The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-09-19

4
it little mucus, much water, and some OF the
salts of saliva from which it differs, mainly, IN
the slight predominance Of an animal acid.
There is nothing in all this that could suggest
beforehand, the specific properties of the secre-
ton. 1t is not poisonous when taken into the
efficient remedy, that of sucking the wound,
may be performed with scarcely any risk This
has been known Of old. Whoever" writes
CELSIUS "will suck the wound will be both safe
himself and save the sufferer" The only dan
ger in swallowing the venom of the viper, cobra
or ratlesnake, arises from the possibility of some
blister or scar or any lesion of the scarfskin Of
the mouth, throat or gullet, which might allow
the poison to enter the circulating blood.
The nervous system Of a poison'snake is proof
against the specific action of its own poison, but
not against that of another species. Dr. Patrick
Russell, in his History Of Indian Serpents, af-
firms that cobras bite each other without fatal
consequences, but kill other snakes. The larger
and more formidable hamadryas of India prey
upon other serpents, killing them by their en-
venomcd bite and then swallowing them. The
naja, of Africa, in like manner, kills and gorges
the puff-adder; and the rattlesnake will strike
and slay the poisonous moccasin snake, and az
forwards seize and swallow it.
As to remedies. When our own species has
been the subject of attack, the first indication
is to remove the inoculatcd venom, either by
suction or incision; but this, to be effective,
must be done promptly, almost instantly, after
the bite. Olive oil should be freely applied to
the wound; and the same taken inwardly with
ammonia, in as great quantity as the con-
stitution will bear. Ifhartshorn be not at hand,
and "eau de luce" is, the latter forms good
substitute. Certain plants have been vaunted
as specifies as e. g., the Arist0lochio serpentdrid
and Hieraeeana cen0sum against the poison Of
the rattlesnakc, and the Li6dma Cedron against
that of the cobra; but their merits have not been
established by due and successful trial. 1t ap-
pears that the unfortunate victim of the bite of
the cobra had some of the Li6ama Cedron in his
possession, but it was not used.
To revert to the melancholy occurrence which
has led us to pen the present article Perhaps
the most grievous features of the case are those
revealed at the searching and exact inquiry into
all the particulars of it, which led to the verdict
Of the CoroneT's Inquest, recorded in the Times
accident-as such occurrences are termed-by
which an apparently steady man, who had pre-
viously performed his duties in the main salts
factorly, has been hurried to an untimcly grave
leaving, at the age of thirty, widow and young
family bcrcaved of their natural protector and
provider-is one Of the countless calamities be-
falling the weekly-wagc classes plainly referable
to intoXication.
Curling had left his home, in company with
another keeper, on the evening before the acci-
dent and, as his poor widow deposed, "Sbe
never saw him afterwards alive" According to
the evidence of his companion, they had spent
the night at a leave-taking party of friend 60
ing to Australia. On returning to their duties
at the Geological Gardens, "they had quartern
of gin at the public house in Shoe Lane, another
afterwards, and again another at eight o'clock"
The gin-laden blood circulated through the brain,
and reason, prudence, the painest sense of i'm
minent hazard, were overpowered. The exhi-
bition, during the previous year QS51), Of the
Egyptian snake-charmers, who acted their parts
with cobras deprived of their poison fangs had
left vivid impression on the mans mind this
impression came uppermost when he entered on
the scene of his daily duties, and he must needs
try to emulate the Egyptians A newly ar
rived Morocco poison-snake was first selected.
1t was taken out of itscage, was grasped by its
middle, hourished aloft and thrown like lasso
round the neck Of the younger performer; for
tunately for him it was no. reused to bite. An
assistant keeper, who happened to enter the
room at this juncture, begged Curling, " for
Gods sake, to put back the snake" The in
fatuated man replied, al am inspired" and
laughed at the warningl
Having replaced the Morocco venom-snake in
its cage, Curling then cried "Now for the CO.
bral" and, lifting up the glass front of the cage,
removed it as he had done the other. The CO.
bra was somewhat torpid from the cold of the
preceding night and the man placed it in his
bosom; it there revived and glided downward
round his waist, its head emerging from beneath
the back part of his waistcoat The man grasped
the cobra by the body about a foot from the head
with one hand, drew it out seized it lower down
with the other hand, and was in the act Of -four
ishing it aloft, as he had fourished the other
snake, when, as he held it up in front ofhis face,
the ecobra-suddenly expanding its hood-struck
him like lightning between the eyes, plunging
the poison-fangs into the skin Of one side Of the
bridge of the nose, and scratching the opposite
side with the teeth of the lower jaw. The man
was staggered by the blow; the blood streamed
down his face; he called for help and his COM
panion fed; but show long he was away he
could not tell, being in maze"
When assistance arrived, Curling was found
seated in a chair. having restored the cobra to
its cage and closed down the front glass. This
return to sense of duty, and this performance
perhaps instinctive-of the prudent act which
was his last on earth, are not the least remarka-
bic of tho circumstances attending the case.
He was still sensible and collected when placed
in the cab that conveyed him to the hospital,
and expressed, but in already palsied speech,
his conviction Of speedy death. When received
into the hospital. he appeared" reports the