154 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
I have received from Calcutta, in four instalments, the fol¬ 
lowing account of the experiments hitherto performed by the 
Committee :— 
First Instalment of a Report of the Committee appointed by the 
Government of India to investigate the Treatment of Snake- 
poisoning by Artificial Respiration or other measures, suggested 
by Ur. Fayrer and Dr. Lauder Brunton. President: Dr. J. 
Ewart, Professor of Physiology at, and Surgeon to, the General 
Hospital, Calcutta. Members: Dr. S. C. Mackenzie, B.M.S. ; 
Vincent Richards, Esq., Civil Surgeon, Balasore. 
Experiment No. 1. 
A middling-sized Dog was bitten on the abdomen by a Cobra 
at 7.30 a.m. (July 1st, 1873); as the bite was considered a doubt¬ 
ful one, the Dog was again bitten by another Cobra. 7.59 a.m. 
— Extremely restless, and passed urine. 8.10 a.m. — The 
breathing is hurried, and there are twitchings at the corners 
ofthe mouth. 8.12 a.m.— Universal convulsions. 8.15 a.m.— 
Commenced artificial respiration. The Dog to all appearance 
was dead ; the heart was beating irregularly, but soon began 
to beat regularly. 9.15 a.m. — The heart is beating rapidly, 
but without force ; lachrymation. No response to the galvanic 
current. 9.40 a.m. —Heart beating well; temperature 101 o, 2. 
11.15 a.m. —Ditto. The bellows slipped out of the trachea 
through the carelessness of the man blowing it. 1 p.m.— Heart 
beating well. Passed faeces after giving two enemas of hot 
water. Pupils dilate on the application of the galvanic 
current. 2.30 p.m. —Heart beating well. Pupils dilate, and 
the animal passes urine on the application of the galvanic 
current. 6.30 p.m. —Heart beating well. 8.10 p.m. —Ditto. 
10 p.m. —Heart at first beating feebly, but afterwards more 
vigorously. The lungs were not being properly inflated, and 
the nozzle of the bellows was found to be partially closed by 
mucus. 11.30 p.m. ■ —Heart beating vigorously. Midnight.— 
Heart beating feebly; lungs imperfectly inflated ; cleared the 
nozzle of the bellows. 
July 2nd, 12.30 a.m.— Heart beating feebly. Body cold. 
1.5 a.m.— Heart ceased to beat sixteen hours and fifty minutes 
after artificial respiration was commenced. The blood was 
found coagulated. 
Remarks. —This experiment is by no means a fair test, as 
not only was the Dog bitten twice by two fresh Cobras (though 
there was some doubt about the bite of the first one), but the 
appliances at present are of the roughest kind. We had also 
little assistance. Dr. O’Brien very kindly rendered us con¬ 
siderable assistance in making observations. Mr. Assistant 
Apothecary Wilson also assisted. The trachea was opened 
very late in the above case, there being at first no intention 
on our part of performing artificial respiration. 
Experiment No. 2. 
July 9th.—A large Dog was bitten in the abdomen by a Cobra 
at 8.55 a.m. 9.20 a.m. —Staggering about. 9.25 am. — Convul¬ 
sions. 9.27 a.m. —Commenced artificial respiration. There was 
some difficulty at first, the apparatus being new and imperfect. 
8.35 a.m. —Heart beating slowly; animal is apparently sensible. 
9.40 a.m .— 1 The artificial respiration is 44 to a minute ; pulse 
also 44. 10.3 a.m.'— There had been considerable contractility 
of the muscles, but there is now little response to the galvanic 
current, except of the iris, which alternately expands and 
contracts. 10.30 a.m.— The same. Irides scarcely so active. 
Temperature 101°'3; heart beating 112, forcibly but irre¬ 
gularly ; respirations 40. Lachrymation has gone on continu¬ 
ously. 11.10 A.M. —The femoral pulse is going on very 
steadily and well. 11.15 a.m. —Temperature 100°'8 ; respi¬ 
rations 36; heart beating 100, strong but very irregular. It 
was beating much more regularly when first felt. Irides 
still act by galvanism. 11.40 a.m.— Changed the bellows, as 
the air escapes from the one we were using. 12 noon.—Irides 
still act. Inspirations 44 ; heart 160, strong; temperature 
100 o, 6. Applied heat under the Dog. 12.30 p.m.— Heart 
beating very strongly and regularly, 140 ; temperature 100°'7 ; 
respirations 44 ; irides still act. 1.15 p.m.— inspirations 32; 
heart 184, beating pretty strongly ; temperature 102 o- 3. Only 
one iris (the right one) acts on the application of galvanism. 
I. 40 p.m. —Both irides act. 2.30 p.m. —Transfused about three 
ounces of blood, with warm water, ammonia, and chlorate of 
potash, into the left femoral vein. There was a marked 
improvement in the action of the heart, which had been beating 
feebly and irregularly. We now opened the thorax, and ob¬ 
served the beating of the heart and inflation of the lungs. The 
arteries bled freely when cut, the blood spurting out in regular 
jets. 3.30 p.m.— The heart began to fail considerably. Injected 
about three ounces of warm water and fifteen grains of chlorate 
of potash into the right femoral vein. The animal passed fieces 
and urine, and the heart almost immediately ceased to beat. 
Remarks. —Artificial respiration was faulty ; death occurred 
six hours and three minutes after artificial respiration was 
commenced. The blood coagulated, but there was also a good 
deal of fluid blood. This would be expected after the injection 
of the ammonia and chlorate of potash. We were kindly 
assisted in the above experiment by Dr. Laurie. 
Experiment No. 3. 
July 10th.—A large Dog was bitten on the abdomen by a 
Cobra at 8 a.m. 8.14 a.m. —Restless. 8.20 a.m. —Is whining, 
and is greatly distressed. 8.40 a.m. —Convulsed. 8.45 a.m.— 
Commenced artificial respiration. The pupils, which were fully 
dilated, contracted, and convulsions ceased. The animal 
appears sensible. 9 a.m. — Heart beating sixty-eight per 
minute. Occasional slight convulsions; there has been uni¬ 
versal convulsion; lachrymation and blinking of the lids. 
9.30 a.m. —Heart beating forcibly, 136; respirations 40; tem¬ 
perature 101°T. Universal convulsion ; irides contract ; 
lachrymation; applied heat. 10.15 a.m. —Respirations 40; heart 
beating so rapidly as to render it impossible to count the beats; 
tremor of the hind-quarters ; irides act on the application of 
the galvanic current; temperature 101 o, 8. Salivation has been 
going on since the commencement of artificial respiration. 
II. 5a.m. —Respirations 44 ; heart 180,not beating very strongly; 
temperature 102°. No response whatever to the galvanic current. 
12.5 p.m. — Respirations 40; heart 160, not acting very 
strongly; temperature 103°T The only response to the gal¬ 
vanic current is the passage of urine. This occurred again at 
12.30 p.m. The pupils have been dilated since the irides ceased 
to act. 12.50 p.m. —Respirations 46. Pupils are now con¬ 
tracted, and the irides respond to galvanism. Heart beating 
regularly and pretty strongly, 16S ; temperature 103°’l. The 
mucous membrane of the mouth and the tongue have both 
recovered their natural colour to a great extent. 1.30 p.m.— 
Irides act by galvanism. Passed water in a pretty good 
stream. Respirations 44 ; heart beating extremely rapidly; 
temperature 104°'5. 2.15 p.m.— Respirations 44; temperature 
105°T5; heart beating very rapidly. The only response to 
the galvanic current was micturition. 3.15 p.m. —Respirations 
44 ; heart acting too rapidly to count the beats. Pupils con¬ 
tracted, but they dilated on the application of galvanism. 
Temperature 106°'4. The tube had become twisted, and so 
interfered with the inflation of the lungs. Changed the bellows 
at 4 p.m., as the air was escaping, but the air escapes from the 
one we are now using. 4.15 p.m. —Heart beating feebly and 
rapidly; irides act, but very slightly; respirations 36 ; tem¬ 
perature 106°'3 5.12 p.m.— Heart ceased to beat, seven hours 
and twenty-seven minutes after the artificial respiration was com¬ 
menced. Temperature when the heart ceased to beat 107 o, 8. 
