THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
16.2 
vulsive movement of the hind quarters; dilatation of the pupils, 
and micturition in response to galvanism. The urine passed 
is alkaline, contains no albumen, and does not kill when in¬ 
jected into a pigeon. Midnight.—Temperature 10 L°'3. 2 a.m. 
■—Temperature 101°‘2. 4 a.m. —Temperature 101°'2 ; in the 
same state. 6 a.m. —Temperature 101°’8 ; pulse irregular, 160; 
respirations 40; no response to galvanism. 8 a.m. — Tempera¬ 
ture 102°T ; respirations 40 ; pulse over 200 ; micturates in a 
very large stream, by galvanism. 10 a.m.— -Temperature 102 o, 9 ; 
respirations 44; pulse 188; slight contraction of the fore¬ 
paws, and micturition by galvanism. Noon.—Temperature 
102°'8. 2 p.m.— Temperature 103°'2. 5 p.m.— Tempera¬ 
ture 103 O- 6 ; no reflex action. 7 p.m. —Temperature 103°'l ; 
no reflex action. 9 p.m.— Temperature 102 o, 2; no reflex action. 
11 p.m.— Temperature 101°'7 ; heart beating very quickly and 
feebly; respirations 50 ; no reflex action. The head presented 
all the appearances of death, the muscles being shrunken, and 
the eyes disorganized. 1 a.m. —Temperature 101°'8; respira¬ 
tions 36; pulse beating very feebly indeed; no reflex action; 
the head and neck are perfectly stiff, and the legs are also 
somewhat stiffened. 2.55 a.m.— The heart ceased to beat in 
thirty-seven hours and fifty minutes after the commencement 
of artificial respiration. 
THIRTY-FOURTH SERIES. 
Experiments with Strychnine as an Antidote to Snake-poison, and 
on the Treatment of Snake-poisoning by the Intra-Venous 
Injection of Ammonia and by Artificial Respiration, by 
Vincent Richards, Esq., Civil Surgeon, Rcilasore. 
The following series of experiments were undertaken by 
Mr. Richards to further test the value of strychnia, the intra¬ 
venous injection of ammonia, and of artificial respiration in the 
treatment of Snake-bite ■.— 
Experiment No. 1. 
A Dog was bitten by a Sea-snake at 12.32 p.m. 12.40 p.m. — 
Administered half a grain of strychnine. 12.59 p.m. —Much 
affected. It became very convulsed. 1.8 p.m. —Dead—in 
thirty-six minutes. . . 
Experiment No. 2. 
A Dog was bitten by a Cobra at 12.47 p.m. 12.48 p.m. — 
Hypodermically injected a quarter of a grain of strychnine. 
12.53 p.m. —Injected another quarter of a grain. 1.7 p.m. — 
Much affected. This Dog was not so much affected with con¬ 
vulsions as the one used in Experiment 1. 1.19 p.m. —Dead— 
in thirty-two minutes. 
Experiment No. 3. 
A Dog was bitten by a Daboia at .12.54 p.m. 12.56 p.m.— 
Hypodermically injected three-sixteenths of a grainof strychnine. 
This animal died in the night. 
Experiment No. 4. 
Hypodermically injected into the thigh of a small Dog a 
quarter of a grain of Cobra poison at 1.22 p.m. At 1.29 p.m. 
hypodermically injected a quarter of a grain of strychnine. At 
5.40 p.m. convulsed. 6.20 p.m. —Dead—in four hours fifty-eight 
minutes. This animal lived one hour and eight minutes longer 
than two other dogs (of the same size) in which the same 
quantity of poison had been injected. This animal also suffered 
much less than the other two. The blood did not coagulate so 
firmly as usual. 
Experiment No. 5. 
Hypodermically injected into the thigh of a middling-sized 
though full-grown Pariah Dog a quarter of a grain of Cobra 
poison at 1.59 p.m. 2 p.m. —A quarter of a grain of strychnine 
hypodermically injected. 3.40 p.m. —Half a grain of strychnine 
injected. 4.25 p.m, — Much affected by the strychnine; 
constant and rigid contractions of all the voluntary muscles. 
8.15 p.m. —Dead. This animal died from the effects of the 
strychnine. A very large dose was injected—viz., three- 
quarters of a grain. 
Experiment No. 6. 
Friday, at 1.40 p.m. —Hypodermically injected one-eighth of 
a grain of dried Cobra poison into the thigh of a half-grown 
Pariah Dog. 1.43 p.m. —Injected a quarter of a grain of 
strychnine. 3.45 p.m. —Injected another quarter of a grain of 
strychnine. Saturday, 10.15 p.m. —Injected one-sixteenth of a 
grain of strychnine. 3 p.m. —Up to this time the Dog had 
suffered only slightly from occasional tetanic spasms. 3.15 p.m.— 
Appears drowsy, and is affected apparently by the poison 
(snake). This Dog recovered. I had injected one-eighth of a 
grain of Cobra poison into another Dog of a somewhat larger 
size, hut this animal suffered considerably less. The other 
Dog, to which no strychnine had been given, suffered much 
from restlessness, vomiting of blood, and convulsions, but 
ultimately recovered also. 
Experiment No. 7. 
Tuesday, 5.14 p.m. — Hypodermically injected a quarter 
of a grain of Cobra poison into a middling-sized Dog’s 
thigh (I had injected one-eighth of a grain three days 
previously). Wednesday, 3 a.m. — Vomited. 3.30 a.m.— 
Drowsy. 7.32 a.m. —Is trembling all over; salivation. 7.42 
a.m. —Convulsed. 8.15 a.m. —Insensible and convulsed. In¬ 
jected one-sixteenth of a grain of strychnine. Remained 
insensible, and then dyspnoea was urgent. 3 p.m. —Injected 
another one-sixteenth of a grain of strychnine. 3.51 p.m.— 
Restless and convulsed. 4.55 p.m. —Violent retching; attempts 
to bark; seems much distressed. 5.5 p.m. —Is better. 5.25 
p.m. —Has stood up for five minutes. This Dog gradually 
improved, and ultimately recovered. 
Mr. Richards remarks :—“ This is another instance demon¬ 
strating what serious symptoms of poisoning may arise without 
a fatal termination. It would appear that the strychnine was 
beneficial in this case, but the quantity of Cobra poison injected 
may have been sufficient to provoke serious symptoms, but not 
death. These experiments on the whole, and so far as they go, 
are unfavourable to strychnine,* though I do not consider the 
matter settled beyond doubt. I noticed one fact particularly, 
and that is the comparative freedom from convulsions in 
those cases where strychnine had been administered. The 
physiological action of amara and strychnine is antagonistic, 
and this fact led me to try strychnine again.” 
The following experiments were made to ascertain the 
quantity of poison necessary to kill, as also to note the effects 
of the poisons of different snakes :— 
Experiment No. 8. 
At 12.35 p.m., hypodermically injected one grain of Cobra 
poison into the thigh of a middling-sized Dog. 3 p.m. —In¬ 
jected another two grains. 3.13 p.m. —Much affected. 3.32 p.m. 
—Convulsed. This animal would have died very soon, but I 
prolonged life for thirteen hours by artificial respiration. 
Experiment No. 9. 
At 1.5 p.m., hypodermically injected into a small Pariah Dog 
four grains of Cobra poison. 1.45 p.m. —Fell over and was 
convulsed. Notwithstanding the very large amount of poison 
injected, life was prolonged for ten hours by artificial re¬ 
spiration. 
* Strychnine proved equally unsuccessful in Dr. Fayrer’s experiments. 
