THEIR NATURE AND EFFECTS.
into several different sites, or into a spot where absorption is very active. The other is clearly dependent on some secondary change produced by the poison, probably in the blood, for which time is necessary; for if the part into which the poison has been injected be excised before the occurrence of a single constitutional symptom, yet, nevertheless, the animal may die apparently as rapidly as if no interference had been attempted, showing that the mere presence of the poison in the blood, even in sufficient quantity to kill, is not capable of producing directly a physiological efFoct. On the other hand, to prevent grave misconception, it should be stated that it is quite possible to save life by excision of the bitten part, if it be done sufficiently quickly to prevent any material absorption.
But that the changes in the blood are not considerable there is abundant evidence. Thus, when an animal has survived the nerve symptoms produced by cobra-poison, it at once passes into a state of complete health, and to suffer no further inconvenience from blood-poisoning or other causes, save the local inflammation produced by the bite. The evidence of this, in the following experiment, is very conclusive : —
Experiment XIV.
A large pariah dog had five milligrammes ( of a gram) of dried cobra-poison dissolved in 0.3 cubic centimetre of distilled water injected into its hind-leg.
