114 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
bitten, as the snake lias been seen. That the snake had more 
poison was proved by its effect on a Fowl, which is much more 
sensitive to the poison than the Dog. 
The evidence as to the value of the liquor potassse is not of 
much significance ; for if it appears in its favour in the case of 
the Dog, it is the reverse in that of the Fowl. 
Experiment No. 8. 
A Fowl was bitten in the left thigh by the same young 
Cobra; it was made to close its jaws, and the fangs were com¬ 
pressed in the part at 3.27 p.m. 3.32— Not in any way af¬ 
fected. 3.52.—Not the least affected twenty-five minutes after 
being bitten. 4.5.—Feathers of back slightly ruffled; purged, 
otherwise seems bright. 4.11.—Apparently beginning to droop 
a little, but when roused seems all right, and runs about vigo¬ 
rously. The wattles look less bright than they did. 4.15.— 
Crouching, but rises and runs about when roused. 4.10.— 
Twenty drops of the liquor potassse solution injected into the 
thigh. 4.20.—Drooping, rests its beak on the ground. 4.22.— 
It droops more. 4.50.—Restless; changes its position frequently. 
Wings drooping. 8.13.—It gradually drooped and died. The 
extreme weakness of the poison was proved in this case by the 
fact that it was twenty-five minutes before the faintest indica¬ 
tion of poisoning appeared. It generally, with the ordinary 
Cobra, begins within a minute. 
Death occurred in four hours and forty-six minutes. 
May Uh, 1870. 
Experiment No. 9. 
Poison removed from a large “ Gokurrah” (Spectacled Cobra), 
and mixed with liquor potassm, two parts of each : of this solu¬ 
tion, about ten drops were injected into a Dog’s thigh at 11.58 
a.m. 12.10.—Restless. 12.11.—Quite lively, but staggers on 
the hind-legs. 12.13.—Does not seem more affected. 12.21.— 
Sluggish. One drop of poison mixed with three of liquor 
potassse injected into the thigh. Is sluggish, staggers in his 
gait. 12.29.-—Thirty drops of a solution of equal parts of 
water and liquor potassse injected into the thigh. 12.30.— 
Convulsed. 12.34.—Purged, unable to move, is paralysed. 
12.37.—Convulsed. 12.40.—Dead—in forty-two minutes. 
The body was opened about half an hour after death. The 
blood was fluid, but coagulated after removal; not as rapidly 
though, I think, as usual. 
A syringeful of the blood was injected into a Fowl’s thigh; 
the Fowl did not die. 
Experiment No. 10. 
Equal parts of poison from the same Cobra and water were 
mixed, and about ten drops injected into a full-grown Dog’s 
thigh at 11.54 a.m. 12.1.— Not affected. 12.10.— Yery 
sluggish, deep and hurried breathing. 12.13.—Can hardly stand; 
gradually became paralysed. 12.18.—In convulsions. 12.20.— 
Purged ; dying. 12.22.—Dead—in twenty-three minutes. 
This experiment proved that the Cobra poison was active, 
and not injured by dilution with water. The other experiment 
proves that it is not neutralized when mixed with liquor 
potassse. 
Experiment No. 11. 
A solution of the same Cobra poison was made with equal 
parts of water. Two drops of this solution injected into a Fowl’s 
thigh at 11.55. 11.58.—Fowl drooping, point of beak resting 
on the ground. 12.2.—Nearly dead. 12.7.—Dead—in twelve 
minutes. 
Experiment No. 12. 
One drop of poison from the same Cobra, three drops of liquor 
potassse, injected into a Fowl’s thigh at 12.18. In less than 
thirty seconds the Fowl fell over in convulsions; it remained in 
a perfectly unconscious condition, with occasional convulsive 
movements of the wings until 12.24. Death occurred in six 
minutes. 
In this case the Fowl was of the same size as in Experiment 
No. 11, about two-thirds grown. Death occurred more rapidly 
after inoculation of the poison mixed with liquor potassse than 
after that of poison mixed with water. 
The blood of the bird was examined at 12.40, sixteen 
minutes after death; it coagulated firmly when removed from 
the body. 
Experiment No. 13. 
One half-drop of Cobra poison and two drops of liquor 
potassse injected at 12.20 into a Fowl’s thigh. 12.24.— 
Crouching. 12.26.— Drooping, the usual sign of the beak 
resting on ground. 12.30.—-Dying apparently. 12.31.— 
Convulsed. 12.38.—Dead—in eighteen minutes. Body exa¬ 
mined : blood formed a firm coagulum. 
The dose of poison was very small, it was barely half a drop, 
with two full drops of liquor potassse. 
Experiment No. 14. 
A Fowl had about forty drops of a solution of one part of 
liquor potassse in two parts of water, injected into the thigh at 
12.45. The legs almost immediately became paralysed, or 
rather rigidly extended. It lay on the ground with a scared 
look ; breathing very much hurried; beak open, feathers ruffled. 
It remained in this state for several hours, and gradually reco¬ 
vered. On the same day (May 5th) at 8 a.m., it was alive 
and well, and had nearly regained the use of its legs. 
Experiment No. 15. 
The same quantity of the liquor potassse solution was injected 
into a Fowl’s pectoral muscles at 12.47. The bird immediately 
assumed the same scared aspect, the feathers staring, the eye 
wild, and the beak wide open, with very harried respiration. 
It remained in this way for some time, and in about twenty 
minutes twenty drops of the blood of the Dog that died from 
the mixture of Cobra poison and liquor potassse were injected 
into its thigh. 
It remained in the same condition for some time, but gra¬ 
dually recovered, and on the following morning was quite well. 
The object of these two experiments was to test the effect of 
the liquor potassse when injected. The symptoms were very 
well marked, and the injected fluid seemed to cause great 
distress, though no fatal consequence resulted. So far the 
results of the trial of liquor potassse have been unfavourable ; 
the fact that the poison mingled with the liquor potassse before 
inoculation proved fatal, seems all but conclusive against it as 
an antidote. 
On the Action of a Reputed Antidote to Snalce-Poison. 
May 14$, 1870. 
Present, Drs. Fayrer and Ewart, and Mr. Sceva. 
Through the kindness of a friend I received a phial of 
dark-coloured, strongly ammoniacal smelling fluid, sent by Dr. 
Gunston, of H.M.S., who says:—“I send the Cape antidote 
for snake-bites ; it may have deteriorated* in quality, as I bought 
it in the Cape in 1864. I never had occasion to use it, but 
the rule is, I believe, to scarify the wound and rub some of 
the mixture into it, and also to swallow two or three drops. 
I am not certain of the quantity in either case, but ex¬ 
periment would easily decide that. I know for certain that 
bites from the Cape black Cobras have been cured by it, and 
there every one carries it about when out shooting; it is firmly 
believed in.” 
One object of the following experiments was to test this 
* The "bottle was so carefully stoppered and sealed, and the ammoniacal odour 
was so strong when opened, that I should think it could not have deteriorated by 
keeping. 
