appendix. 
No. I. 
The following Circular, dated Port William, November 22nd 1869 
was issued by the Inspector-General to all Deputy Inspectors-General 
oi Hospitals :— 
The Inspector-General of Hospitals is desirous that the observa¬ 
tions on snake-poison, which Dr. Fayrer has hitherto been engaged 
m, should be extended throughout the Presidency, and he now asks 
medical officers to render any assistance in their power for the fulfil¬ 
ment of the object. The Inspector-General believes that very useful 
and practical results will accrue from the scientific investigations 
winch Dr. Fayrer is still prosecuting, researches which may lead to a 
complete knowledge of the subject, and which must prove of service 
to the population of the country. 
2 The Inspector-General therefore requests you will be so good 
as to supply each medical officer in your circle, of whatever grade 
with a copy of this Memorandum, and to enlist their exertions on the 
subject. 
3 Medical officers are requested to submit to you, as soon as 
practicable after January 1st, 1870, a return of all authenticated cases 
of snake-bite that occurred among the civil and military population 
? 87 n r + t !‘ Cir duriDg the ^ ear 1869 (from January 1st, 
18 70 to the end of the year, cases as they occur are to be recorded 
monthly). 
6 . Particular attention should be paid to the detail of symptoms 
after a bite, the duration of life, and the pathological symptoms after 
death , noting particularly the absence or presence of the rigor mortis, 
the state of the blood, microscopically if practicable, and its fluidity or 
coagulability, the treatment pursued, and any remarks to elucidate 
the recorded conditions. 
7. The bodies of persons who have died from snake-bites are fre- 
quentiy sent by the police, or judicial authorities, to the civil medical 
officer for examination. It is particularly requested that careful 
accounts of all such autopsies may be sent in with the printed form ■ 
and that in making the examination, medical officers will be kind 
enough to not e particularly the conditions to be attended to in para¬ 
graph 6, as well as any other pathological condition that may be 
observed. The local effects of the bite, the position of the fang 
punctures, and the state of the parts in the vicinity of the bite as well 
as remote from it, should be accurately recorded. 
8. Particular attention is also requested to any difference in 
symptoms and pathological states in the cases of bites of the Viverulee _ 
U., the Russell’s Viper, or Daboia, and the Trimeresurus, as dis¬ 
tinguished from those of the poisonous colubrine snakes, such as the 
Noja tmpudians, or Cobra, Opliiophagus elaps, or Sunkerchor ” and 
all of the less poisonous Bungarus family, as B. caruleus, or Krait and 
B. fasciatus, or “ Sankni.” 3 
Note.—A list of the poisonous snakes of Hindoostan is appended. 
Snakes most commonly met with have ** prefixed, those less 
so*, the remainder are comparatively rare. 
Sub-Order, Poisonous Colubrine Snakes. 
Family of Elapidce. 
Genus**i. Naja : N. tripudians, or Cobra: several varieties. 
Native names “ Keautiah,” “ Gokurrah ” 
&c. 
„ * 2. Ophiophagus : O. elaps, Hamadryas: one species. 
From Assam to west bank of Hooghly. 
Native name " Sunkerchor.” 
" ** 3. Bungarus : B. cceruleus, or Krait. From Calcutta to 
Delhi. 
** U. fasciatus, or “ Saiikni” (marked with 
black and yellow bands). Bengal gene¬ 
rally. 
„ 4. Xenurelaps : X. bungaroides. Found about Chirra 
Punji. Very rare. 
Genus ** 5. Callophis ; C. intestinalis. 
C. maclellandii. Found in Central India. 
C. nigrescens. Found in the Nilgherries. 
C. annularis. India generally. 
Family of Hydrophidce or Sea Snakes. 
Genus 1. Platurus : P. scutatus. Found on the coast from 
Chittagong to Madras. 
P. fischeri. Found on the coast from Chit¬ 
tagong to Madras. 
„ * 2 . Hydrophis: Several varieties found on the coast. 
H. cyanocincta. 
H. robust a. 
H. coronata. 
H. stricticollis. 
H. chloris. 
H. gracilis. 
H. curta. 
H. jerdonii, and others. 
» * 3. Enhydrina : E. bengalensis. Botanic Garden, Dliappa 
Canal. 
„ * 4. Pelamis : P. bicolor. On the coast, Pooree. 
Sub-Order, Viperine Snakes. 
Family of Pit Vipers or Crotalidce. 
Genus 1. Trimeresurus: * T.gramineus. Found in Bengal; has 
been found at Dliappa Canal. 
* T. erythrurus. Found in Bengal. 
* T. carinatus. Ditto. 
* T. anamallensis. Ditto. 
* T. monticola Mostly found in the 
Himalaya or Khasya Hills. 
T. strigatus. Ditto. 
T. mucrosquamatus. Ditto. 
T. andersonii. Ditto. 
” 2. Peltopelor : P. macrolepis. Found in the Anamallay 
Mountains. 
„ * 3. Halys : H. himalayanus. 
„ 4. H ypnale : H. nepa, or Carawilla. Found in Southern 
India. 
Family of Vipers or Viper idee. 
Genus 1. Daboia : ** D. russellii, the Chain Viper. Native name 
“■Bora Siah Chunder.” Found all over 
Bengal, from Southern India to the Hima¬ 
laya as high as 5000 feet above the sea. 
„**2. Echis: E. carinata. Found in the Anamallay Moun¬ 
tains, Carnatic, Scinde, the N.W., and 
other parts of India. 
No. II. 
On January 3rd, 1870, I addressed the following letter to the 
secretaries or political agents of the following Governments :_ 
Central Provinces, 
Central India, 
Rajpootana, 
British Burmah, 
of loss of life from snake- 
Bengal, 
North-West Provinces, 
Punjab, 
Oude, 
soliciting information on the subject 
poisoning in their territories :— 
Sir,—B eing engaged in an inquiry into the subject of snake-bites 
in this country, in the hope that, with other information of a scien¬ 
tific character, something may be elicited that shall tend to diminish 
the present great mortality from this cause, I shall feel greatly obliged 
if you will assist me by obtaining from all magistrates, district officers, 
