112 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
from his evidence than the most dangerous one, that the bite of 
a large and vigorous Cobra may he inflicted, and yet that the 
simplest means are sufficient to obviate the evil results. It is 
probable that, if the details of similar stories, and they are not 
unfrequent, could he analysed, they would receive an equally 
simple and satisfactory explanation. It is not necessary, in 
investigating the real truth of such accounts, which are often 
largely tinctured by ignorance and credulity, to impugn the 
veracity of those who relate them, and who are so prone to be¬ 
lieve in the marvellous, and to deal with the improbable, simply 
because it is so. 
I do not for a moment doubt that this gentleman, who so 
kindly volunteered to demonstrate the successful treatment of 
the bite of a deadly snake, believed in the whole story, and had 
not the faintest notion that he had been deceived either by 
accident or by the snake-man, who captured what was probably 
already a capture, in his presence. But the direct evidence of 
the snake’s edentate upper jaw was more conclusive to him, as 
well as to us, than any amount of circumstantial testimony to 
the contrary. 
I may here mention, shortly, another case which was related 
to me by a gentleman holding an important post in one of 
the Bengal railways, who was an eye-witness to what he 
described. He told me that he sent his servant to bring a 
bottle of soda-water. The man went to do so, and in reaching 
out his hand, in what was probably an obscure or dark part of 
a room or godown, he must have actually placed his finger in, 
or close to, a snake’s mouth. He came back to his master and 
said he had been bitten by a snake, and pointed to the two 
punctures on the finger as attestation of it. Further proof 
was not long in making its appearance, and within forty-five 
minutes the wretched man was dead. Had the finger in this 
case been removed at once, or had a ligature been very tightly 
tied above the bite, the result might have been different. I 
say “ might have been,” because in the experiments made on 
the lower animals, I have found that unless amputation or 
excision is made with the greatest promptitude the poison has 
already entered the circulation, and is rapidly running its 
course to the nerve centres, where it proves fatal* 
EIGHTEENTH SERIES. 
On the Influence of Snake-Poison and of Liquor Potassa: as an 
Antidote, and on the Use of Alcoholic Stimulants and other 
Remedies. 
April 23rd, 1870. 
Present, Drs. Fayrer and Ewart, and Mr. Sceva. 
Experiment No. 1. 
The external jugular vein of a Dog was exposed, and half 
a drachm of liquor potassse with three drachms of water was 
injected with the hypodermic syringe at 3.14 p.m. 
At 3.28 the Dog seemingly unaffected by the alkaline in¬ 
jections, two drops of poison, squeezed out of the poison glands 
of a Cobra (“ Bans-buniali Keautiah,”) sickly and casting its 
skin, were diluted with water and injected hypodermically into 
the Dog’s thigh. This snake had been deprived of its fangs, 
and could not bite. The dose of poison was very mild. 
3.35.—The Dog seems restless and uneasy—is whining. 3.36.— 
Apparently very slightly affected. 4.10.—Is restless ; sits down, 
looks listless and tired. 4.15.-—Half a drachm of liquor 
potassa) with one drachm of water injected into jugular vein ; 
no effect produced, the Dog did not seem to feel it in any way. 
4 go._Half a drachm of liquor potassse with two ounces 
* This occurred near Calcutta, and the snake was one of the varieties of 
Cobra. 
of water poured down its throat. 4.26.—Restless and un¬ 
easy ; is sick; slightly convulsed ; respiration hurried ; sardonic 
grin. 4.30.—Cannot walk ; profusely salivated, defecated ; 
more solution of liquor potassse administered. 4.35.— 
Tries to rise; falls over, staggers; all the symptoms of 
snake-poisoning now rapidly increasing ; spasmodic action 
of diaphragm. 4.37.—Much convulsed. 4.40.—Still much 
convulsed and profusely salivated ; gasping respiration. 
4.42.—Respiration ceased. 4.45.—Dead—in an hour and a 
half. 
The body was opened at 5 p.m. Blood in the cavities of the 
heart fluid, but coagulated firmly on being removed. 
Experiment No. 2. 
About half a grain of Cobra poison kept in a glass tube 
since December, 1869, was diluted with water, and a hypodermic 
syringeful of the solution (about twenty drops) injected into a 
Fowl’s thigh at 3.53 p.m. The poison had coagulated into a 
white paste ; was very foetid, and not readily soluble in water, 
as the solution, after being well rubbed, was turbid and flocculent. 
4 p.m.— The Fowl is lethargic, and crouches; but is easily roused, 
and runs about looking as bright as ever. 
Twenty drops of a solution of liquor potassse, one part to two 
of water, injected into the Fowl’s thigh. The legs were soon 
observed to be weak. 4.5.—Cannot stand, the legs are extended 
and seem almost paralysed. 4.7.—Legs powerless, but its eye 
is bright, and its head does not droop, as is usual in snake¬ 
poisoning. 4.14.—Another syringeful of the liquor potassse 
solution injected into the thigh. 4.20.—Lies on its side, legs 
quite powerless, but eyes still brighter; head raised; it seems 
perfectly conscious. 4.30.—In the same condition. 4.40.— 
Another syringeful of the solution of liquor potassse injected— 
no apparent change. 4.50.—Eyes still bright; head does not 
droop, cannot move. 5 p.m.— In the same condition. 6.15.— 
Unable to walk. 7.11.-—Attempted to walk, but was unable to 
do so; fell with legs extended in opposite directions ; remained 
in this state till 7.41 p.m. 9 p.m.— Lying on its side with only 
wings extended, and legs outstretched. 
24tli, 5.30 a m.— Lying much as it was at 9 p.m., yesterday. 
9.15. — Convulsive movement. It did not die till 1.35 p.m., or 
in about twenty-two and a half hours. 
Experiment No. 3. 
A syringeful of the same liquor potassa) solution was in¬ 
jected into a Fowl’s thigh at 4 p.m. of 23rd April. 4.10 p.m. 
No apparent effect produced on the Fowl by the injection ; it is 
as lively as ever. A syringeful of diluted Cobra poison, the 
same as in last experiment, injected into a Fowl’s thigh. 
4.17.—Legs seem paralysed as in the last case, but the eyes 
are bright, and the head not drooping, as in Experiment No. 2. 
4.30.—In the same state, legs quite paralysed. 4.40.—Another 
dose of liquor potassse solution of the same strength injected into 
the thigh. 4.42.—The Fowl was slightly convulsed after the 
last injection, crouching, with its head resting on its beak ; 
there were jerking convulsive movements of the tail. 4.50.— 
Lethargic, but eye bright, breathing slow and steady. Closes 
the eyes, but when roused opens them again. 5 p.m. Head 
slightly drooping in addition to other symptoms. 6.15 p.m.— 
Unable to walk; lying on floor, with legs and wings extended. 
7 30. — Convulsive movements of wings and body. 7.41 p.m. 
Dead—in three hours and forty minutes. 
Experiment No. 4. 
About half a grain of the same Cobra poison as that used in 
Experiments Nos. 2 and 3 injected into a full-grown but rathei 
sickly-looking Dog’s thigh at 3.6 p.m. 9.10. — Is not ap¬ 
parently in any way affected. 4.25.—Does not appear in any 
way affected. 4.35.—Not in the least affected by the poison. 
