Year: 1879

"We have in India, said gentleman
much of whose early life was passed in
Hindostan, "suakes more venomous than
are to be found in the Western hemi-
sphere, or even in Africa. The most
deadly serpent in this country is, sup
pose, the rattlesnake, but hundreds Of per-
sons have been bitten by it, and have re-
covered. For the bite of cobra in full
vigor, however, there is no known cure.
Immediately after the rainy season the
cobra is in his worst form. lie lies dor
mant while torrents Of rain that seem like
the renewal of the food are deluging the
earth, rarely coming out of the deep hole
in which he finds shelter, aud all that time
the poison is accumulating, until the bag
at the root Of the hollow fang is filed to
bursting. The cobra has but one poison
Gus fang, aud when he is undisturbed and
not angry this lies fat on the jaw. But
the moment an enemy appears the aspect
of the cobra changes. He assumes an al
most perpendicular position, which is the
only one from which he can strike. His
tail is thrown into the form Of ring, and
on this he stands erect, His head is bent
forward, and he makes a figure like that
of an old.fashioned walking stick with a
crook for handle. A aeshy hood rises
along the back Of the neck, and expands
into a fanlike shape behind the head,
while around his flashing little eyes ap-
pear bright yellow rings, looking like spec
taeles Seen thus, his tongue darting out
and in, he is about as repuguant crea.
ture as exists. When in position for
striking he can spring probably about ten
feet but he is easily killed. lie never
runs away, and though he will not move
toward an enemy to get within spring
ing distance, if the intruder approaches
him he does not retreat, aud it is only ne.
cessary to stand about twenty feet away
and hurl stick at him. A slight blow
will break his back, and he is then pow
erless.


"Probably the greatest experimenter up
on snakes that ever lived was DIR, Fayrer
Of Calcutta. He was particularly inter-
ested in the discovery of a cure for the
bite Of the cobra, for the number of lives
lost by this cause every year in India is
incredible. After years Of careful study,
and after he had exhausted recipes sent
to him from all parts of the world, he de-
clared that there was no known remedy
for the bite, and that man imprcgnated
with the poison of a vigorous cobra must
die. In the course Of his experiments he
made singular discovery, that the poison
of one cobra could not kill another. A
large cobra would destroy a smaller one,
but only by lacerating it with its teeth,
not by means Of its venom.


"0nce l stood with DR.. Fayrer in his
studio when he was aboR to make an ex-
pertinent to determine the rapidity with
which cobras poison would do its work.
In the middle Of the room was wooden
box containing four-foot cobra, which
had been confined there without food for
three days, and was in horrible state Of
rage, aud stocked with venom. Not far
from the door Of the box was large dog,
Of greater strength aud vitality than an
average man, lie was chained, and nearly
all the hair had been shaved off from one
of his hind legs. At a signal FROM the
Doctor an assistant pulled string, the
door of the box rose, and the cobra, with
a cord tied around his tail, glided out like
q streak Of light. The unfortunate dog
had been anxiously watching the box for
some minutes, and giving vent to his un-
easiness by low whining noise. The
moment he saw the snake coming out he
was thrown into an agony Of terror, as is
nearly every animal when he sees a cobra.
albeit he has never set eyes upon one be.
fore. Everybody in the room stood as far
away from the snake as possible, the assis-
tant holding the string that was attached
to the reptiles tail; ia second the cobra
had fastened its eyes upon the dog, which
was the object nearest to it, and rising
upon its tail II assumed its horrible posi-.
tion Of attack. Then, launching It's body
like lightning through the intervening
space, il fastened its fangs fairly in the
centre Of the bare, conspicuous spot upon
the dogs flank. Instantly the assistant
pulled the string and dragged the writhine
reptile from lis hold, and DR.. Fayrer
seized the injured part Of the dog leg bo.
tween the thumb aud first finger Of his
left hand, and with clean, swift sweep
Of his scalpel cut It out down 10 the bone.
Remedies were at once applied to stop the
bleeding and stimulants were given, but
in few minutes the dog began to exhibit
those symptoms Of drowsiness that always
precede death from the bite Of the cobra.
Every effort was made to arouse him, but
within a little more than twenty minutes
from the time the snake bit him the dog
lay on the door. In this instance | do
not think more than two seconds elapsed
after the bite was given before the injured
flesh was swept out The result conveys
some idea Of The rapidity with which the
poison acts. The dog exhibited no indi.