The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09


lowed by numbness Of the part bit
ten. This spreads through the body
and fainting and great weakness en-
sue. When the dose of poison il
large breathing becomes difficult and
the tongue swells. Finally comes
coma and death, which, by some au-
thorities, is believed to be caused by
gastro-intesiinal apoplexy, combined
with paralysis of the nervous system.
If a vein is penetrated by the SER
pent's tooth and quantity Of venom
injected directly into the blood stream,
the motor nerve batteries are over
powered, and death is almost immedi-
ate. In India cobra bites are fatal in
about IS per cent. of all cases. The
venom is 80 rapidly diffused that there
is no use whatever in local treatment,
such as cauterizing the wound. Al
cohol in small quantities is help,
keeping up the vitality, but it is in no
sense an antidote, and in large amounts
it helps the poison to do its work.
Dr.. Calmette inoculated many kinds
of animals with venom of graduated
intensity. A monkey, having receiv-
ed fatal dose, showed lassitude /;
then it staggered about and began to
vomit. 1t had trouble to breathe, and
put its hand to its mouth as if chok-
ing. Birds exhibited similar phe-
nomena, beating their wings with con-
yulsive spasms. Frogs, thanks to
skin breathing, seem to succumb very
slowly. One of them survived for
thirty hours dose that would have
killed rat in ten minutes. Lizards
and chameleons are very sensitive to
the poison. Non-venomous snakes
enjoy a partial immunity, enduring
pretty big doses. Venomous serpents,
on the other hand, show no effects
from enormous doses of the venom Of
their own species. Fishes die slowly,
surviving five hours dose that would
kill a pigeon in FIVE minutes. A rat
is killed instantly by introducing into
the marginal vein of the ear one-tenth
of milligramme Of cobra poison.
The anti-venom will cure human
being bitten by the most dangerous
snake if the poison has rot gone too
far. 1t must be used as quickly as
possible after the bite, and no time is
to be lost. Usually the serum will
get in its work if administered within
an hour and half after the injury is
received; grown persons rarely sue
cumb in less than three hours. The
fluid should be injected beneath the
skin of the side. Also injections Of
hypoch]oride of lime should be made
| in the track of the wound and in three
or four places around it, so as to neu-
tral;ze the venom which has not been
absorbed. Then the patient should
drink some coffee or tea and be cover
ed up for sweat. Alcohol and am
monia are to be avoided, and the
wound is not to be cauterized. 1t is
likely that in future hospitals and
dispensaries generally will keep a
small stock of anti-venom on hand for
use in emergencies, care being taken
that it shall always be fresh. This
remark applies more particularly to
countries like India and Australia,
where deadly serpents are numerous.
In India there is caste Of persons
who make a special business of keep
ing aud selling snakes. They do not
juggle with them, however. The
snake jugglers or charmers belong to
an entirely different caste, calling
themselves Sangis. Sometimes the
jugglers render the serpents harmless
by cutting out their poison glands,
but it is certain that many of them
take no such precaution. Their abili-
ty to manage the cobra and other
snakes with comparative safety is due
chiefly to acquaintance with the char
acter and ways of the reptiles. New
erthelcss they are occasionally bitten
and lose their lives. The only way to
render yenomous snake harmless is
by extirpating its poison glands. If
the fangs are pulled out merely the
next two teeth behind move forward
within few days and establish con-
nection with the glands.
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