New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
HOW THE COBRA STRIK Els.
THE FANGs ARE NOT IN THEMSELVES
POISONOUS.
From The Wide World Magazine.

Now the so-called poisonous fangs are not In
themselves poisonous-that is, they are ho'
coated with poison: nor even have they capn-
larry tube running inside along their length.
through which the cobra injects the poison mo
the wound. If that were the case. the COBRA
could not seize its food. g., rat, without IN
feclinC it with the poison. No. Nature is not so
clumsy or wasteful In her ordinations. not
witAstanding popular belief to the contrary.
Tie real fact is there is a fine tube running
from the base Of each Of the two fangs back
ward under the eye to an almond 9haped S!dhu
or bag which contains the poison. This gland
IS constantly secreting the poison, with sinail
supplV for immediate use. Hence II the tune
connecting the gland to the base OF the rang
were kept open. the poison would be constantly
running out into the mouth ct the COBRA anu
thus wasted to no purpose. TO prevent INNS
circular muscle binds the tube somewhere ABOUT
the middle But when the cobra strikes us
prey this muscle is relaxed and announcer one
squeezes the poison bag and thus in]ects the
poison. lit.
But let us describe the whole process Of strk-
Ing and see what the cobra does when ne
means mischief. He expands his head ana reaIs
at least third Of his length in the ar win lhe
rest Of the body coiled in the form Of spiral
This spiral form gives him sufficient anchorage
TO rear his body by sheer muscular effort ana also
the necessary leverage in dealing the blow his
ewes gljsten like obesks. his forked tongue
darts in and out with a low kissing sound SUD
denly ne throws back his head in low curve
and as swiftly darts forward to his VICTIM
partly as a plunge and partly as spring. un-
folding a portion Of his coil to increase his
range 1t looks if the cobra sprang into tne
air but as a matter of fact. his belly usually
touches the ground at the moment of striking.
in order to afford him sufficient leverage to
imbed his fangs firmly III the body of the VIC
tim.
The action is magnificent and yet swift as
lightning flash. The tongue Is withdrawn. the
mouth wide open. The fangs fall on the vic
tim as a stab. the lower jaw closing in beneath
as bite II the blow has been fair and square.
two small punctures made in the flesh of
no of he
blow has been one sided there will be only one
puncture.
INJECTING THE poison.
Now. the mere striking Of the blow is not
enough and if the cobra were nstantancOuSly
to withdraw the fangs after dealing the blow
his prey would suffer no worse effect IMAM the
pain Of those ncedlc-like punctures. ii Is sun
necessary TO inject the 0iSOn. In certain cases,
indeed by strong muscular action the poison
has been injected almost smut aneouSly WIN
the blow. nay. in a case where the cobra was IN
or1inately reused to fury the poison vas Shot
out bv a strong muscular effort while the cobra
was still in the act Of plunging-and IN this case
the would-be victim Nho was really out OF
range escaped the blow. but had the poison
sduirtcd ali over him. Still. however in most
cases the poison is injected after the blow
though it be but half second after. That half
a second has saved many lfe-for instance.
where the blow not being struck full in the
body. but only on the edge Of it. the cobra
slipped off the body by the mere impetus Of the
skin in two thin lines.
Assuming. however. that the blow has been
struck full on the body of the victim, the cobra
Immediately after the blow q. g. as soon as ne
has partially recovered from his own Impetus.
which is in about second or 500 WriSgles his
heal either 10 the right or to the left. This act
of turning helps to squeeze the poison gland
situated on that side to which the cObra has
turned, and thus to inject the poison over the
puncture on that side tOf course, if the cobra
has time to turn both ways, then the poison is
deposited both WOundS-and the condition Of
the victim is doubly desperately After this dis
charge the cobra usually drops off the limb in
an inert if considerably though tenn
pOrary, weakened by the loss Of the precious
fluid There may Of course be sufficient score
ton still left in the bag to give second bite
Immediately after but in that case the wound
may not necessarily be fatal II usually takes
a few hours sometimes days, to accumulate the
full supply again. There was, however, one
case within the writer's knowledge where three
small children were successfully bitten by a
large COBRA and all three died in consequence
HARMLESS BITES.
But to resume. It will. therefore. be apparent
that % the fangs are employed merely TO cause
the wound wounds g.. to open up com
munication with the blood Of the victim: and
with the blood and eventually causes death.
will be mentioned later on. Hence it will be
noted that If the poison is not able to enter
the wound there is no danger. In other words.
II the cobra bites a person. not on the naked
skin. but through a fairly substantial garment,
the fangs will go through right enough. but the
poison viii be deposited on the garment and
not on the wound In such case. II the person
bitten were to remove the garment. at least
from the immediate neighbOrhood Of the wound.
before the poison has had time to soak through
1t. he is in no danger whatever.
on the other hand, IL there is already a wound