Year: 1859

Poison OF TIE CCBRA Dr. CArELLo.-Aux


lous to Witness the effects of the poison O


the cobra upon rat, [ took up couple il
a bag alive to Il certain cobra. | took ON


rat out of the bag and put him into the Gag


with the snake The cobra was coilcd n,
among the stones in the center of the Gag,
apparently asleep. When he heard the nois


oi the rat falling into the cage, he just looked
up and put ont his tongue kissing at the
same time. The rat got in a corner and be
gan washing himself, keeping one eye on the
snake, whose appearance he evidently did
not hall like. Presently the rat ran across
the snake body, and in an instant the lat.
Ter assumed its fighting attitude. As the
rat passed the snake, he made a dart. bu,
missing his aim, hit his nose a pretty hard
blow against the side OF the cage This ac-
cident seemed to anger him, Tor he spread
out H., crest and waved it to and fro in a
beautiful manner peculiar to his kind The
rat became alarmed, and ran near him
again. Again cobra made a dart, and bit
him' but did not, think, inject any poison
into him, the rat being very active; at least.
no symptoms of poisoning were shown. The
bites. nevertheless, aroused the ire ofthc rat
for he gathered himself for spring. and
measuring his distance sprang right on to
the neck of the cobra, who was W wing about
IN front Of him. This piucky rat, determined
to die hard, gave the cobra two or three Sc
we're bites in the neck tn snake keeping his
BODY erect NJ this time, and endeavorinr to
turn his head around SO as to bite the rat. who
was cllnging on like the old man in Sinbad
the sailor. Soon, however, cobra changed
ms tactics. Tired, possibly, with sustaining
the weight OF the rat, he lowered his head
and the rat, finding himself again on terra
IN
snake collected all his force, brought down
his erected poison-tangs, making his head
tell by its weight in giving ygor to the blow.
right on the body of the rat. The moor
beast now seemed to know that the fight was
over and that he was conquered He re-
.lreu 10 corner OF the cage, and began pant
ing violently, endeavoring, at the same time,
to steady his failing strength with his feet
His eyes were widely dilated, and his mouth
open, as if gasping lor breath. The cobra
stood erect over him. kissing ana putting out
his tongue as if conscious of victory. In
about three inmates the rat fell quietly on
his side and expired; the cobra then moved
OF and took no further notice of his defunct
enemy About ten minutes afterwards the
rat was hooked out Of the cage for me to ex
anime. No external wound could sec any
where, so took out my knife and began
taking the skin off the rat. soon discover
ed Two very minute punctures, like small
needle-holes, in the side OF the rat. where
the fangs ot the snake had entered. The parts
between the skin and the fest, and the flesh
itself, appeared as though affected with NOR
titication, even though the wound had not
been inflicted aboye quarter Of an hour, if
SO much


Anxious te see if the skin itself was affect.
ed, scraped away the parts on 1t with nv
tlnger nail. Finding nothing but the pune
lures, threw the rat away. | had not walk
cd hundred yards before all of a sudden 4
icit Just as II somebody had come behind me
ana struck me severe blow on the head and
neck and at the same time experienced n
most acute pain and sense of oppression nj
the chest, us though hot iron had been run
IN and hundred weight put on the ton of
It, knew instantly from what had read.
that was poisoned; said as much to nv
friend, a most intelligent gentleman who
happened to be with me, and told him ifI
feil to give me brandy and eau de luce, words
which he kept repeating in case he might
forget them. At the same time | enioined
MN to keep me going, and not on any ac-
count 10 allow me to lie down. then for
got every thing for several minutes and nv
friend tells me that rolled about as if yery
faint and weak. lie also informs me that
the first thing did was to fall against him
asking If looked seedy. lie most wisely
answered, mo, you look very well. u don't
think he thought so, for his own face was as
white us ghost recollect this much. lie
tells nc my face was of greenish yellow
color After walking, or rather staggering
along Tor some minutes, gradually recover
ed my senses, and steered for the nearest
chimest shop. Rushing in, asked for eau
de luce. OF course he had none, but my eve
caught the words, spirit ammon. co.. or
hartshorn, on bottle. | reached il down
myself, and pouring large quantity into n
tumbler with "A little water, both of which
articles found on the soda water stand in
the shop, drank it off though it burnt NV
mouth and lips very much, Instantly | ;feit
rrliet from the pain at the chest and head.
Inc chemist stood aglast, and on my telling
MN WAat was the matter, recommended a
warm bath. II had then followed his ad-
wee these words would never have been
placed ON record. Aitcr II second draught at
the nar'shorn bottle, | proceeded on my
way feeling very stupid and confused


On irving at my friends residence close
by, he kindly procured me n bottle of brandy
OF which drank four large wine-glasses one
after another, but did not feel the least tipsy
after the operation. Feeling nearly well. +
started On my way home, and then for the
first time, preceved III, st acute p,in under
the nail OF my left thumb the pain also ran
up the arm. | set to work to suck
the wound, and then found how the
poison got into the system. About
an hour before | examined the dead rat had
been cleaning the nail with a penknife, and
had slightly separated the nail from the skin
beneath. Into this little crack the poison
had got when ! was scraping the rats skin
to examine the wound. How yirulent.
therefore, must the poison of the cobra be
1t already had been circulated in the body of
the rat. from which had imbibed it second
hand.-Bucklond's Curiosities Of Natural
History,


'An exceedingly poisonous snake.