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THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
126 
turning to bite. Death cannot therefore be attributed to rough 
handling. 
August 23rd, 1870. 
Experiment No. 6. 
3.57.—Two drops of poison taken from a fresh vigorous 
Cobra (“ Gokurrah Kurrees”) were applied to the conjunctiva of 
a full-grown healthy Fowl. 
4.27 p.m. —Dead—in thirty minutes. 
This experiment seems to prove, without doubt, that the 
poison does sometimes prove fatal when applied to the con¬ 
junctiva. 
Experiment No. 7. 
Some Cobra poison just taken from a fresh vigorous “ Go¬ 
kurrah” was dropped into the eye of a full-grown Fowl at 
3.50 p.m. The Fowl was immediately let go. 
4 p.m. —Rubbing the eye with its foot. 4.21.—Eye intensely 
swollen. Is drowsy; defecated. 4.35.—Squatting down. 4.45. 
Drooping; very drowsy; defecated. 5.—Appears better. 
Continued to improve, and ultimately recovered. The eye 
remained swollen up to the 25th. Cornea cloudy. 
The local effects were very severe. 
Experiment No. 8. 
3.58 p.m. —Some of the same Cobra poison, three drops, 
poured into the mouth of a full-grown Fowl. 
There was scarcely any symptom of poisoning; drowsy only. 
6 p.m. —Perfectly well. 
Experiment No. 9. 
4.45 p.m. —A fresh vigorous “Kala Ivurrees” (Cobra) was 
made to bite the Gokurrah used in the foregoing experiments. 
24th.—Well. 
25tli.—Well. 
26th.—Well. 
I believe one Cobra cannot poison another. 
August 25 th, 1870. 
Experiment No. 10. 
2.24 p.m. —Two drops of Cobra poison taken from a 
middling-sized, fresh, vigorous “ Kala Kurrees” were dropped 
into the eye of a full-grown Fowl. (The one to which the 
Cobra poison was given by the mouth on the 23rd.) The head 
was held so as to prevent the poison from dropping from the eye. 
2.28 p.m. —Another drop was applied to the eye, and the 
head held as before. 2.37.—Is very drowsy and gasping ; sali¬ 
vated. 2.40.—Rests its beak on the ground and lifts its head 
occasionally. 2.45.—Attempts to walk, but is unable to take 
more than two or three steps. The local symptoms are very 
slight indeed. 2.47.—Defecation; rests the beak on the 
ground. 2.49.—Defecation. 3.—Rests with its beak on the 
ground, and endeavours to keep the head up, but it droops again 
and again. 3.25.—Convulsed. 3.40.—Still convulsed. 3.55.— 
Same state. 4.30.—Occasional convulsive movements. 5.— 
Same state. 5.20.—Same state. 5.39. Dead in three hours 
and fifteen minutes. 
The local symptoms in this case were very slight, the eye 
being only closed and the lid collapsed. Although the geneial 
symptoms of Cobra poisoning became evident in thirteen 
minutes, death did not occur until three hours and fifteen 
minutes had elapsed. The period of convulsion was unusually 
l on g_viz., two hours and fourteen minutes. 
In the fatal cases, for some time after the application of the 
poison to the conjunctiva, the head of the Fowl was held so as 
to promote a larger amount of absorption; while in those where 
the general symptoms were transient, the Fowl was almost 
immediately released after the application of the poison. 
It will be observed that in every experiment the snake used 
was a fresh one, full of vigour. 
Avgust 2 Qth, 1870. 
Experiment No. 11. 
12.26 p.m. —Some poison was taken from a fine fresh, 
vigorous “ Kala Kurrees” (Cobra) just brought from the ad¬ 
jacent paddy fields, and two drops were applied to the un¬ 
injured eye of the Fowl used in Experiment No. 7 of the 23rd 
instant, care being taken to hold the head in such a position as 
to prevent the escape of the poison. 
12.36 p.m. —Drooping; eye very slightly affected. 12.46.— 
Squatting down; very drowsy; ptyalism. 12.55.—Staggers 
off when disturbed, and then squats down. 1.5.—Defecation; 
beak resting on the ground. 1.36.—Convulsed. 1.52.—Dead— 
in one hour and twenty-six minutes. Local symptoms very 
slight. 
Experiment No. 12. 
Some of the same Cobra poison was put into the mouth, which 
was afterwards closed to prevent the possibility of any running 
out, of a young Fowl at 12.31 p.m. 
12.37 p.m. —Defecation; is very drowsy. 12.43.—Found 
dead—in twelve minutes. 
I was very much surprised at the rapidity of the fatal action 
of the poison. There was no abrasion about the mouth. 
This experiment seems to show that not only does the Cobra 
poison if administered internally in a sufficient dose sometimes 
prove fatal, but very rapidly so. 
August 26th, 1870.—I have been unable yet to obtain any 
more Kraits, but Cobras, especially the “ Kala Kurrees,” are 
very plentiful. 
I am not quite satisfied with the experiment in which the 
Cobra bit the Krait, as the Krait had been held previously to 
make it bite the Cobra, so that the possibility of its having been 
injured must be admitted. 
I form the opinion that one Cobra cannot kill another from 
the following facts. In neither experiments did the snake suffer, 
and I have frequently during the past eight days made the 
Cobras fight and bite each other; but not a single death has 
occurred amongst my collection. 
I have a large pucka place built in my compound, eight feet 
by six feet, sunk in the ground three feet, and raised about the 
same height, in which they are kept. 
The experiments made by me fully corroborate your opinion— 
viz., that the poison of a Cobra, when applied to mucous mem¬ 
branes, not only is very dangerous, but even fatal, and some¬ 
times very rapidly so. 
September 1st, 1870.—The following experiments serve to 
demonstrate the fact that the poison of a Cobra kept in capti¬ 
vity is considerably weaker than that of the fresh snake. 
August 30 th, 1870. 
Experiment No. 13. 
2.57 p.m. —Some poison was taken from alarge “Kala Kurrees,” 
which had been in captivity for some time, and applied to the 
eye of a Fowl; the head was held so as to promote absorption. 
3.5 p.m, —Rubs the eye, which is slightly swollen; tremor 
of the tail. 3.8.—Yery slightly affected. 3.31.—Defecation; 
appears pretty well. 3.40.—Improving. 3.44.—Some poison 
was taken from a Cobra that had been in captivity only two or 
three days, and applied to the conjunctiva of the other eye. 
4.1], — Defecation; sluggish. 4.15. — Beak resting on the 
ground. 4.17.—Defecation. 4.23.—Very drowsy, and squat¬ 
ting on the ground. 5.—Convulsed. 6.2.—Dead—in two 
hours and eighteen minutes from the second application of the 
poison. 
Experiment No. 14. 
Some poison was taken from a “Gokurrah Kurrees” that had 
been some time confined, and dropped into the eye of a small 
Fowl, the head being held as before, at 3.16 p.m. 
