EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
85 
Hoes not now seem much affected. 1.40. — Apparently not af¬ 
fected. 1.45. — Began to show the effects of the poison; stag¬ 
gers, and runs with its beak almost resting on the ground. 
1.50. — Paralysed; has fallen over. 1.55.—Is convulsed. 
1.57.—Still convulsed. 1.59.—The same. 2.1 p.m. —Dead— 
i.e., in twenty-six minutes. 
Experiment No. 16. 
Another Fowl bitten by the same Bungarus fasciatus in the 
thigh at 1.40 p.m. 
1-42. W;alks lame on bitten leg. 1.44.—Staggers; fell 
over with its head on the ground. 1.45.—Is paralysed; 
cannot rise or move. 1.49.—Convulsed. 1.55.—Again con- 
vulsed slightly. 1.57.—Dead— i.e., in seventeen minutes. 
Death was more rapid in this case than the last, although 
the snake had bitten before. The Fowl was about the same 
size as the one previously bitten, and its more rapid death may 
be attributed to more rapid absorption of the poison, which was 
probably caused by the snake’s fangs having entered a vein. 
Experiment No. 17. 
A Fowl was bitten slightly by another Bungarus fasciatus 
at 1.50 in the thigh. 
At 2.10.—Slightly affected. 2.25.—Sleepy, but can be 
roused. 2.30.—Very drowsy; resting the beak on the ground. 
2.45.—Still alive. It died at 3.45 p.m. 
These four experiments prove that the action of the poison of 
this snake is not so vigorous as that of the Cobra or Baboia. 
The nature of its action is probably much the same, but 
the quantity injected is probably much less, as the poison fang 
of the Bungarus is so much smaller than that of the Cobra. 
Experiment No. 18. 
A Bungarus fasciatus was severely bitten three times, about 
eight inches from the head, by a powerful and fresh Cobra, at 
1.55 p.m. 
No apparent effect was produced either at the time, soon 
after, or later. The Bungarus was alive and well two days 
later. It died a day or two after, but its thorax and lungs 
were found filled with blood. The Cobra fang had probably 
penetrated the lung. 
Experiment No. 19. 
A Baboia was severely bitten by a fresh Cobra in three or 
four places at 2.10 p.m. 
No present or subsequent effect was produced. The snake 
remained quite well. 
Experiment No. 20. 
Another Baboia was severely bitten by a fresh Cobra about 
a foot from the tail at 2.22 p.m. No effect produced. The 
snake remained perfectly well. 
Experiment No. 21. 
Two fresh and vigorous Cobras were made to bite each other 
in several places at 2.35 to 2.37 p.m. No evil result followed; 
both remained quite well. 
The result of these experiments has been to demonstrate that 
Invertebrates and Haematocryal Vertebrates are, like the Haema¬ 
tothermal Vertebrates, subject to the deadly influence of snake- 
poison. The Mollusca, fish, and innocuous colubrine snakes 
rapidly succumb when bitten by either the Viper or the Mapidee. 
The weight of evidence, however, tends to show that the 
poisonous snakes have little, if any, power to injure each other, 
for in none of these last series of experiments was the bite of a 
venomous snake fatal to any other venomous snake. The 
Bungarus fasciatus that died after being bitten by a Cobra, pro¬ 
bably died from internal haemorrhage, and not from the poison. 
In repeated careful microscopical examinations of the blood 
of animals before they were bitten, during tbe action of the 
poison, and after death, I failed to detect any structural changes, 
such as are described by Professor Halford. 
I may here note, in anticipation of future experiments on the 
efficacy of the so-called antidotes, that the application of a 
ligature to the thigh of a Fowl bitten by a Cobra manifestly 
retarded the entry of the poison into the circulation, and warded 
off for a time its fatal effects. 
TENTH SERIES. 
Experiments on the Influence of Cobra and Baboia Poison. 
Becember 12th, 1868. 
Present, Dr. Fayrer and Mr. Sceva. 
Experiment No. 1. 
A small Cobra, about sixteen inches long, was bitten in two 
or three places, about one-third of its length from the tail, by 
a very large and vigorous Cobra of the spectacled variety. 
The fangs penetrated deeply, and there could be no doubt that 
the venom was freely injected. When bitten the young snake 
threw itself into a series of momentary curves, but on being 
released it appeared unaffected. It was closely watched for 
some time, but showed no sign of being affected. It was as 
active and vicious as before, assuming an aggressive attitude, 
with its little hood erect, and striking vigorously at anything 
that approached it. 
It was bitten at 11.45 a.m., and I saw it again at 4 p.m. ; it 
was then lively, but looked rather stiff, and disinclined to be so 
active as it had been, probably owing to the pain and com¬ 
mencing inflammation in the bites. 
On the 13th at 5 p.m. there was no apparent change in the 
snake; it was as lively as ever. 
14th, 2 p.m.— Mr. Sceva reports that beyond a slight 
apparent soreness in the muscles of the bitten part, there is no 
change. The snake remains quite well. 
Experiment No. 2. 
A small Cobra, one probably of the same brood as the one 
bitten in the previous experiment, and of the same size, very 
active, vicious, and vigorous, was bitten at 12.15, December 12th, 
1868, by a Baboia that had not bitten for many days, and 
whose poison glands were apparently full of poison. The fangs 
of the Daboia were made to penetrate deeply in a part of the 
snake posterior to the viscera — that is, not far from the tail; 
and a quantity of the poison was shed on the snake, and pro¬ 
bably into the wound. The young Cobra, beyond the local 
effects of the bite, appeared unaffected; on being released, it 
deported itself just like the one bitten by the Cobra in Experi¬ 
ment No. 1, and was active, ill-tempered, and aggressive as ever- 
At 4 p.m. it was apparently quite unaffected. 
On the 13th at 5 p.m. there was no apparent change. 
On the 14th Mr. Sceva reports of both : —- 
■There appeals to be a slight soreness where they were 
bitten, and the muscles do not act so freely at those parts; 
but the extremity of the tail, and the anterior part of the body, 
are as lively as before being bitten.” 
These experiments go far, I think, to prove that the poisonous 
snake is not affected by the venom of its own or of other species. 
The Cobras bitten were young and weak; the Baboia and 
the Cobra that bit them were full-grown, vigorous, and fresh 
snakes. There could be no doubt that the venom was tho¬ 
roughly injected, and that the fangs penetrated deeply. The 
bites were purposely inflicted near the tail, that no chance of 
injuring the viscera might be incurred. 
The bitten Cobras were closely watched for forty-eight 
hours, at the end of which period no symptom but the local 
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