THEIR NATURE AND EFFECTS.
suspended, if only artificial respiration is continued. In ordinary cases of cobra-poisoning the heart can generally be felt acting for a short time after respiration haa stopped. Absorbed in the ordinary way, cobra-poison appears to slightly nccelerate the heart's action, and it also lessens the blood-pressure, at any rate for some time. Sir Joseph Fayrer and Dr. Brunton have produced death by tetanizing the heart by injecting cobra-poison into the circulation; but this was done by throwing the poison directly into a very large vessel, as the carotid artery or jugular vein, in a small animal — the guinea-pig.
Cobra-poison also appears to have but little influence on the temperature of the body. Sometimes a very slight rise is to be noticed ; generally there is no change, and even a slight fall has been observed. It is probable, therefore, that it has little, if any, effect. The following experiment will show this : —
Experiment XIII.
A healthy pariah dog had a temperature of I02°.9 F. in the rectum. The pulse was 81, and the respira- tions 34. At 12.45 P.M. it was bitten by a vigorous cobra.
12.48 P.M. Lame in bitten leg, which is drawn up.
1 P.M. Seems quite unaffiicted.
1.10 P.M. Affected; staggers when it moves.
1.15 P.M. Temperature in rectum 103°.1 F.
