INDIAN SNAKE POISONS,
tion to be manifested before any other constitutional symptom, and in them a chewing movement of the jaw and lips is often seen immediately before the salivation. Nausea, retching, and vomiting are of frequent occurrence both in men and dogs.
The paralysis now becomes more general and decided. The patient lies on his back, almost incapable of movement. He threatens to be suffocated by the saliva running into his paralysed larynx; should, however, the head be placed on one side, the abundant secretion will flow down his lips. His limbs at this time may be subject to starlings and muscular twitchings. His breathing becomes slower and slower, and the respiratory excursus is lessened. He appears to be conscious, but is unable to express himself, through the paralysis of his larynx and tongue ; but it is not unfrequently the case for the victim to become quite unconscious. The action of the heart is somewhat quickened, but the organ acts with fair strength. At length the breathing, too slow and too slight to support life, ceases, and with or without general convulsions the heart shortly after stops.
In dogs, as might be expected, convulsions are much more common than in man, being very generally present; and while in man the extinction of the respiratory act is, as a rule, a very slow and gradual process, in dogs it is not unusual for respiration to stop quite suddenly, and almost immediately after for its place to be taken by violent convulsions.
