EXPERIMENTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF SNAKE-POISON. 
139 
The Viper did not seem to retain its hold; it was difficult to 
say the exact instant when it struck. It shows that the poison 
of the snake is very virulent. No mark could he found. 
Blood examined at 7 p.m. remained fluid. 
Experiment No. 11. 
A half-grown Fowl was put into the cage with the Melds at 
I. 58 p.m. The Viper did not appear to strike until 2.2. He 
struck, darting for some inches, two or three times, and once 
seemed to retain his hold for a perceptible space. 2.4.—The 
Fowl staggers. 2.5.—In very violent convulsions. 2.6.—Dead. 
Both these experiments show the exceeding virulence of the 
poison. There were three Vipers in the cage, and more than 
one may have struck, though only one was seen to do so. 
Blood examined at 7 p.m. remained fluid. 
October 4V, 1870. 
Present, Dr. Eayrer. 
Experiment No. 12. 
I am indebted to Mr. Gibbons, of Messrs. Scott and Thom¬ 
son’s, for a supply of Tanjore pills, made according to the recipe 
given in “ Russell’s Indian Serpents.” 
One of the pills was given to a half-grown Pariah Dog at 
8 a.m. this morning, another at 10, and it appears that they 
affected him as follows. He was purged at 9, at 9.30, at 10, at 
II. 30, when he also vomited. The pills were given undissolved, 
and were washed down with a little water. At 12.37 he was 
bitten in the thigh by a Cobra, but not very severely. The 
snake had been a long time in confinement, and as the snake- 
man was absent, it was held by a strap round the neck, in which 
position it did not bite so readily. 12.39.—The Dog limping 
with the bitten leg drawn up and whining. 12.39.—A third 
pill administered. 12.42.—Walks on three legs, the bitten 
leg drawn up. 12,45.—Purged. 1.6.—Very weak, staggers. 
Breathing deep. 1.25.—A fourth pill given. He is weak and 
very lame, but is quite conscious. 2.55.—A fifth pill given ; 
was purged. 3.10.—Whining, and staggers as he tries to walk. 
3.55.—Convulsed. 4.—Completely paralysed. 4.10.—Dead, 
in three hours and thirty-three minutes. 
The blood coagulated after death. 
Experiment No. 13. 
A Pigeon was placed in a cage with two Daboias. They were 
roused, and the Pigeon walked about over them, stepping on 
their bodies and heads. They hissed fiercely, moved out of the 
way, and once or twice appeared to strike at the Pigeon, but 
evidently without touching or hurting it. The bird seemed 
quite unconcerned. It was left in the cage several minutes. 
The Vipers showed no disposition to touch it, and it was taken 
out uninjured. The Pigeon was then placed in a large cage, in 
which there were five large Cobras. They immediately began 
to hiss, erected their heads, looked very vicious, and struck at 
the Pigeon, hut without hurting it, often striking past it. The 
Pigeon walked about among them, and seemed very little con¬ 
cerned. The Cobras were roused, and yet they did not injure 
it. The Pigeon was removed unhurt, after being several 
minutes in the cage, during which time it frequently walked on 
their heads. They seemed more frightened than it was. 
The Pigeon was then placed in a cage with four Melds Vipers. 
They at once threw themselves into their characteristic attitude 
of defence, making the peculiar loud, rustling or sawing sound, 
caused by the friction of their scales, and, with their heads 
erect, watched the bird. Being slightly roused, two of those 
nearest it struck with extreme rapidity, at 1.4 p.m. The bird 
was affected at once ; at 1.5 it was in convulsions ; at 1.5.30 it 
was dead. On removing the feathers a short time after death, 
a minute ecchymosed puncture was found in the heart and an¬ 
other in the crop. This experiment forcibly illustrates the 
extremely dangerous and vicious character of this little Viper. 
The blood of the Pigeon remained fluid after death. 
Experiment No. 14. 
A Baboia russellii, forty-three inches long and four and a half 
in girth, recently sent to me by Mr. Richards, of Bancoorah, 
was made to bite a Fowl on the thigh, from which the 
feathers had been stripped to leave a smooth surface, at 1.12 p.m. 
The snake stone was immediately applied : it adhered being 
pressed against the surface, partly by exclusion of air and 
partly by the viscosity of the drop of blood that oozed from 
the puncture of the poison shed over the surface. 
At 1.13 the Fowl was in convulsions. At 1.13.30 it was 
dead—in ninety seconds. 
The blood on being removed from the body remained fluid 
after death. This Baboia, I observe, differs slightly from those 
I have obtained near Calcutta. The general ground colour is the 
same, perhaps rather more muddy-looking, and the circular and 
oval markings are much less distinct. Indeed, as it lay coiled 
in the cage they were hardly perceptible, though when the 
snake was taken out into bright sunlight they were seen. The 
circular rings on the sides have a prolongation into a square 
on their lower margins, and the dark triangular marks 
on the head are hardly distinguishable from the sur¬ 
rounding colour. The whitish or yellowish converging 
line on the head is absent. The nostrils are peculiarly 
large, and the body of the snake very thick for its length. 
The tail—it is a female—is thin, and the subcaudal shields of a 
reddish-brown colour. 
Of course it is the same species, and is not even what would 
be called a variety; but it shows how much individuals may 
differ in colour, probably influenced by the circumstances under 
which they live. The general appearance of the snake to one 
unaccustomed to observe these creatures is very different from 
the brilliantly marked character of the Baboia as often seen, and 
which no doubt suggested its name of B. elegans. The Baboia 
does not make a peculiar rustling noise like the Molds; and 
indeed its outer scales, by which that small Viper produces the 
sound, are not prominent as in Melds. 
Experiment No. 15. 
On this occasion I examined a large “ Tentuliah Keautiah,” 
from which, less than three weeks ago (I have lost the exact 
date), I removed both fangs, and found that two new ones had 
replaced those removed, though they appeared rather smaller. 
It was made to bite the Fowl on the thigh to test them, and the 
bird was dead in two minutes. Another Cobra from which I 
removed one fang a few days ago, when the experiments with 
the snake stone were tried, was examined, and a new fang was 
already in working order. On this occasion I carefully dis¬ 
located the entire fang, and preserved it for examination, so 
that there could be no mistake. 
October Gilt, 1870. 
Experiment No. 16. 
Two full-grown Pariah Dogs had each a Tanjore pill ad¬ 
ministered at 8 and 10 a.m. this morning. One Dog vomited 
at 10.30. Neither was purged. Unfortunately the snake man 
was not present, so the Cobras had to be held by a strap 
round the neck, in which position they bite neither so well 
nor so willingly as when held in the hand. The Dog that 
vomited was bitten by a Cobra that has been some weeks in 
confinement, at 12.30 p.m., in the thigh, but very imper¬ 
fectly ; the animal showed no sign of feeling the bite ; no 
blood was drawn. 
12.38 p.m.— A third pill was given. 12.40.—Apparently not 
affected, but it has laid down. 1.44.—Bitten again by another 
Cobra, which had also been some weeks in confinement. 1.50._ 
