The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-20
Our Olio.
Effect Of Snake Poison.

Iu cases of poisoning by veuomous
snakes, commissions follow. With some
these are marked, while with others
death is preceded by more lethargic
appearance but 10 every case the
symptoms all point to exhaustion and
paralysis Of the nerve centres, every
function failing rapidly, aud vitality
soon becoming extinct. A complete
loss Of consciousness is generally prcce
ded by local paralysis, great depression.
taintness, exhaustion, nausea. vomiting.
hemmorrhage, relaxation and involun
tary excavations, nor unfreqnently Of
sanguineous or muco sanguiueous char.
acter. Little is shown by a post NOR.
TEN examination beyond the marks Of
the iangs aud of the wounds Immediate.
y around them although in certain
cases dccompositions Of the tissues ap
pear The lungs are not congested, nor
is the heart overloaded. The viscera
appear natural, aud death does not seem
TO be dependent upon the disturbance
of any one particular function. A re
markable difference is seen 10 the effect
upon the blood by the bite of different
species Thus, IN the case of the lower
animals, the blood coagulales firmly on
being removed from the body when
death follows from poisoning by the col
ubrine snakes, while ia cases of death
by the poison Of the viper it remains
permanently fluid. no explain ton is
given OF this peculiarly. From exper
imeuts DIR. Fayrer uscertained that the
poison acts with more vigor Oh warm.
blooded animals, birds being especially
sensitive, fowl sometimes being known
to die in few seconds. The power OF
resistance generally appears to be in
proportion TO the size OF the nnimal, al.
though cats seem TO resist the influence
OF poison almost as long as dogs of three
or four times their weight. Cold blood
ed animals he found to suecumb to the
poison more slowly, though fish, non.
veuomous serpents, aud mollusca all die
lie, however, agrees with the observa.
tion OF DIR Mitchell and others, that
poisonous serpents are not affected by
their own bite; that is, that a cobra
may bite itself or another with no evil
result, but that the less poisonous ser
penis are somewhat affected BIZ the
more poisonous kinds, although slowly
Strange as 1t may appear, the bodies OF
animals that are poisoned by snakes
may be eaten by man and animals with
impunity or this the experimenter
had frequent proof lie found, how
ever, that the blood of an animal that
died from snake poison is itself poison.
Gus, and that if injected into another
animal it destroys life. Although ven
omous snakes are not affected, Or but
slightly, by snake poison, they readily
suceumb to strychniue or csrbolic acid,
the latter substance appearing to de
stroy them very rapidly, aud to be IN
object Of special aversion.
The usual remedies in the way of
antidotes, DIR. Fayrer considers Of very
little account, as being either powerless
or quite inert. A ligature, excision
or cautery, if applied in time, appears
to be the only rational remedy that eau
be OF any avail in a really poisonous
case, Stimulants are not unlrequently
judiciously commended; but as auti
dotes, in the ordinary sense OF the term
they have no special value.
Suakes are not more poisonous to
man, than man is to snakes. Human
saliva will kill snake in a few min
u,es. To try the experiment, catch a
snake without woundlng it, aud hold
its mouth open with two small sticks
then spit in its mouth and it will die
in few minutes. Tobacco juice, also
is speedily fatal TO them.