119 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
apparent effect. 1.15.—Slight sluggishness; no apparent change 
otherwise. Bitten again by the same snake. 1 . 22 ._Sluggish. 
I. 41.—Seems drowsy, hut is easily roused. 2.5.—Seems more 
drowsy ; staggers. 2.14.—Stands with difficulty. 4.2, Is 
able to walk, but is lame. 5.30.—Drowsy ; eyes half closed. 
7 Coughs. 10.14.—In the same condition. 11 . 20 . 
Still coughing, and vomited. 
July 10th, 5.15 a.m. Seems unable to stand. 6.5.—Drowsy, 
but standing. Noon.—Appears in the same condition, and 
remained so all day; refuses food. 9 f.m.— In much the same 
condition ; coughing frequently. 
July 11 th, 5.30 a.m. Cannot stand. 11.30.—Cannot stand. 
12.30 p.m. —Cannot stand. 3.15—Purged. 6.55.—Lies quiet, 
with the eyes half opened. 8.30.—Seems very much de¬ 
pressed. 
July 12 th, 6.10 a.m. —Breathing hurried. 8.30.—Dying. 
II. 30.—Very low. 2.10 p.m.— Found dead—had been dead 
probably an hour or more, as the body was quite rigid. 
This Dog lived for upwards of seventy hours after being bitten 
by this Bungarus fasciatus (“ Sankni”), a very large and powerful 
snake of about five feet in length. It had been some weeks in 
captivity, and may have been weak, but it bit fiercely when 
roused, and drew blood. 
It is evidently less virulent than its smaller congener, the 
Krait. The blood coagulated after death. The rigor mortis 
was complete. 
Experiment No. 11. 
A half-grown Cat was bitten in the thigh by the same Bun- 
yarns fasciatus at 12.36— i.e., immediately after the Dog. The 
snake seemed to bite reluctantly until excited, when it appeared 
to strike its fangs deeply. The Cat immediately became rigid, 
its pupils widely dilated, and its tongue protruded. These 
symptoms, I believe, were due to excitement, rage, or fear, for 
on being placed on the ground it rapidly recovered. 
The pupils contracted, and it seemed unaffected a quarter of 
an hour after being bitten. It was not affected after this, and 
on the 1 2 th, when the death of the Dog was reported, it was 
quite well. I am inclined to think that this snake was either 
exhausted or that its fangs were imperfect. 
July 23 rd, 1870. 
or four hours the fluid should be again given, and the friction 
repeated, but with less force.” 
The fluid is a clear liquid like water, the paste has very much 
the appearance of extract of conium or hyoscyamus, with a 
somewhat resinous smell. 
12.19 p.m. — The dog limped on the bitten leg, and seemed 
restless and uneasy. 12.26. —Retching. 12.30.— Very rest¬ 
less; breathing hurried. 12.31.— Vomiting. 12.33.— Staler- 
mg; profuse defecation. 12.34. —Convulsed; diarrhoea; rises, 
staggers, and falls over in convulsions. 12 . 35 .—Violent con¬ 
vulsions. 12.37. —Perfectly paralysed; heart still beats; no 
respiration. 12.38.— Dead—in twenty minutes after the bite. 
The blood on removal from the great vessels coagulated firmly 
a few minutes after death. 
Experiment No. 13. 
A full-grown Pariah Dog was bitten in the thigh by a large 
Spectacled Cobra (“Koyah Gokurrah” of the snake-men) at 12.37 
p.m. , Two tablespoonfuls of the fluid were poured down the 
Dog’s throat immediately after the bite. 12.40.— Breathing 
hurriedly; restless. 12.50. —Restless and uneasy; the paste 
well lubbed into the wounds and neighbouring parts, according 
to the instructions. 12.52.— Convulsed; rises; walks with a 
staggering gait, and falls. Another dose of the fluid adminis¬ 
tered.. 12.54.— Violently convulsed. 12.55.— Paralysed, can¬ 
not rise. 12.57.— Heart still beats, respiration has ceased. 
12.58.— Dead—in twenty-one minutes. Blood coagulated 
firmly goon after death. 
Experiment No. 14. 
A young Spectacled Cobra, three feet in length, was bitten 
fiercely in three places in the body by a full-grown, powerful, 
fresh and vigorous Cobra, of the variety called by the snake- 
men “ Bans-buniah Keautiah,” at 12.27 p.m. The fangs were 
deeply imbedded, and the poison must have been thoroughly 
inoculated. 
At 2.20 p.m. on the following day the young Cobra was as 
active as ever, evidently not in the least affected by the poison. 
I selected a small Cobra to be bitten by a large one in order 
that the effects of the poison might be felt with the greatest 
force, should it have any at all. 
Experiment No. 15. 
Present, Drs. J. Fayrer, W. B. Beatson, and J. Ewart, 
Professor of Physiology. 
Experiment No. 12. 
A full-grown Pariah Dog was bitten in the thigh by a full- 
grown and vigorous Cobra, of the variety called by the snake- 
men “ Kurrees Keautiah.” Two tablespoonfuls of Mr. Otho 
Alexander’s fluid antidote were poured down the Dog’s throat 
immediately after the bite, which was inflicted at 12.18 p.m., 
and the vegetable extract or paste made into the consistence of 
honey with liquor ammonia} was well rubbed into the wound, 
and over a large surface round it. 
This so-called antidote was sent to India by Mr. Otho Alex¬ 
ander, of Cephalonia, and the samples experimented with were 
sent to me for experiment by his Excellency the Viceroy. The 
following are Mr. O. Alexander’s instructions, which were care¬ 
fully followed:— 
The antidotes aie to he used m the following manner:_As 
soon as possible after the infliction of the bite two tablespoon¬ 
fuls of the liquid should be administered. The ointment, said 
to be Venetian treacle, having been reduced with liquor am- 
monise to the consistence of thick honey, should then be rubbed 
forcibly into the wound over a large surface, and from the bite 
downwards, and this should be repeated several times until a 
quantity of the ointment is absorbed. After the lapse of three 
A Bungarus fasciatus, five feet in length, was bitten deeply in 
two places by a very large, fresh, and vigorous Cobra (“ Ten- 
tuliah Keautiah”), five feet six inches in length, at 12.30 p.m 
There could be no doubt of the severity of the bite, for it was 
disengaged with difficulty. 
At 2.20 p.m. on the following day, nearly twenty-six hours 
afterwards, the Bungarus fasciatus was perfectly well, and not in 
the least affected by the poison.* 
Experiment No. 16. 
A Fowl had twenty drops of the blood of the Dog poisoned 
by a Cobra in Experiment No. 12 injected with the hypodermic 
syringe into each thigh, at 12.42 p.m. 12.50.—Crouching. 
12.55.—Crouching; feathers ruffled. 1.5.—Sluggish, eyes 
closed ; is drowsy. 1.30.—Stands with head depressed; feathers 
staring; eyes closed; very drowsy. 2 .—Very drowsy; head 
drooping. After this the Fowl slowly recovered; and on Mon¬ 
day, 24th, was quite well. The poison in this experiment must 
have been infinitesimal in quantity; only forty drops of the 
blood of a full-grown Dog poisoned by a Cobra were injected. 
The symptoms of poisoning were well marked, though the bird 
ultimately recovered. 
uy tne wound, willed bad become putrid, 
p. 122. 
guidon 3 
rccc note, 
