100 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
effects of the wound, independent of the poison. They were 
alive on the fourth day after being bitten. 
Experiment No. 5. 
A white half-grown Kitten was bitten by a Bungarus fascicitus, 
said to he fresh, at 4.9. p.m. in the thigh. It seemed much 
excited shortly after. 4.25.—Lying in its former position, 
stretching out the fore-leg in a convulsive manner. 5 p.m. 
In much the same condition. 6.10.—It has been very restless; 
now seems inclined to sleep; appears to he free from pam. 
9.15.—Does not appear now to be much affected by the poison. 
July 11th.—It seems better. 
July 13th.—The Kitten was quite well. 
It is evident in this case that the animal was not mortally 
though thoroughly bitten, for the snake was made to close his 
jaws on the part, and drew blood. This, I believe, is just the 
sort of case which probably frequently occurs when men or 
animals are accidentally bitten—enough venom is injected to 
cause symptoms of poisoning, but not enough to destroy life. 
And the man or animal recovers chiefly by his or its own in¬ 
herent power of recovery. Had I administered any of the 
so-called antidotes, or injected any of the proposed remedies, 
the recovery might have been attributed to the means used. 
Experiment No. 6. 
Another Kitten of the same size and age as that in Experi¬ 
ment 5 was bitten by a Cobra in the left thigh, at 4.16 p.m. 
The bite was very imperfect, and was repeated at 4.20 p.m. 
At 4.24, the Kitten very restless, and springing about 
violently. 4.25.—Hurried breathing; restlessness. 4.45.—Be¬ 
coming weaker ; respiration irregular. 5.5.—Convulsive move¬ 
ments generally. 5.20.—Dead, in one hour and four minutes. 
6.20.—Body opened one hour after death. Lungs natural; no 
congestion; the blood on being removed from the heait and 
great vessels soon coagulated firmly. 
Experiment No. 7. 
A Bungarus fasciatus was fairly and deeply bitten by a fresh 
Cobra at 4.27 p.m. near the tail; no doubt of the penetration 
of the fangs and inoculation of the poison. No effect was pro¬ 
duced. The Bungarus was well and active on the 16th, five 
days after the bite. 
Experiment No. 8. 
A Bungarus fasciatus was thoroughly bitten by a fresh Daboia 
at 4.32 p.m. near the tail. No evil result followed; the Bun¬ 
garus remained unaffected; on July 16th was in its normal 
condition. Several facts of importance are proved, or their 
probability confirmed, by the preceding experiments. 
In death by poisoning by the Daboia, and therefore probably 
by all the viperine order— Viperidce and Crotalidce —the coagula¬ 
bility of the blood is generally destroyed. I say generally, 
because though frequently it is not invariably so. In the 
experiment on the Fowl it was found that the blood had 
coagulated. It remains fluid after death on exposure to the 
& # 
air. The most careful and protracted microscopical examina¬ 
tion could detect no structural change in the corpuscular 
elements of the blood. Death is more protracted, but the 
deadly effects of the poison are even more quickly manifested 
than in death from Cobra poisoning. In point of lethality both 
appear equally dangerous. 
In death by Cobra poisoning, the blood coagulates firmly 
after and even before death, as post-mortem examinations, 
made at all periods, from immediately to an hour or more 
after death, have shown the blood to be coagulated firmly. No 
changes in the corpuscular elements have been seen in any of 
the microscopic examinations I have made. 
The poison of the Bungarusfasciatus is less deadly than that of 
the Cobra or Daboia, but it is very dangerous, though it is slow 
in producing its worst effects. It also does not destroy the 
coagulability of the blood. Perhaps this may prove to be the 
case with all the poisonous colubrine snakes. No change was 
observed in the corpuscular elements— i.e., in such as remained. 
But the red corpuscles had passed, in the case of the blood of the 
Dog that died from a bite by a Bungarus fasciatus, into a state of 
excessive crystallization of a needle-like and long tabular form. 
The Bungarus fasciatus is also less susceptible to the poison 
of the Daboia and Cobra than the innocuous snakes, if indeed 
it be affected at all. 
Death was not caused by asphyxia in any of these cases. 
Everything tends to show that it is due to direct exhaustion 
from paralysis of the nerve centres. 
July nth, 1869. 
Present, Dr. Fayrer and Mr. Sceva. 
Experiment No. 9. 
A large and powerful Pariah Dog was bitten in the thigh, at 
2.45 p.m., by a fresh Cobra (“ Keautiah”). The hair had been 
previously removed from the part in order that the puncture 
of the snake’s fangs might be distinctly seen. The moment 
the fangs were withdrawn, the punctures were scarified, and 
carbolic acid at once applied, and well inoculated into the bites. 
The tissues were whitened, and the blood coagulated by the 
acid. 2.53 p.m. —The Dog looks depressed and dejected; 
hanging his head. 3.12.—Lying down; looks dejected, but 
perfectly intelligent. 3.15.—Respiration hurried. 3.23.— 
Pupils widely dilated. In convulsions, rolled over on the other 
side: respiration irregular and catching. 3.27.—Violently 
convulsed. 3.30.—Respiration has ceased, but the heart still 
beats distinctly. 3.31.—Dead in forty-six minutes. The car¬ 
bolic acid was evidently of no service in this case. 
Post-mortem examination at 5 p.m. Blood coagulated; no 
crystallization under microscope. 
Experiment No. 10. 
A Fowl had the feathers removed from the thigh, so that 
the bites might be seen, and was then bitten there at 2.54 p.m. 
by a Daboia. The wounds were immediately scarified, and the 
carbolic acid thoroughly applied to the bites. The Fowl fell 
over in convulsions when released, and was dead in less than 
sixty seconds. The body was opened at 3.35, or in about 
forty minutes after death, and the blood was found to be 
coagulated in the heart and great vessels; some fluid blood 
escaped into the thorax. The lungs were not in the least 
congested. The condition of the blood was particularly noted, 
as it has generally been found fluid in the Mammals dead from 
the Daboia bite. 
Experiment No. 11. 
The poison of a fresh Cobra (“ Gfokurrah”) was taken from 
the snake in my presence, and ten drops of it immediately 
injected with the hypodermic syringe into a middling-sized 
Dog’s thigh, at 3.3 p.m. The tube of the hypodermic syringe 
was not removed; and the syringe being filled with carbolic 
acid, about twenty drops were injected exactly in the track of 
the poison, and in the shortest space of tune possible. 3.8. - 
The Dog is depressed; looks scared ; hangs his head ; twitch¬ 
ing of the hind-legs when he is raised. 3.15.—Lying on his 
side almost paralysed; pupils widely dilated. 3.20.—Is con¬ 
vulsed. 3.22.—General twitching of all the muscles of the 
body; is quite unconscious. Respiration has ceased, but the 
heart still beats distinctly. 3.25.—Heart still beats. 3.27, - 
Irregular action of heart. 3.29.—Dead, in twenty-six minutes. 
o 
Post-mortem examination. Blood examined at 5 p.m. : fluid 
when removed, but coagulated on exposure to the air. 
Microscopical examination : no crystals ; no change. 
In this case there could be no doubt of the perfect inoculation 
