On the nature and physiological action of the poison of Naja tripudians and other Indian venomous snakes / by T. Lauder Brunton and J. Fayrer.

  • Brunton, T. Lauder (Thomas Lauder), 1844-1916.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the nature and physiological action of the poison of Naja tripudians and other Indian venomous snakes / by T. Lauder Brunton and J. Fayrer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    already been traversed by previous observers, who have come to similar con- clusions that most of the reputed antidotes have been powerless, and that where there has been an appearance of success, it has depended not on any antidotal or antagonistic action of the remedy so much as on the fact that the quantity or quality of the poison was defective; and how this may be explained, Dr. Eayrer has endeavoured to prove by showing that the snake may have been exhausted, that its poison may be deficient in quantity or in quality, or that it may have wounded without inoculating sufficient of the poison to cause death, or more than to cause slight poison- ing, and probably that, by a sphincteral arrangement of fibres, as pointed out by Dr. Weir Mitchell to exist in the rattlesnake, the snake may have the power of imbedding its fangs without shedding its poison at all. Much virtue has been recently attributed to one of the oldest and most trusted of all antidotes—ammonia; but it was long ago shown by Fontana by repeated experiments that the injection of this agent into the veins, as well as its internal administration and external ap- plication, were powerless (as may be seen by reference to the following* pages of his works), so it has proved in aU the experiments made with it in India. Any complete and satisfactory means of resisting, antagonizing, or eliminating the poison and of saving life are, we fear, still unknown; and it is in the hope that by determining the physiological action of the poison we may make some advance in our knowledge of this important subject, that the following investigations have been undertaken with cobra- virus sent to us from Bengal, and of which we hope to receive continued supplies from Mr. Vincent Eichards, of Balasore, who, at our request, is also carrying on a series of experiments on the subject. \ > Appearance and Chemiccd Characters of Cobra-poison. The poison when fresh is a transparent, almost colourless fluid, of a somewhat sirupy consistence, and not unlike glycerine in its appearance. When quickly dried it forms a transparent mass of a yellowish-brown colour, and resembling some kinds of gum-arabic. The poison may be kept in a fluid state for some months without undergoing any change, but after a certain time it decomposes. During decomposition it gives off a quantity of gas, which has been ascertained by Dr. Armstrong to be carbonic anhydride, and at the same time acquires a dark brown colour and a disagreeable odour. The dried poison may be kept for a much longer time without undergoing any apparent change. t The chemical constitution of the poison has been examined by Dr. Armstrong. He has not been able to separate from it any crystalline principle. It is partially coagulated by heat; mineral acids produce in it * 'Traite surle venin de la Vipero/ vol. i. pp. 108, 109,118, 120, 124, 120; rol.ii. pp. 5,6,7 (Florence, 1781). ' Opusculi Soientifici,' Letter iv. pp. 125 etseq.