EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
poison ; even if the fangs had penetrated to the spinal cord 
death would not have been so rapid, and though there had been 
paralysis of the part posterior to the bite, it would not have 
involved the entire body. The symptoms were precisely like 
those seen in innocent snakes when they die from the Cobra 
bite. 
Experiment No. 16. 
A Fowl bitten by a Cobra in the thigh at 1.47. 1.48.—Fell 
over. 1.49.—Convulsed. 1.50.—Dead. 
The blood of the above was taken immediately after death, 
and about twenty drops injected into another Fowl’s thigh. At 
5.45 p.m. it was sluggish, but not otherwise apparently affected. 
At 8 a.m. of the 9th August it was drowsy, crouching, head 
nodding, evidently deeply under the influence of the poison. 
1 p.m.— The Fowl very drowsy and cannot stand. 10th August, 
1 p.m.— The Fowl can now stand and eat; it is nearly well. It 
has evidently got over the effects of the poison. 
Experiment No. 17. 
About twenty drops of the blood of the Fowl killed by the 
Eclds carinata in four minutes injected into a Fowl’s thigh at 
2 p.m. 5.45 p m.— Fowl seems unaffected. August 9th, 8 a.m.— 
Fowl seems unaffected. 1 p.m.— The Fowl is not affected. 
10th August, 1 p.m.— The Fowl is well. 
The following important facts seem to he proved or confirmed 
by the foregoing experiments. The JEJchis carinata is a dangerous 
and deadly snake: it killed a Fowl in four minutes, and a Dog 
in nine hours and a half. Like the Baboia, its poison seems 
generally to destroy the coagulability of the blood after death. 
The Bungarus cceruleus is also very dangerous : it killed a 
Dog in fifty-five minutes. The blood after death from this 
poison coagulates firmly. 
It, like other snakes, may, when apparently in vigour, bite 
without producing any evil effect. It may, in fact, be ex¬ 
hausted. 
The Krait (B. cceruleus') succumbs to the poison of the Cobra. 
It is doubtful whether the Cobra will succumb to that of the 
Krait. The blood of an animal poisoned by a Cobra injected into 
another animal poisons it, though slowly. In the case of the 
Eclds poisoned blood, the effect was not produced in the second 
animal. 
Experiment No. 18. 
About thirty drops of the blood of the Dog poisoned by 
Bcliis carinata injected into a Fowl’s thigh, at 1 p.m. of 9tli 
August. It was drowsy in the afternoon. 10th August, 1 p.m.— 
The Fowl is quite well; it has not suffered. 
July 29 th, 1871. 
Experiment No. 19. 
Present, Dr. Fayrer and Dr. J. Anderson. 
I am indebted to Dr. Stoliczka for a specimen of Ophioplagus 
daps, about seven feet long, recently brought from the Anda¬ 
man Islands. It is identical with those of Bengal and Burmah 
as far as I can judge. 
It was very active and alert, and made vigorous efforts to 
get out of its place of confinement, a large wooden box with a 
wire front. From the way in which it climbed and wriggled 
itself up the smooth side of the box and along the roof, it is 
evidently a dexterous climber in the jungle. 
On July 29th, 1871, it was made to close its jaws on the 
thigh of a Pariah Pup of about three months old, at 1.33 p.m. 
The fangs were perfect, and I observed that the poison had the 
same yellow tinge noticed in that of other individuals of the 
species. The Dog showed no signs of pain, but limped on the 
bitten leg, which seemed partially paralysed. At 1.46 the 
snake was made to bite it again in the same leg. It remained 
in much the same condition, leg paratysed, looking dazed. 
Soon after it began to show more marked indication of poison- 
ing, it vomited and became weak. At 2.15 it was convulsed 
At 2.25 p.m. it died. 
The blood removed from the body after death coagulated 
firmly. The poison in this snake was evidently not so active 
as in others. The snake was healthy and vigorous, its fangs 
were perfect, and the poison abundant; hut the animal bitten, 
though quite young, did not succumb for nearly an hour. 
There is nothing I have seen in the effects of the Ophiophagus 
poison, so far as my experiments with it have gone, to suggest 
that it is more active or deadly than that of the Cobra or Baboia. 
TWENTY-FIRST SERIES. 
On the Influence of the Poisons of the Cobra, the Bungarus 
cceruleus, and Baboia. 
The following experiments were performed and communi¬ 
cated by V. Richards, Esq., Civil Surgeon, Bancoorah:— 
August 18 tl, 1870. 
Experiment No. 1. 
1 p.m.— Some poison was extracted from a Cobra (“ Kala 
Kurrees ), that had killed a Fowl in fifteen minutes the day 
previously. Two drops were inserted between the eyelids of a 
full-grown Pariah Dog. 
2 p.m.— Dog .constantly rubbing the eye with its paw, which 
he afterwards licks. 3.—Conjunctiva extremely congested, and 
the integuments around the orbit are puffed up. Still rubs the 
eye, and makes a whining noise as if in pain. 5.—Appears to 
be rather sleepy, but starts up if called. 
19th.—The Dog seems quite lively. The eye is still very 
much swollen. 
20th, 8 a.m. —Swelling very slight. Cornea slightly cloudy. 
6 p.m.— Seems quite well. The Dog escaped during the night. 
The local effects of the poison were very great, but the con¬ 
stitutional slight. 
Experiment No. 2. 
1.5 p.m.— One drop of the same Cobra poison was applied 
to the conjunctiva of a small Fowl. 
2 p.m.— Eye very much swollen, the Fowl constantly rub¬ 
bing it with its claw. 2.30 p.m.— Seems slightly sluggish. 
5 p.m.— The eye still swollen. 
19th.—The eye is still swollen, but the Fowl is lively. 
20tli.—Perfectly well in every respect. 
August 2Dth, 1870. 
Experiment No. 3. 
The Cobra with which the experiments of the 18th were 
made, was well bitten two or three times near the tail by a large 
“ Tentuliah” Cobra quite fresh and vigorous. 
August 21st.—Well. 
August 22nd.—Well. 
August 23rd.—Well. 
August 21st, 1870. 
Experiment No. 4. 
The “ Tentuliah Kurrees” of yesterday was bitten by a small 
though vigorous Bungarus cceruleus (“ Krait”) measuring one foot 
ten inches and a half in length at 2 p.m. 
August 22nd.—Well. 
August 23rd.—Well. 
Experiment No. 5. 
The Krait was bitten by a fresh and vigorous Cobra (“Kala 
Ivuirees ), near the tail two or three times. 
August 22nd.—The Krait was found dead in the box where 
it was kept. The bitten part had commenced to decompose. 
To preclude the necessity of holding the snake to be bitten, I 
threw some clay over it near the head so as to prevent it from 
K K 
