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EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
73 
attractive power seemed to be annihilated. The blood ap¬ 
peared, indeed, to be dead — to be in a state of necrsemia. 
The microscopical appearances seem to show a larger number 
of granular corpuscles than is usual in proportion to the red ; 
but this may have been a peculiarity of the Hog, which was 
not a very healthy looking or vigorous animal. 
Experiment No. 6. 
The same snake was made to bite a young but full-grown 
Kite ( Milvus govinda ) in the wing. The snake bit near the 
second joint, and drew blood, at 4.40 p.m. 4.50.—The bird 
seems sluggish, and crouches, but is easily roused and walks 
about. 5 p.m. —Sluggish, but moves when roused. 5.38.— 
Alive, and though somewhat sluggish, is otherwise unaffected. 
The bird was alive and well some days after. 
The snake was probably exhausted by biting the other two 
animals, and he struck a part of the wing where, probably the 
poison, if the snake had any left, was not easily absorbed. 
There could be no doubt that, to a certain extent, the bird 
was at first affected. 
Experiment No. 7. 
At 4.49 p.m., another Kite, of the same size as the last, was 
bitten by a fresh Daboia in the thigh. The snake was not 
aggressive, and seemed unwilling to bite ; but when irritated 
it slightly wounded the bird with its fangs. 4.55.—Looks 
stupefied; feathers all erect. 5 p.m. —The bird is sluggish, 
and breathing hurriedly; it is unable to walk, and its claws 
are contracted into a ball. 5.8 p.m. —Tried to rise, and fell 
over dead. Death occurred in nineteen minutes. Blood ex¬ 
amined under microscope ; no change could be detected. Blood 
remained fluid after death; no coagulation. 
Experiment No. 8. 
A full-grown Daboia was bitten freely at 5.8. p.m., by a fresh 
and vigorous Cobra, which plunged its fangs more than once 
into the Daloia. 5.40.—The snake was unaffected. On July 
16th the Dciboia was as well as ever; the Cobra bite had had 
no effect. 
The experiment so far certainly seems to prove that the 
venomous snakes have no power of poisoning each other, and 
limited power of injuring the non-venomous snakes ; but these 
experiments are liable to many sources of error, and require to 
be repeated before conclusions are drawn from them. 
Dr. Fayrer, Dr. Stoliczka, and Mr. Sceva were present at 
these experiments. 
July 20 th, 1868. 
Experiment No. 9. 
A large powerful Dog was bitten in the hind-leg by a 
Daboia russellii, at 12.50. The snake struck twice, but did 
not seem to bite severely. This Daboia is one that was used 
in the last experiment on July lltli, and has been in a 
cage since; it is not known whether it has eaten or not since 
the last experiment. It seemed vigorous and savage, striking 
at anything that was brought near it. The Dog was held, and 
immediately after being bitten had a supposed antidote, of 
which I may have more to say on a future occasion, administered. 
As it took a minute or two to pour the drug down the Dog’s 
throat, it was impossible to say how far the struggles were due 
to fear, and how far to the poison. 
12.54.—Released; ran across the room staggering, and 
dragging the hind leg. 12.55.—Walking about in the same 
manner, very restless; breathing hurriedly, and frothing at the 
mouth. The Dog was kept walking about by one of the atten¬ 
dants. 12.56. Sat down exhausted; breathing very hurried; 
frothing at the mouth; eye bright and intelligent. 12.57.— 
Another dose of the drug administered. 12.58.—In violent 
convulsions; cold water poured on the head gave relief; stru ggled 
and sat up, but could not stand. 1 p.m. —Struggles violently; 
is paralysed in the hind quarters; constant spasmodic twitch- 
ings of the eyelids and other muscles. He rolls his head and 
body about where he sits, and has the appearance of extreme 
intoxication. Cold water constantly poured on the head, and 
efforts made to rouse the Dog by trying to make him walk. 
The breathing is hard, with a peculiar puffing of the cheeks, 
like that of an apoplectic person. Holds up his head, and is 
quite conscious, but can neither stand nor walk. 1.12.— 
Another dose of the drug administered, and more cold water 
poured on the head ; fresh efforts made to rouse the Dog. 1.13. 
—Made an effort to rise ; succeeded in staggering away a few 
paces. 1.20.—Seems better; can walk a little, but staggers. 1. 25. 
—More sluggish ; again lies down. The same puffing of the 
cheeks, and deep breathing. Evacuations at first natural, be¬ 
coming frequent, and consisting of bloody mucus. I should 
also note that he has made several efforts to vomit, but the 
drug does not appear to have been rejected. 1.30.—Puffing of 
the cheeks, frothing at the mouth, and deep breathing continue. 
The Dog appears conscious, though intoxicated. 1.37.—Be¬ 
coming weaker; lies on the floor paralysed. The puffing and 
flapping of the lips and cheeks continue. 1.45.—Much in the 
same condition; has just vomited a quantity of thick mucus, 
and has passed a quantity of sanguineous mucus. Rose, and 
again staggered a few paces. Is able to raise his head, which 
he does when water is poured on it. 
For the rest of the report I am indebted to Mr. Sceva, who 
was present after I was obliged to leave. 
At 2.50 the spasmodic movements of the body ceased for a 
few minutes, and the Dog raised himself on his forelegs. He 
was then removed to a cooler place, and raising his body, gentle 
exercise was given by lifting him alternately by the shoulders 
and hips, rubbing and moving his legs. He seemed to improve 
again somewhat. He was punkahed, and cold water was dashed 
on his head, whilst he was again exercised as before; on leaving 
his body unsupported, he sunk upon his haunches, but imme¬ 
diately after raised himself without assistance, and attempted to 
walk. The convulsive movements again returned, with hurried 
respiration, and he remained in that state until he died at 
3.49 p.m. Bitten at 12.50, died at 3.49 p.m. ; very nearly 
three hours. 
The action of this snake’s poison is evidently somewhat 
different from that of the Cobra. The Dog was a very healthy 
and powerful animal, and the snake was not fresh, but still 
death occurred within three hours. In this case, the bitten 
limb was paralysed, as in the case of the Dog bitten by the 
Cobra. The first shock to the nervous system was not so 
severe in this case as in that of the other Dog bitten by the 
Daboia. This may have been due to the fact that in the 
former case the Dog was smaller and the snake was fresh. I 
do not at present offer any opinion on the so-called antidote, 
further than that, in this particular case, I believe it was 
altogether inert. 
The effect of the poison in causing profuse mucous dischar 
ge 
from the stomach, and the discharge of blood and mucus from 
the bowels, is worthy of notice. I examined the blood after 
death, and found the corpuscles shrivelled and collapsed, but 
not otherwise changed. 
Experiment No. 10. 
A young but very active and vigorous Pig was bitten at 
12.27, very slightly in the right , thigh, by a fresh Cobra, but 
it was doubtful at the time whether the fangs had pene¬ 
trated. The Pig made his escape, and was caught and 
brought back in a few minutes apparently unaffected. At 
12.35 he was bitten again by a small but vigorous Cobra of 
the Spectacled variety, called by the natives “ Gomunah ” or 
4 
