost motion¬ 
less ; respiratory movements still apparent. 4.35.—Dead. 
This experiment points to the difference of the effect of the 
poison on cold- and warm-blooded animals. With three times 
the amount of the poison as was used in the case of the Fowl, 
it took seven times as long to kill the Frog. 
Experiment No. 7. 
One drop of carbolic acid was administered to a full-grown, 
vigorous Cobra at 4.14 p.m. In two minutes the snake was in 
O 
convulsions, and powerless to strike, or even erect his hood. 
4.34.— Still struggling; convulsed; mouth open, but unable 
to move or strike. 4.45.—Has gradually been recovering; 
looks still very weak, and the head trembles, and can be raised 
with difficulty. At 2 p.m. the following day the snake had re¬ 
covered, but still seemed weak, and unable to dilate his hood 
perfectly. 
