Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-17

neither very large nor very vigorous
one. and yet how deadly. Eight creatures
destroyed by rapid succession of bites
The experiment proves tha: the snake be-
comes weaker by biting, until he becomes
exhausted
Other experiments, bearing less on the
main object of this article, were also en-
tered upon. A viper was bitten by a cobra,
but no in effects followed. A cobra was
then made to bite itself on the tail-he
also suffered no i'll effects. Il cobra YVES
bitten by another of the same species, bus
with similar results.
An attempt was also made to discover
if the poison of one kind of snake could
be used as the antidote against the power
of another species. With this view cat
was bitten By viper. and few minutes
afterwardsby q cobra. The cat died in the
usual time, and there was nothing appar-
ent to show that the virulenee of the poison
was either arrested or stimulated by the
variety of poison.
A most exhaustive variety of antidotes
we're made use of in the course OF expert
mett, yet with what a disastrous result
The deadliuess Of the poison and the utter
inability of the remedies to cope with 1t
is clearly demonstrated and the knOwl-
edge thus gained leads one to suppose that
the recorded instances of cure are the ex-
ception-when the deadiiBess of the poison
has become exhausted by previous attacks !;
or when sickness or want of vigor may
have impaired its power of injury or,
lastly. when the poison Peuetrates so super
ficially as not to be absorbed into the inner
vessels of the system.
DR.. Faryer's remarks are so much to the
point. that l do not hesitate to insert
them
NV belief is, that if an animal, and
probably man, is fairly bitten by fresh
and really vigorous cobra, or daboir-[l
believe this is kind of viperI-it or he
will inevitably succumb, unless some imme-
date and direct method of arresting the
entry of the poison into the circulation be
practised. That such may be done l will
not deny but the two experiments just
recorded-Treferring TO the case in which
ligature had been employed, and actual
cautery inflicted without success per
formed with the greatest care By two sur
geons accustomed to such operations, shows
that at least it is very difficult.
The same may be said of the actual eau
tery. Unless the hot iron enter the pune
ture directly after the fang has been with
drawn the poison is already far on Its way
towards the center /; aud the burning
though it destroys the tissues and such OF
the poison as may not have entered the
circulation, can have no influence upon
that which is already beyond its reach.
\. To conceive an antidote, in the
! true sense of the term, 10 snake poison,
one must imagine a substance so subtle as
/ 10 follow, overtake and neutralIZe the ven-
/ ON in the blood, or that shall have the pow
er of counteracting and neutralizing the
/ deadly influence it has exerted on the VI
tai forces. Such substance has still to
be found, and our present experience OF
the action of drugs does not lead to hope
full anticipation that We shall find It,
Ii was a matter of regret that, while
making the experiment of an injection OF
equal parts of cobra poison and ammonia,
| that of carbolic acid and the same polsoI
mixed, should have escaped the notice o.
1.-The experimenters. Suggestions 10 thl
tAHect we're vez1zIl@ted, aud =. hoPo --a= e-
J pressed that this phase of the experlmen
would receive attention at some suose
4 1uent time. 1t was stated that the et
feet of small quantity of carbolie acid
administered internally, was an almost IN
stantaneous death to the cobra In les
than two minutes all self-directed vitalit
and power of movement is destroyed, an
the paralyzed form only writhes IN lnFol
un,ary contortion. In very short tim
J ali motion is suspended, and the snake lie
, stone dead. 1t was argued (but, 1t mus
/ be confessed, it is not at all necessar
seauence) that the effect OF the lnterna
: application being so decisive, 1t mlgn
have a counseractiDg effect as an antidot'
e Though the suppositIon was supported o
2 no conclusive law Of induction, 1t was hope
5 that a trial would be made, and in certaI
: quarters considerable confidence was di
: nlaved in the antidotzl action OF this acid
e and il was suggested that the point shou
be settled determinately in a manner slu
!. liar to that which proved so fatal to Il
a pretensious of ammonia-namely, by
# administration IN conjunction with Il
s poison by injection. L am not aware tn
: this has ever been attempted, but tn
IS sufficiently similar was made oy Dr. I a
n rer. at the instance of those suggestion
n The cobra poison was, in the first plat
injected into the jugular vein OF DC
4. and in almost immediate succession
l. of carbolic acid was applied; but not WI
ID any favorable result, or giving evidence
re any amelioration or any condensation
in the virus.-GoOd Health.