NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
22
ANNUAL REP. ON THE WORKING OF THE MENTAL HOSPLS. IN THE MAD. PRESY.
STATEMENT No. VII—cont.
Statement showing the Cash Account of the Mental Hospitals in the Madras Presidency
for the year 1932 and the Provincial Totals for the two previous years—cont.
(f2)
(i3)
Dietary articles received from Jail Depart-
ment
...
...
...
...
...
...
Bedding and clothing received from Jail
Department ... ... ... ... ...
Material for manufacturing articles received
from Jail Department
...
...
...
Miscellaneous articles received from Jail
Department ... ... ... ... ...
Other contingencies of book transfers
from Jail Department
...
...
...
Improvements to buildings done by Pub-
lic Works Department ... ... ...
Repairs to buildings done by Public Works
Department ... ... ... ... ...
Municipal Taxes paid by Public Works
Department ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
To Public Works Department for original
works
...
...
...
...
...
...
Public Works Department for repair
works
...
...
...
...
...
...
Fisheries Department for salt supplied ...
Jail Department for furniture
...
...
Jail
Department for bedding
and
clothing
...
...
...
...
...
...
Jail Department for other miscellaneous
articles, almirahs, vessels, etc. ... ... ... ...
Jail Department for bandage cloth and
gauze cloth
...
...
...
...
...
Public Works Workshop for locks, etc. ...
Government Kerala Soap Institute, Cali-
cut, for soap
...
...
...
...
...
Government Industrial Institute, Calicut,
for
cooking vessel and other repair
works, etc. ... ... ... ... ...
Total ..
RS.
488
425
429
147
39
1,703
1,100
138
4,471
4,597
1,152
158
105
279
34
43
78
48
54
6,548
A.
2
11
0
3
5
3
11
10
13
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
5
1
0
13
P.
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(j1)
(f2)
(j3)
(k1)
(k2)
(l1)
Book charges relating to diet on account
of salt
...
...
...
...
...
...
Book charges relating to bedding, clothing,
shoes supplied by the Jail Department ..
Book charges relating to furniture supplied
by Jail Department ... ... ... ...
Book charges relating to bandage cloth,
soap, coconut oil and aluminium articles.
Book charges relating to service postage
and telephone charges
... ... ...
Book charges relating to electrical work
and repairs ... ... ... ... ...
Book charges relating to Public Works De-
partment charges—Original Works and
Repairs ... ... ... ... ... ...
Book charges relating to washing materials.
Book charges relating to licence fee for
motor vehicles ... ... ... ... ...
Book charges relating to nurses' kitchen
equipment
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
Cost of English stores and medicines ...
Stores remaining on 31st December 1932 ...
Cost of printed forms
...
...
...
...
Cost of stationery
...
...
...
...
Total ...
Value of stores remained at the end of the
year 1932 ...
...
...
...
...
...
Value of stores on hand on 31st December 1932.
RS.
501
1,215
214
1,477
340
1,530
14,197
16
246
58
19,796
879
579
1,200
197
1,397
1,242
3,151
A.
6
6
2
12
0
0
0
0
0
12
6
12
12
0
11
11
3
5
P.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
8
8
11
10
Government
of Madras
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT
PUBLIC HEALTH
G.O. No. 1528 P.H., 11th July 1933
Report—Mental Hospitals—1932—Recorded with remarks.
READ—the following :—
Letter from Major-General C. A. SPRAWSON, C.I.E., V.H.S., I.M.S., Surgeon-General
with the Government of Madras, to the Secretary to Government, Local Self-Government
(Public Health) Department, dated 20th April 1933, No. 660-1/H.
Order—No. 1528 P.H., dated 11th July 1933.
Recorded.
Year.
1930 ...
1931 ...
1932 ...
Total
popu-
lation.
1,942
2,077
2,147
Daily
average
strength.
1,404
1,500
1,560
2. Strength and accommodation.—The population of the
three hospitals and their daily average strength continued to
increase during the year as shown in the margin. The Mental
Hospital at Madras was responsible, as may be expected, for the
largest population 1,573, while Calicut and Waltair had a popu-
lation of 413 and 161, respectively.
With a view to relieve the overcrowding in the Mental Hospital, Madras, patients other
than criminal insanes from the districts of Madura, Ramnad, Salem and Tinnevelly are
admitted into the Mental Hospital, Calicut, and those from Chittoor are sent to the Waltair
Mental Hospital. As even this arrangement does not seem to have had the desired effect,
proposals are now under consideration to extend the Mental Hospital at Madras or to open
a new Mental Hospital at Tanjore by utilizing the buildings of the Medical School hostel.
3. Sick rate and mortality.—The death-rate rose from 5.8 in 1931 to 6.6 in the year
under review. The daily average number of patients sick in the hospitals stood at 242 as
against 233 in the previous year. Except for a few cases of influenza of a mild type at
Madras and Calicut there were no epidemics worth mentioning.
4. General.—Financial stringency continued to stand in the way of progress but normal
activities were carried on as usual.
(By order of the Government, Ministry of Local Self-Government.)
E. CONRAN SMITH,
Secretary to Government.
To the Surgeon-General.
„
District Magistrate, Malabar.
„
District Magistrate, Vizagapatam.
„
Law (General) Department.
„
Government of India, Home Department (with C.L.).
„
Secretary and Librarian, School of Economies and Sociology,
University of Bombay.
„
Librarian, Legislative Council Office (2 copies).
„
Secretary, L.S.G. Institute, Poona
„
Secretary, Madras Services Commission.
Press.
AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF MADRAS GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS.
IN INDIA.
The Superintendent, NAZAIR KANUN HIND PRESS, Allahabad.
THE BANGALORE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY, LTD., Bangalore City.
M. C. KOTHARI. Bookseller, Publisher & Newspaper Agent, Raopur Rd., Baroda.
R. SUNDER PANDURANG, Kalbadevi Road, Bombay.
D. B. TARAPOREVALA SONS & Co., Bombay.
THACKER & Co. (LTD.), Bombay.
N. S. WAGLE, Circulating Agent and Bookseller, No. 6, Tribhuvan Road,
Girgaon, Bombay.
THE BURMA BOOK CLUB (LTD.), 240-A, Merchant Street, Rangoon, Burma.
THE BOOK COMPANY, Calcutta.
BUTTERWORTH & Co. (LTD.), 6, Hastings Street, Calcutta.
R. CAMBRAY & Co., Calcutta.
THACKER, SPINK & Co., 3, Esplanade East, Calcutta.
SHRI SHANKAR KARNATAKA PUSTAKA BHANDARA, Malamaddi, Dharwar.
THE DOMINION BOOK CONCERN, Booksellers and Publishers, Main Road,
Hyderabad.
RAMAKRISHNA & SONS, Lahore.
The Proprietor, THE PUNJAB SANSKRIT BOOK DEPOT, Saidmitha Street, Lahore
(Punjab).
THE UPPER INDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE (LTD.), Lucknow.
THE CHRISTIAN LITERATURE SOCIETY FOR INDIA, Post Box No. 501, P.T., Madras.
CITY BOOK COMPANY, Post Box No. 283, Madras.
HIGGINBOTHAMS (LTD.), Mount Road, Madras.
THE LAW BOOK DEPOT (LTD.), 15 and 16, Francis Joseph Street, Madras.
S. MURTHY & Co., Madras.
G. A. NATESAN & Co., Madras.
P. R. RAMA IYER & Co., Madras.
P. VARADACHARI & Co., Booksellers, 8, Lingha Chetti Street, Madras.
D. SRI KRISHNAMURTI, Editor of " Grama Paripalana," Morrispet, Tenali,
Guntur (Madras).
E. M. GOPALAKRISHNA KONE, Pudumantapam, Madura (Madras).
THE MODERN STORES, Salem (Madras).
THE SRIVILLIPUTTUR CO-OPERATIVE TRADING UNION (LTD.),
Srivilliputtur
(Madras).
S. KRISHNASWAMI & Co., Teppukulam Post, Trichinopoly Fort (Madras).
A. VENKATASUBBAN, Law Bookseller, Vellore (Madras).
NIYASARKAR, Manager, " Hitawada," Nagpur.
THE INTERNATIONAL BOOK SERVICE, Booksellers, etc., Poona 4.
MOHANLAL DOSSABHAI SHAH, Books Agent, Publisher and Printer, Rajkot.
THE BOOKLOVERS' RESORT, Booksellers and News Agents, Taikad, Trivandrum.
IN STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE FEDERAL RUBBER STAMP Co., Penang.
NOTICE.
Official publications may be obtained in the United Kingdom
either direct from the office of the High Commissioner for India,
India House, Aldwych, London, W.C. 2, or through any bookseller.
6
STATEMENTS OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUMS
STATEMENT
Statement showing the Admissions, Discharges, etc., of Lunatics in the Asylum
1
Years.
1916
C.
V.
2
Remained at
the beginning
of the year.
Males.
Females.
Total.
3
Admitted.
Males.
Females.
Total.
4
Re-
admit-
ted.
Males.
Females.
Total.
5
Total
population.
Males.
Females.
Total.
6
Discharged.
A.
Cured.
Males.
Females.
Total.
B.
Transferred to
friends.
Im-
proved.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Not
improved.
Males.
Females.
Total.
C.
Other-
wise.
Males.
Females.
Total.
D.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Total.
7
Died.
Males.
Females.
Total.
8
Remaining
at the end
of the year.
Males.
Females.
Total.
MADRAS
451
4
158
...
609
4
145
1
46
...
191
1
11
...
...
...
11
...
607
5
204
...
811
5
62
...
15
...
77
...
31
1
10
...
41
1
...
...
1
...
1
...
17
...
1
...
18
...
110
1
27
...
137
1
The capacity of the Madras Lunatic Asylum at 60 square feet per European patient equals ...
Do.
do.
do.
per Indian
do. ...
49
...
16
...
65
...
448
4
For Males ...
For Females ...
For Males ...
For Females ...
Total ...
161
...
609
4
91
81
428
108
708
1916
C.
V.
77
1
16
...
93
1
14
...
1
...
15
...
1
...
...
...
1
...
92
1
17
...
109
1
10
...
1
...
11
...
1
...
...
...
1
...
3
...
...
...
3
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
14
...
1
...
15
...
3
1
VIZAGAPATAM
1
...
The capacity of the Vizagapatam Lunatic Asylum at 50 square feet per Indian patient equals—
Males
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Females
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
79
17
96
4
1
75
...
15
...
90
...
CALICUT
1916
C.
V.
Grand Total
for 1916.
Grand Total
for 1915.
Grand Total
for 1914.
81 1 35
...
116
1
38
1
6
...
44
1
11
...
1
...
12
...
130
2
42
...
172
2
21
1
4
... 25
1
7
...
...
...
7
...
2
...
...
...
2
...
2
...
...
...
2
...
32
1
4
...
36
1
12
...
3
...
The capacity of the Calicut Lunatic Asylum at 50 square feet per Indian patient equals—
Males
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
124
62
186
15
...
86
1
35
...
121
1
PRESIDENCY
615
581
587
209
211
208
824
792
795
199
200
184
53
45
53
252
245
237
23
21
30
1
2
3
24
23
33
837
802
801
263
258
264
1,100
1,060
1,065
94
80
66
20
14
18
114
94
84
40
32
32
10
7
8
50
39
40
5
1
10
1
2
3
6
3
13
19
16
23
1
1
2
20
17
25
158
129
131
32
24
31
190
153
162
65
58
89
20
25
22
85
83
111
614
615
581
211
209
211
82
82
792
C.=Compulsory.
V.=
Voluntary.
Note.—Observation cases included.
STATEMENTS OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUMS
7
No. I.
in the Madras Presidency during the year 1916 and the Provincial totals for the two previous years.
9
Daily average
strength.
Males.
458.17
Females.
158.38
Total.
616.55
10
Daily average
sick.
Males.
45.37
Females.
24.33
Total.
69.70
11
Percentage to
Daily average strength.
A.
Cured.
Males.
13.53
Females.
9.47
Total.
12.49
B.
Died.
Males.
10.69
Females.
10.10
Total.
10.54
Admissions.
C.
Cured.
Males.
39.49
Females.
32.61
Total.
37.93
D.
Died.
Males.
31.21
The maximum number of lunatics confined during any one night was on the night of 19th April 1916, viz. :—
Males
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
478
163
641
Females.
34.78
Total.
32.02
78.44
15.15
93.59
2.11 0.56
2.67 12.74 6.60 11.75 5.09
6.60
5.34 66.66 100.00 68.75 26.66
The maximum number of lunatics confined during any one night was on the night of 16th July 1916, viz. :—
Males
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
80
16
96
100.00 31.25
88.16
624.77
589.70
600.75
34.38
122.54 5.52 1.60
7.12 24.95 11.63 21.22 13.61 8.73 12.24 44.00 57.41 45.61
The maximum number of lunatics confined on any one night was on the night of 29th August 1916, viz. :—
Males
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
207.91
209.77
210.89
832.68
799.47
811.64
53.00
66.78
61.54
26.49
36.37
28.41
79.49
103.15
89.95
15.04
13.57
10.99
9.62
6.67
8.53
13.69
11.76
10.35
10.40
9.83
14.81
9.62
11.92
10.43
10.21
10.38
13.68
42.34
36.20
30.84
91
36
127
37.04
29.79
32.14
41.30
35.07
31.11
24.00 42.86 26.32
29.28
26.24
41.59
37.04
53.19
39.28
30.80
30.97
41.11
SCIENTIFIC MEMOIRS BY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY OF INDA.
EDITED BY
SURGEON-GENERAL ROBERT HARVEY, M.D., C.B., C.B., LL.D.,
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.
PART XI.
1898. 1. —The Physi ol ogi cal Act i on of Cobra-venom. —Bri gade-Surgeon-Li eut enant -Col onel D. D. Cunni ngham, C. I. E. , F. R. S. , (Page 1), t o whi ch i s appended a Not e by A. A. Kant hack, M. A. , M. D. , Fel l ow of Ki ng' s Col l ege and Professor of Pat hol ogy i n t he Uni versi t y of Cambri dge. (Page 31. )
2.—On three new genera of plants from the Kachin Hills.—Major D. Prain, Indian Medical Service. (Page 41.)
3. —A Summar y of t he Deep- Sea Zool ogi cal Wor k of t he Royal I ndi an Mar i ne Sur vey Shi p I nvest i gat or f r om 1884 t o 1897. —Maj or A. W. Al cock, I ndi an Medi cal Ser vi ce, Super i nt endent of t he I ndi an Museum and Pr of essor of Zool ogy i n t he Medi cal Col l ege of Cal cut t a, f or mer l y Sur geon- Nat ur al i st t o t he I ndi an Mar i ne Sur vey. ( Page 45. )
CALCUTTA. OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA.
1898. PRICE 2 RUPEES OR 2s. 8d.
SCIENTIFIC MEMOIRS
BY
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY OF INDIA.
EDITED BY
SURGEON-GENERAL ROBERT HARVEY, M.D., C.B., LL.D.,
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.
PART XI.
1898.
1 . — T h e P h y s i o l o g i c a l A c t i o n o fC
o b r a - v e n o m . —
Brigade-Surgeon-Lieuten
-
ant-Colonel D. D. Cunningham, C. I. E., F.R.S. (Page 1), to which is
appended a Note by A. A. Kanthack, M.A., M.D., Fellow of King's
College and Professor of Pathology in the University of Cambridge.
(Page 31.)
2.—On three new genera of plants from the Kadin Hills.—Major
D. Prain, Indian Medical Service. (Page 41.)
3.—A Summary of the Deep-Sea Zoological Work of the Royal
Indian Marine Survey Ship Investigator from 1884 to 1897.—
Major A. W. Alcock, Indian Medical Service, Superintendent of
the Indian Museum and Professor of Zoology in the Medical College
of Calcutta, formerly Surgeon-Naturalist to the Indian Marine
Survey.
CALCUTTA:
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING. INDIA.
1898.
Price 2 Rupees.
CALCUTTA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CENTRAL PRINTING OFFICE,
8,—HASTINGS STREET.
PLATE I.
Fig. 1. Blood of a fowl; taken immediately before the occurrence of death after
intravascular injection of 0. 25 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 2. Specimen of the same blood 24 hours later.
Fig. 3. Blood of a fowl which was dying after the subcutaneous injection of 0.01
gramme of dried cobra-venom of which 0 . 00075 constituted a minimal lethal
dose.
Figs. 4, 5. Eosinophil corpuscles from the blood of a fowl, which was dying 27 hours
after the subcutaneous injection of 0.00075 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 6. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood, 2½ hours after mixture with 0.01 gramme
of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 7. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood, 24 hours after mixture with 0.0005 gramme
of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 8. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl ' s blood, 2½ hours after mixture with 0.01 gramme of
dried daboia-venom.
Fig. 9. Condition of 10.5 c.c. of blood of Varanus salvator, 2 hours after mixture
with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 10. Condition of the same blood, 24 hours after the mixture had been effected
.
Fig. 11. Condition of the same blood, 48 hours after the mixture had been effected.
Fig. 12. Condition of 10.5 c.c. of blood of Varanus salvator, 24 hours after mixture
with 0.116 of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 13. Condition of 10.5 c.c. of blood of Zamenis mucosus, 24 hours after mixture
with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 14. Condition of 10.5 C.C . of the blood of Zamenis mucosus, 24 hours after mix-
ture with 0.116 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 15. Condition of the same specimen of blood, 48 hours after the mixture had been
effected.
Fig. 16. Specimen of normal, pure blood of Zamenis mucosus, 72 hours after its remo-
val from the body.
Fig. 17. Condition of 10.5 c.c. of blood of a cobra, 72 hours after mixture with 0.01
gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 18. Condition of 10.5 c.c. of the blood of a cobra, 24 hours after mixture with
0.116 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 19. Condition of the same specimen of blood, 48 hours after the mixture had been
effected.
Fig. 20. Condition of 76 C.C. of the blood of a goose. 24 hours after mixture with 0.002
gramme of dried cobra-venom.
PLATE I.
PLATE I.
ACTION OF COBRA-VENOM ON THE BLOOD OF ANIMALS OF VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUSCEPTIBILITY.
<illegible>hromo-Photo-etching. S. I. O., Calcutta, July 1896.
PLATE II.
Fig. 1. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood, 2½ hours after mixture with 0.01 gramme
of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 2. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood, 2½ hours after mixture with 0.1 gramme of
dried cobra-serum.
Fig. 3. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood,2½ hours after mixture with 0.1 gramme of
Fraser's dry antivénene.
Fig. 4. Condition of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood, 24 hours after mixture with 0.1 gramme of
dried cobra-serum.
Fig. 5. Respiratory property of 10.5 c.c. fowl's blood,and g6 hours after
2, 24, 48, 72,
mixture with 0 . 01 gramme dried cobra-venom. Temperature of the period
ranging between 71 . 2° to 89.9° F. in the open air.
Fig. 6. (a ) Respiratory property of 10.5 c.c. of blood of a cobra, 24 hours after mixture
with 0.116 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
(b) Respiratory property of 10.5 c.c. of blood of a dhamine, 24 hours after
mixture with 0 . 116 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
(c) Respiratory property of 10.5 c. c. of fowl's blood, 24 hours after mixture with
0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 7. Respiratory property of 10.5 c.c, of fowl's blood, 2½, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours
after mixture with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom. Maximal temper
- ature of the Laboratory during the period =71° F.
Fig. 8. Respiratory phenomena of 10.5 c.c. of fowl's blood, 2½, 24, 48 and 72 hours after
mixture with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom. Exposed to a temper-
ature of 98° F.
Fig. 9. Respiratory phenomena of 10. 5 c.c. of fowl's blood,2½, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 , 144
and 168 hours after mixture with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Maximal temperature of the Laboratory during the period=68.9° F.
Fig. 10. Respiratory capacity of 10.5 c.c. of Varanus' blood, 24 hours after mixture
with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom. Compare fig. 6.
Figs. 11. 13. Respiratory capacity of specimens of 10.5 c.c. of fowl's blood, 1½ 24, 48
and 72 hours after mixture with 1 c.c. (in fig. 11) Fraser's liquid anti-
venene, and 0.1 gramme (in fig. 13) Fraser's dry antivenene and 0.01
gramme of dried cobra-venom.
Fig. 12. Respiratory capacity of 10.5 c.c. of fowl's blood, 1½, 24, 48 and 72 hours after
mixture with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom alone.
Figs. 14. 16, 17. Respiratory capacity of 10.5 c.c. of fowl's blood, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours
after mixture with 0 . 01 gramme of dried cobra-venom and 0.1 gramme of
dried cobra-serum.
Fig. 15. Respiratory capacity of 10.5 c.c. of fowl's blood, 24, 48 and 72 hours after
mixture with 0.01 gramme of dried cobra-venom and 0.1 gramme of
Fraser's dry antivenene.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 10.
7.
Fi g. 8.
Fig. 17.
Fig. 11.
Fig. 14.
Fig. 12.
Rig.
15
PLATE II.
Fig. 1 x 830.
Fig. 2 x 830.
Fig. 3 x 830.
Fig. 4 x 830.
Fig. 9.
PLATE II.
EFFECTS OF COBRA-VENOM WITHOUT & WITH ANTIVENENE & COBRA-SERUM ON THE BLOOD
OF VARIOUS ANIMALS.
Chromo -Heliogravure
Survey of India Offices, Calcutta, July 1896.
The Physiological Action of Cobra-venom.
BY
BRIGADE-SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL D. D. CUNNINGHAM.
In a previous communication dealing with this subject which was published
in Part IX of this Periodical, the validity of certain generally accepted
theories regarding the action of cobra-venom in inducing intoxication was
questioned, and certain reasons were adduced in favour of the conclusion
that the primary action of the toxin was hæmatic, and not neutral ; or, in
other words, that the nervous phenomena, which unquestionably present them-
selves during the progress of intoxication, are not dependent on any direct
action of the venom on the nervous apparatus, but are the manifestation of the
effects which are produced on the latter by primarily induced changes in the
blood. In the following pages an attempt has been made to strengthen the
evidence supporting this view and to demonstrate the following facts ; first,
that cobra-venom does produce certain important changes in the blood of
susceptible animals with which it comes into contact either within or without the
animal organism ; second, that the power of the venom to induce such changes
in the blood of different kinds of animals bears a direct relation to the degree
to which the latter are susceptible to intoxication ; third, that the diminution and
ultimate abolition of lethal property, attending the prolonged exposure of
venom to the influence of high temperatures, runs parallel with diminution and
abolition of capacity to give rise to hæmatic change.
Some evidence regarding the action of cobra-venom on blood has been
already adduced in the paper which has just been alluded to ; but it is to
a certain extent invalidated by the fact that, in the experiments which were
then under consideration, sufficient care had not been taken to discriminate
carefully between phenomena attending solution of particulate elements and
those connected with the occurrence of chemical change. With additional
experience, however, it became clear that, whilst cobra-venom is normally
endowed with the property of giving rise both to solvent and chemical changes
in the blood of susceptible animals, such changes by no means manifest them-
selves invariably at the same time, and that, at a period at which processes
of solution of erythrocytes may have been fully carried out, there may be no
appreciable evidence of any reduction in the respiratory capacity of hæmoglobin.
But the occurrence of either solution or reduction to any considerable extent
is accompanied by conspicuous alteration in the colour of massive specimens
of blood, and hence, in any case in which such alteration manifests itself, it
B