1:20 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OP INDIA. 
Experiment No. 17. 
A solution of one part of Cobra poison to eight parts of 
liquor potassse was prepared by Dr. Ewart, and of this nine 
drops were injected into a Fowl’s thigh at 12.57 p.m. There 
was a flocculenl-]ooking deposit caused by the mixture of the 
fluids. 1 a.m.—D rooping. 1.2.—Crouching ; head falling over ; 
nearly paralysed. 1.4.—Convulsed. 1-7.—Dead in seven 
minutes, with all the symptoms of Cobra poisoning. 
This experiment appears conclusive: eight parts of liquor 
potassse did not neutralize the effects of one part of the poison. 
Experiment No. 18. 
A Fowl was bitten by a fresh Cobra in the thigh at 1.2 p.m. 
1.3.—No convulsions. 1.4.—Dead—in two minutes. 
Experiment No. 19. 
Twenty drops of the blood of the above-mentioned Fowl, 
removed immediately after death, injected into either thigh of a 
Fowl at J.10 p.m. 1.30.—Sluggish. 2.15.—Sluggish. 4.10. 
—Drowsy; head falls over. 4.20.—No convulsions. 7.15— 
Dead—in six hours and five minutes. Blood removed from the 
body, coagulated firmly after death. This quite settles the 
question of the blood of an animal killed by snake-poison being 
itself poisonous. 
In the case where the blood of a Dog poisoned by a Cobra 
was injected, the bird also showed marked evidences of poison¬ 
ing ; though the dilution of the poison must have been very 
great in the blood of so large an animal as a Dog ; only forty 
drops of the blood was used in each experiment. 
Experiment No. 20. 
A full-grown Cobra (“ Bans-buniah Keautiali ”) was bitten 
twice very strongly by a full-grown and vigorous Cobra (“ Ten- 
tuliah Keautiali ”), at 1.1 5 p.m. No evil consequences followed. 
The snake was perfectly well next day.* 
Experiment No. 21. 
A Fowl was bitten in the thigh by a Bungarus cceruleus (Krait), 
at 1.22 p.m. 1.24.—Feathers staring ; eyes have a fixed glaring 
stare. 1.25.—Stretches out the neck ; falls over; point of beak 
resting on the ground. 1.26.—Convulsed ; puncture in thigh 
ecchymosed and oedematous. 1.29.—Dead—in seven minutes. 
Blood coagulated firmly in four minutes after death. 
This experiment shows the deadly nature of this little snake, 
which (as the former experiments have also shown) is apparently 
more deadly than its larger congener, the Bungarus fasciatus. 
This experiment also proves that the cogulation of the blood is 
not prevented after death. 
Experiment No. 22. 
A Cat was bitten in the thigh by a Cobra (“ Tentuliah Keau- 
tiah”), at 1.46 p.m. Mr. O. Alexander’s antidote and extract 
were administered, according to his instructions, immediately. 
1.47 p.m.—P upils widely dilated; Cat lies stretched out; 
hurried breathing. 1.51. — Convulsed. 1.5 2.—Paralysed; heart 
still beats, no respiration. 1.55.—Dead—in nine minutes. 
This Cat was on a former occasion bitten by a large Bungarus 
fasciatus, and showed no signs of poisoning. The blood on 
removal from the body, a few minutes after death, coagulated 
firmly. 
Experiment No. 23. 
A Fowl was bitten in the thigh by a large Bungarus 
fasciatus at 1.44 p.m. 1.54. — Drooping; head falling for¬ 
wards. 1.58.—Convulsed; cannot stand. 2 p.m.—C onvulsive 
movements; there is a peculiar vocal sound as though the 
thorax were compressed. 2.5.—Convulsed. 2.10.—Dead—in 
twenty-six minutes. Blood removed from the body coagulated 
firmly in a few minutes after death. 
Experiment No. 24. 
A young Rat was bitten in the thigh by a Bungarus cceruleus 
at 2 p.m. Insensible immediately. Dead—in thirty seconds. 
Blood coagulated firmly in four minutes. 
I am indebted to Captain Gfrigg, Cantonment Magistrate of 
Fyzabad, in Oude, for the following account of an encounter 
between a Musk Rat and a Krait:— 
“ My object in writing you now is to give you an account of 
a rather extraordinary incident which took place in my compound 
the other day. 
“ I was going out of my compound early in the morning in 
company with another officer, when I was attracted by the 
squeak of a Musk Rat. On looking about to see whence it 
came, I found a Musk Rat and a ‘ Krait’ snake in a small 
pukka garden tank. The snake had its head coiled round 
under its neck, and although I poked it up, nothing would 
induce it to attack the Musk Rat. Whenever I threw the 
snake at the Rat, the Rat squeaked and emitted such a stench 
that the snake would not touch it. 
“ I at last got the Musk Rat to attack the snake. He did 
so by making snaps at the snake’s back and tail; these snaps 
appeared to cause the snake a great deal of pain; he writhed 
about a good deal, and at last brought up a young Frog. This 
the Musk Rat commenced to devour. I then flung the snake 
on him— i.e., the Rat; he got angry. At last I got the Rat to 
attack the snake regularly ; the snake remaining with his head 
curled up under his neck ; only once did I provoke the snake 
into making a partial bite at the Rat; it took no effect. The 
Rat had regularly set to work at gnawing the snake’s neck, 
commencing from behind to the head, so the snake was in a 
bad way when I left it. I returned about an hour afterwards, 
and found the Rat lying panting on his belly; he had eaten a 
good part of the fleshy portion of the neck, and the snake was 
quite dead. The Rat was subsequently killed by some little 
boys throwing bricks at it. I never heard of a Musk Rat doing 
this before, but natives tell me it is common to see three or 
four pursuing a Cobra or some other snake. If every person 
knew that a Musk Rat killed poisonous snakes I do not 
think they would be so ready to kill them. At every snap 
the Rat made the natives said, ‘ See how the poison acts.’ 
They were under the impression that the snake was writhing 
from the Musk Rat’s poison. I should hardly think this was 
the case.” 
July 28 th, 1870. 
Present, Drs. Fayrer, Murray (Inspector-General of Hospitals), 
Ross, Beatson, and Ewart. 
Experiment No. 25. 
A full-grown and powerful Pariah Dog was bitten in the 
thigh by an Ojihiojjhagus elaps, nine feet nine inches in length, 
at 12.15 p.m. The snake, it is to be observed, had been some 
months in captivity, and was sluggish and apparently dis¬ 
inclined to bite. It had been fed on fish, which was pushed 
down its throat, as it refused to eat. The bite in this case 
was very slight, and it was doubtful if the fangs had pene¬ 
trated. 
12.19. —The Dog micturated very freely. 12.24. —Restless. 
12.25. — Lying down. 12.35. —Apparently not affected. 
12.38. —Defecation and micturition again very profuse. 12.44.— 
The snake was again made to bite the Dog in the thigh. 
This time there was no doubt about its fangs being imbedded, 
for blood was drawn. 12.50. —Restless; turns round; lies 
down, gets up again. Breathing accelerated. 12.55. —Very 
restless-; convulsive twitchings of the muscles generally. 
12.58. —Breathing much accelerated; cannot stand; staggers 
* But was found dead five days later. 
