Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-06-02
THE COBRA'S FANGS.
PROOF THAT THEY ARE NOT IN
THEMSELVES POI ONOUS.

How the Reptile Strikes and the Effect
of the Blow-Action Is Magnificent and
Swift as Lightning Flash-Attack Is
Usually Fatal.
Now, the so-called poisonous fangs
are not in themselves poisOnous-that
is, they are not coated with poison;
nor even have they capillary tube run
ming inside along their lengths, through
which the cobra injects the poison in
to the wound. If that were the case,
the cobra could not seize its food with
out injecting it with the poison. The
real fact is there is a fine tube running
from the base of each of the two fangS
backward under the eye to an almond
shaped gland or bag, which contains
the poison. This gland is constantly
sccrcting the poison. with Il small sup
ply for immediate use. Hence, if the
tube connecting tie gland to the base
of the fang were kept open. the poison
would be constantly running out into
the mouth of the cobra, and thus vast
ed to no purpose. To prevent this
circular muscle binds the tube some
where about the middle. But when
the cobra strikes its prey this muscle
| is relaxed. and another one sQucc2cs
the poison-bag, and thus injects the
| poison
| But let us describe the whole pro
cess of striking. and see what the
cobra does when he means mischief.
! lie expands his head and rcars at
least third of his length in the air,
with the rest of the body coiled in the
form of spiral. This spiral form
gives him sufficient anchorage to rear
! his body by sheer muscular effect ana
also the necessary leverage in dealing
the blow. His eyes glistcn like obcl
sks, his forked tongue darts in and
out with a low, Kissing sound. Sud
denly he throws bark his head in n low
curve. and as swiftly darts forward
to his victim. partly as a plunge and
partly as Il spring, unfolding Il portion
Of his coil to increase his range. It
looks as if the cobra sprang into the
air, but as a matter of fact. his belly
Usually touches the ground al the mo-
mont of striking. in order to afford
him sufficient leverage to imhCd his
| angS firmly in the body of the victim.
The action is magnificent. and yet
swift ~ II lightning flash. The tongue
: withdrawn. the mouth wide open.
lhc fangs fan on the victim aS II
stab, the lower jaw closing in beneath
Is a bite. If the blow has been fair
md square two small puucthryS are
made in the llt Sh Of the Yict.m by the
.wo fangs: otherwise. if the blow has
lcCn oUc-sidcd. there will be only one
puncturc.
Now. the mere striking of the blow
not enough. and if the cobra were
nstantaneously to withdraw the fangs
after dealing the blow. his prey would
suffer no worse effect than the pain
If those ncedle-lille punctures. 1t is
still necessary to inject the poison. In
certain cases, indeed. by n strong mus
1ular action. the poison has been in
iected almost simultaneously with the
blow: nay. in case where the cobra
was Unfortunately reused to fury. the
poison was shot out by strong mus
.uar effort while the cobra was still
II the act of plunging-and in this case
he would-be victim, who was really
)ut of range, escaped the blow, but
lad the poison squirtcd ali over him.
still. however, in most cases the poison
s injected after the hlow-thOugh it be
out half second after. That half a
second has saved many life-for in
stance, where the blow, not being
struck full in the body, but only Oh
he edge of it, the cobra slipped off
he body by the mere impetus of the
GLOW, causing the fangs to scratch
ilong the skin in two thin lines.
Assuming, however, that the blow
las been struck full on the body OF the
-ictim. the cobra Immediately after the
blow wriggles his head either to the
light or to the left. This act of turn
ny helps to squeeze the poison glanC
situated on that side to which til,
cobra has turned, and thus to injec
, he poison over the puncture on thai
g side After this discharge the cobri
f Usually drops off the limb in an iner
+ mass as if considerably, though temp
! )rarily. weakened by the loss of tn,
, precious fluid. There may, of course
: oe sufficient secretion still left in tn,
gag to give Il second bite immediatel.
lfter but in that case the wound ma.
I lot necessarily be fatal.