138 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
quickly that I very much doubt if there was time to inject any 
poison into the wound; or, if any, so small a quantity that it 
could hardly have done much harm. It may have been an 
example of what I have before described, that a snake may 
make a wound by a sudden blow without poisoning. Of course 
it is possible and probable that a certain amount of the virus 
may in this rapid action be inoculated, and it would not there¬ 
fore be safe to do nothing. I have no doubt that snake-bites 
are occasionally of this nature; hence the recoveries, and the 
wonderful effects ascribed to antidotes. Had this man taken 
a so-called antidote, and had I not seen the bite, and the rapid 
way in which it was inflicted, and had I not applied a ligature 
and the cautery, who would have denied to the antidote the 
merit of having prevented symptoms that would most probably 
have never really occurred, or of having saved a life that was 
perhaps never in danger ? 
The Echis is a very venomous viper; this one killed a 
Fowl in two minutes only the day before. 
TWENTY-FIFTH SEEIES. 
Experiments on the Influence of the Poisons of Echis carinata, 
Eungarus ceeruleus, JYaja tri.pudAo.ns, Eciboici russellii, and 
on the Action of the Tanjore Pill and the Snake Stone. 
September \lth, 1870. 
Experiment No. 1. 
A young Pigeon was bitten by an Echis cat inata m the thigh. 
The bird was affected instantly, fell over, and died in convulsions 
in less than sixty seconds. Blood removed after death formed 
a very slight coagulum ; the coagulation soon becoming fluid. 
Experiment No. 2. 
A half-grown Fowl was bitten by another Echis carinata 
in the thigh at 2.3 p.m. 2.4.—Has fallen over after stagger¬ 
ing; no appearance of lethargy. 2.5.10. Dead in violent 
convulsions in seventy seconds. Blood remained fluid after 
death. Experiment No. 3. 
A young Pigeon bitten in the thigh by a “ Krait” some 
weeks in confinement, at 2.5.10 p.m. 2.5.30. Limps; 
crouches. 2.8. — Crouching; leg paralysed. 2.9. — More af¬ 
fected. 2.13.—Dead. No marked convulsion. Blood coagu¬ 
lated firmly. _ , T . 
Experiment JNo. 4. 
“Krait” bitten by Echis at 2.10 p.m.— Not affected. 
Experiment No. 5. 
Echis bitten by “Krait” at 2.16 p.m.— Not affected. 
September 29 th, 1870. 
Present, Dr. Fayrer and Dr. Ewart. 
The following experiments were made for the purpose of 
testing the efficacy of a snake stone which was kindly placed 
at my disposal by Captain Lawrence. The stone is a small 
polished object of the size and shape of a large almond, black, 
but on one side of a whitish colour. Its weight is twenty-six 
grains, and specific gravity P8. It is reported to have saved 
the lives of several persons who had been bitten by snakes. 
Experiment No. 6. 
A Fowl had the feathers removed from the breast and was 
bitten by a Cobra at 1.12 p.m. The snake stone having been 
slightly moistened on one surface was applied to the punctures, 
which were bleeding. It adhered, as it seemed, from the exclu¬ 
sion of air and the viscosity of the blood and poison which 
was on the surface of the Fowl’s breast. 1.14.—Fowl drooping. 
118 ._Lies insensible ; the stone adheres. 1.20.—Convulsed. 
1.24.—Lies motionless, but breathes. 1.25.—Convulsed. 
1.28.—Dead—the stone still adhering. 
The stone was removed and placed according to directions in 
a cup of milk. There was no change in the appearance of the 
whitish surface of the stone, except that it was slightly stained 
with blood. No change occurred in the colour of the milk, in 
which it was kept for some minutes. It was then taken out, 
washed in water, and thoroughly dried. The blood of this 
Fowl was not examined till 7 p.m., and then it coagulated on 
removal from the body. 
Experiment No. 7. 
A small Pariah Dog had the hind-leg shaved for an area of 
two inches or so, in order that the surface might be smooth 
and even for the application of the stone. Part of this surface 
was covered with a shield of leather, and it was then bitten by 
a Cobra at 1.37 p.m. The leather was applied to prevent the 
second fang from penetrating, in order to be more certain of 
the exact application of the stone to the bitten spot. The 
leather answered the purpose, but it also prevented the fang 
that did penetrate from doing more than inflict a very 
slight puncture, which however drew blood. The stone was 
applied as before, and adhered in the same way. 1.40.—The 
stone adheres. 1.50.—The Dog is sluggish and lame on the 
bitten leg. 2.4.—Much the same condition. The stone 
dropped off on some slight movement of the Dog’s leg; it pre¬ 
sented the same appearance, and when placed in milk there was 
a repetition of what occurred in Experiment No. I. It was 
again washed in clear water and thoroughly dried. At 3 p.m. 
the Dog was in convulsions ; at 3.53 it was dead. 
The blood was not removed from the body till 7 p.m. ; it 
coagulated on removal. 
Experiment No. 8. 
A Fowl had the feathers removed from the breast and 
was bitten by a Cobra with one fang (I purposely ex¬ 
tracted the other) at 2.14 p.m. The puncture drew blood. 
The snake stone was immediately applied; it adhered as before. 
2.16.—The Fowl is affected. 2.17—Is drowsy. 2.23.—In 
convulsions ; the stone still adhering. 2.28. Dead in four¬ 
teen minutes. Blood removed from body at 7 p.m. It coagu¬ 
lated. 
In these four experiments, where the animal died from Cobra 
bite, I purposely delayed the removal of the blood from the 
body after death for some hours, in order to see whether time 
has anything to say to the question of coagulability. I found 
it the same as in other cases; when the blood was examined 
soon after death, the blood did coagulate after Cobra poison¬ 
ing. This is a remarkable fact, as in autopsies of human vic¬ 
tims to Cobra poisoning, the blood is declared to be fluid and 
to remain so. Thinking that this might have been due to the 
time that elapsed between death and examination of the blood, 
which in fatal cases of human snake-bite is generally several 
hours, I left these bodies untouched for several hours, but the 
result was still the same—the blood still coagulated. 
Experiment No. 9. 
A Pariah Dog was bitten in the thigh by a Cobra, with both 
fangs, at 2.46 p.m. The snake stone was immediately applied, 
but it would not adhere, apparently because the punctuies bled 
very freely, and because the hair had not been thoroughly removed 
from the part. 2.54.—The Dog shows evident signs of poisoning. 
The stone has been kept applied, but it would not adhere ; it 
was accordingly laid aside, washed, and carefully dried. The 
Dog was soon after this in convulsions, and at 3.40 was dead. 
The blood examined at 7 p.m. coagulated on removal from the 
body. 
Experiment No. 10. 
A Pigeon was put into a cage with an Echis Viper at 1.52 p.m. 
The snake struck it immediately, and with great rapidity. 
1.54.—In convulsions. 1.55.- — Dead. 
