EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
twitchings of the limbs commenced, and gradually continued, 
becoming more intense, till at 12.4.2 the animal was in a state 
of general tetanic spasm of all the muscles of the body. The 
ears were erected, the pupils dilated to excess, the body rigid, 
and the limbs extended in an intense state of tetanic convulsion. 
12.43.—Head. Spasm relaxed just before death. 
In this case death occurred in six minutes, and was due 
entirely to tetanus. There was neither time nor opportunity 
for any manifestation of the effects of the snake-poison. 
Experiment No. C. 
A Pariah Dog was bitten in the thigh by a powerful and fresh 
black Cobra at 12.45. Immediately afterwards about fifteen 
drops of the strychnia solution were injected with the hypo¬ 
dermic syringe into the same thigh. 12.46.-— -Bitten leg 
partially paralysed, and dragged. The Dog ran across the room, 
the legs twitching violently. At 12.47 it fell over in a state of 
rigid tetanic spasm. 12.48.—Every muscle in the body in a 
state of rigid spasm. But it was remarked that the bitten leg 
was not so much affected by spasm as the other leg. The 
paralysing action of the snake-poison apparently so far 
counteracts the action of the strychnia. 12.50.—Spasm relaxed. 
12.51.—Dead. 
Death occurred, evidently from tetanus, in six minutes. 
Experiment No. 7. 
A full-grown male Cat was bitten in the thigh at 1.20 p.m. by 
a Dciboia russellii, about two-thirds grown, and apparently quite 
fresh and vigorous. Ten drops of a solution of strychnia, of the 
strength of one grain to a drachm, that is, one-sixth of a grain, 
were injected at 1.23 p.m. 1.24.—The bitten leg is partially 
paralysed. The Cat lies quietly, looking about it. 1.25.— 
Spasmodic twitchings began. 1.26.—Stretched out in a violent 
tetanic spasm. Pupils very widely dilated. 1.27.—Spasm 
relaxed. Dead. In this case the strychnia seemed rather to 
accelerate death than to improve the animal’s condition. The 
action of the snake-poison had clearly commenced, but it was 
at once obscured by the symptoms of poisoning by strychnia, 
and the Cat died in a state of complete tetanus. The strychnia 
was suggested as an antidote to snake-poison. These experi¬ 
ments do not support this theory. 
Experiment No. 8. 
A large “ Dliamin” {Pti/as mucosus ) was bitten by a fresh and 
powerful Cobra, at 12.53 p.m., about eight inches from the 
head, the scales having been previously scraped off, to insure 
the penetration of the Cobra’s fangs. Bitten also in the mouth, 
at 12.54, by the same Cobra. At 1.8 p.m. still active. 1.10.— 
Appears slightly sluggish. 1.30.—The same. At 2.30, when 
I left, it was in the same state. 
On August 8tli I learnt that the Ptyas died on the next day 
at 3.20 p.m., rather less than twenty-three hours after being 
bitten. It appeared to have partially recovered from its lethargy 
during the day, but relapsed and died; as it had been in the 
cage for some time, and was well and active, there can be no 
doubt, I think, that its death was due to the Cobra bite. 
Experiment No. 9. 
A very large and powerful Cobra, the same that bit in Experi¬ 
ments 1, 2, 3, and 4, had about twenty-five drops of the solution 
of strychnia (one grain to a drachm) injected into the anterior 
part of its body on the ventral aspect at 1 p.m. At 1.2 p.m. mus¬ 
cular twitchings began. The hood seemed to be shrivelled up 
and contracted. The head was erect, and longitudinal folds 
formed in its skin. At 1.4 p.m. in a state of violent tetanic 
spasm. The body set in short waves, as though it had been 
petrified in that condition, and the whole curved rigidly to one 
side. 1.6. — Continues in the same state, rigid as stone. 1.10. _ 
75 
Spasm relaxing; twitchings generally throughout the body 
and the head. 1.12. The only sign of life an occasional 
twitch. Dead. 1.14.—Spasm relaxed. 
Experiment No. 10. 
A Cobra, about four feet long, was injected with fifteen drops 
of Cobra poison, partly taken from another Cobra, partly from 
itself, at 1.56 p.m., at about four inches from the head. At 
1.58 twitching of head and neck when erect. Hood began to 
shrivel. At 1.5 9 twisted itself up into a rigid series of coils 
like a snake cast in metal, in which state I lifted it up with a 
stick and rolled it on the floor. It remained in this condition, 
the head twitching. At 2.25 the coils were unfolded, and it 
was quite dead. 
The symptoms of jioisoning here were more those of strychnia 
than snake-poison; and I cannot help thinking that such may 
possibly have been the fact. The same hypodermic syringe 
was used as in the other exjieriments, but as it had been most 
carefully washed several times before the experiment, it is dif¬ 
ficult to conceive how such can have been the case, unless a 
very small quantity of the strychnia solution had been left 
imbibed by the packing of the piston. As the result was so 
different from that of other inoculations of Cobras by Cobra 
poison, I cannot help suspecting this may have been the case, 
and it is sufficient to throw a doubt on the validity of the 
experiment. It would, however, prove the extreme suscepti¬ 
bility of the snake to the action of strychnia. 
Experiment No. 11. 
At 2 p.m. a large Cobra had about fifteen drops of his own 
poison injected with the hypodermic syringe, about eight 
inches from the head. The needle was inserted in the ventral 
surface, and it is probable the lung may have been penetrated. 
At 2.5 p.m. the snake was moving about, apparently unaffected. 
2.10.—He was thought to appear rather sluggish. 2.30.— 
Apparently as vigorous as ever. At 9 p.m. it was reported by 
Mr. Sceva that the Cobra was very sluggish, and likely to die. 
At 12.30, August 8th, the Cobra still alive, and apparently not 
affected ; nearly two days after the experiment. 
Experiment No. 12. 
At 2 p.m. a large Cobra had about twelve drops of poison, 
partly his own, partly from another Cobra, injected about eight 
inches from the head. No effect was apparent when I left at 
2.30 p.m. But at 9 p.m. of the same date, Mr. Sceva reported 
that it died at / .40 p.m. It became more and more slusrpish 
and lethargic, until it was quite dead, but there was no convul¬ 
sive movement and tetanic sjiasm. 
It appeared probable, to say the least of it, that death in this 
case was caused by the poison. It is possible that the needle 
may have penetrated the lung, or some large internal vessel, 
and that it caused death either by haemorrhage or embolism. 
I had not an opportunity of examining the snake after death, 
and I cannot therefore regard the experiment as conclusive. 
The Cobras used in these experiments were remarkably large 
and vigorous. 
August 8 th, 1868. 
Experiment No. 13. 
Present, Dr. Fayrer, Dr. J. Ewart, Professor of Physiology, 
and Mr. Sceva, of the Indian Museum. 
A full-grown Cobra had about twenty-five drops of fresh 
Cobra poison, taken from another snake immediately before 
the experiment was performed, injected by means of the 
hypodermic syringe into the body, at about eight inches from 
the head. At 12.50 the snake appeared unaffected in strength 
and activity, striking at anything that approached it, 
but it voided a large quantity of light brown fluid per 
anum. 
