Page:AJWall Indian Snake Poisons.djvu/19

4 respirations were also increased in frequency. He was unable to answer questions, but appeared to be quite conscious. His arms did not seem to be paralysed. At 1.15 A.M., twenty-five minims of liquor ammoniae were rapidly injected under the skin of the fore-arm ; but as this produced no results, the basilic vein was laid bare, and twenty-five minims injected into it.

"The operation caused no amelioration in the symptoms, and the condition was evidently becoming critical. He continued to moan and shake his head from side to side, as if trying to get rid of viscid mucus in his throat. The respirations were laboured, but not stertorous. The external jugular vein of the left side was next exposed, and twenty-five minims of the liquor amraonise injected into it; but without producing any good eflfect. The breathing gradually became slower, and finally ceased at 1.44 A.M., while the heart continued to beat for about one minute longer. No convulsions preceded death, which took place in one hour and five minutes after the infliction of the bite."

From the description given of the snake, there can be no doubt that it was a cobra, and it is clear that the remedy administered had no more effect on the symptoms than it had on the result. It is a good description by a careful observer, and may be taken as a typical example of cobra-poisouing in the human subject.

On the lower animals, from which alone we can learn the details of the poisoning process, and the exact