S8 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OE INDIA. 
“ Third day, September \2th, 1868. 
“ Experiment witli one and the same Cobra biting two full- 
PTown Pariab Dogs in succession, at an interval of a quarter of 
an bour; tbe first being prepared with the antidote, the second 
without. This experiment was tried to afford an a fortiori test 
of the efficacy of the antidote. 
“ 1. Prepared Dog bitten at 7.42 a.m., the Cobra closing his 
jaws twice upon the part. Remained quite unaffected ap¬ 
parently for four hours, after which began to exhibit symptoms 
of distress, with increasing weakness. The following morning 
too weak to stand; tongue beginning to exhibit signs of para¬ 
lysis, and becoming dark-coloured. Antidote was again ad¬ 
ministered ; towards evening strength returned; Dog ate food. 
Second morning—that is, in forty-eight hours—quite recovered; 
was kept tied up for a week ; never at any time exhibited any 
return of symptoms. 
“ 2. The other Dog, in natural state, that is, unprepared, was 
bitten by the same Cobra at 7.57 a.m. in two places—on the 
back and in the line of the spine. At 8.30—that is, in thirty- 
three minutes—it began to show symptoms of being under the 
influence of poison. All the symptoms noted in previous ex¬ 
periments developed themselves, such as affections of the 
pupils, convulsive twitcliings of the jaws and limbs, paralysis of 
the tongue, with gradually increasing swelling and lividity, 
sluggish circulation, and feeble heart’s action. In this instance 
there was but little struggling or violent convulsion in com¬ 
parison with the other cases noted. Died at 9.5—that is, in 
one hour and eight minutes. 
“ Deposition of Davee, Carpenter, residing in Ghaspoora, of Gwalior. 
Taken October 2>rd, 1868. 
“ ‘ This woman, by name Jusoda, is my wife. Yesterday she 
was bitten by a snake on the fourth finger of the right hand, 
about 8 a.m. Blood flowed from two wounds. We adopted 
the usual remedy of jharna, or exorcism, and by making a 
great noise, tried to prevent her from going to sleep, but 
without success. She soon became speechless and insensible. 
Having heard that the Political Agent had a person in his 
employ who could cure snake-bites, I came to the Residency to 
seek aid. The Political Agent sent his servant back with me. 
He gave my wife some medicine in dhye (curded milk) which 
revived her, and she recovered, and the anger of tbe deity was 
appeased.’ 
“ (True Translation.) 
“ (Signed) Pirthee Nath, Pundit, 
“ Translator of the Gwalior Agency .” 
ELEVENTH SERIES. 
Experiments on the Influence of Certain Reputed Antidotes for 
Snake-Poisoning. 
January 16 th, 1869. 
Present, Dr. Francis, Dr. Ross, Dr. Fayrer, Dr. J. Ewart, 
Dr. D. B. Smith, Colonel Showers, Mr. W. F. Blanford, and 
Mr. Sceva. 
The following experiment was made in the presence of the 
above gentlemen, with the view of testing an antidote described 
by Colonel Showers in his letter, and in the series of experi¬ 
ments performed at Gwalior in September, 1868, and recorded 
in the January (1869) number of the Indian Medical Gazette. 
Colonel Showers having very kindly brought the man who 
administered the antidote to Calcutta, and expressed his wish 
that its effects should be tested, I accordingly, with the assis¬ 
tance of the above-mentioned gentlemen, proceeded to make 
the following experiments. The Kelaree had been allowed to 
make any preparation that he deemed necessary on the day 
preceding, and in the morning of the day on which the experi¬ 
ment was performed. 
It is right to note that he says on the day of the experiments, 
that the antidote he has now with him is not the most potent 
one he knows, but that, owing to the absence of rain, he had 
not been able to procure it, as the drought had prevented the 
growth of the plant from which it is derived. He expressed 
his belief that the drug he had with him would prove sufficient 
to counteract the influence of snake-poison. Accordingly, a 
Pariah Dog was made over to him, and he administered to it a 
small piece of whitish-looking root, pounded and put in a 
piece of meat; this the Dog, which was a full-grown Pariah, ate 
readily. The Kelaree next selected, from a basket of fresh 
Cobras, a full-grown one of tbe Spectacled variety, which was 
made to close its jaws three times in the Dog’s hind-leg, just at 
the fold of the skin of the thigh, and in the thigh. The Dog 
showed signs of pain when bitten, but had not evinced the least 
fear of the snake when it was brought near him ; it was probably 
the first he had seen. The experiment was performed in the 
usual place, and as follows :— 
Experiment No. 1. 
The antidote was given to the Dog in a piece of meat at 
11.55 a.m. of January 16th. At 11.59 the Dog was bitten 
by a full-grown Spectacled Cobra, of the variety known by the 
natives of Bengal as the “ Gokurrak.” The snake was made, 
by a snakeman occasionally employed by me, to close its jaws 
three times at the fold of skin in the right thigh and in the 
thigh itself. We ascertained that the Cobra had only one 
effective poison fang, tbe other being broken, but with this he 
drew blood slightly. 
Noon.—Dog licks the puncture ; bitten leg weak ; partially 
paralysed. 12.1 p.m. —-Dog lies down; shows indisposition to 
walk about. 12.3.—No pain apparently felt ; is drowsy; 
refuses to be roused, and then walks about, but shows a ten¬ 
dency to lie down. 12.5.—Looks sleepy; roused, he walks, 
but soon lies down again. 12.13.—Breathing catching; is 
drowsy. 12.17.—Cannot walk without staggering ; falls down 
when left alone ; breathing hurried. 12.20.—Convulsed. The 
Kelaree now applied some oil to the mouth and nostrils. 12.21. 
—Lies on the left side; universally convulsed; eyes glazed ; 
pupils dilated and insensible to light. 12.22.—Defecates; is 
pale and bloodless about the mouth and lips. 12.23.—In¬ 
voluntary micturition. 12.27.—Respiration ceased. 12.31.— 
Dead. Ceased to breathe three minutes before heart ceased to 
beat. Bitten at 11.59. Died at 12.31. Death in thirty-two 
minutes. 
The above notes were taken by Dr. Ewart, who carefully 
watched and noted all the symptoms, and he adds the following 
remarks :—“ There is evidence that death takes place through 
the nerve centres, the heart continuing to beat after the respira¬ 
tion entirely ceases, which can only be through its own inherent 
irritability and its own ganglionic supply, and quite independent 
of the medulla, which, in all other respects, is hors de combat 
from three to four minutes before the heart actually ceases to 
pulsate.” 
This experiment, though unsuccessful in demonstrating the 
good effects of the reputed antidote, cannot be considered con¬ 
clusive, as the man stated that it was not the most potent agent 
he was in the habit of using, nor indeed should I consider any 
single trial as proof either for or against the good effects of 
the drug, however it had resulted. 
Having studied the effects of the poison in many animals, 
and having formed conclusions as to the nature of the cause of 
death, I am, as I have before stated, sceptical on the subject of 
antidotes, and fear that the hopes of those who are most sanguine 
