DEATHS FROM SNAKE-BITES; A TRIAL, CONDENSED FROM THE SESSIONS' REPORT. Communicated by Dr.
Fayrer, C.S.I.
Poonai Fatmah and Joornun. Fatmah are brought to trial for having, "on or about the 11th day of October, 1868, at Hurdah, Zillah Purneah, committed culpable homicide not
amounting
to
murder, by causing
the deaths of Titroo,
Menghon,
and Jikree." 1. Itwarrbe Mussahar, son of Dhunpat, aged 20 years, Moosahar of Bacha, Pergunnah Soorujgurrah, Zillah Monghyr, labourer. I cannot recollect day or month. I came to Chitrapore, Zillah Purneah, being engaged to make bricks for the Darjeeling and Caragola road, and was learning how to charm snakes from the two prisoners, Poonai and Joomun. At length, on a Sunday, the prisoners wanted to make the snake bite ine. I did not wish the snake to bite me on any part of the body. They then
August 2,
18G0.]
REPORT ON TYPHOID FEVER,?BY W. MUXRO.
my cars in a tyrannical manner, and said, Why arc you afraid ? If the snake does bite, we will charm you, and recover you.
pulled
Then they brought three snakes, two kcraits and one keautiah; the latter a young snake, but all were poisonous. The two smaller snakes they put aside, and one large kerait two haths long,
they placed in front of us, and made Titroo place his right hand on the ground, and made the snake crawl.on to his hand ; but at first the snake did not bite him, then Poonai struck the snake with a cane, and the snake immediately bit Titroo on his right fore-finger. After this, in the same manner the snake was made to bite Menghon on the right hand, and then in the same manner the right hand of Jikree. After this, in the same manner the snake was made to bite me on the right wrist: the snake then appeared to be dead. After this, the prisoners having made incantations over the snake brought it to life again, and having placed some vermilion on its head, let it go free in a paddy field. After the snake had bitten Titroo he was attacked with great thirst, and began to foam at the mouth : ho became senseless. At one pahur of the night remaining, Titroo was bitten, and he died half an hour before daybreak. Menghon and Jikree appeared well after Titroo's death; the poison did not The prisoners then ran away; seem to have affected them. Menghon and Jikree returned to their houses, and I heard they died there at mid-day. I was then senseless after I was bitten, my body and head began to turn round, and great perspiration commenced, with severe pain in the stomach, and my eyesight became dim, then I became senseless. I was brought from Bahadurpore to the Hospital, and remained there five or six days, when I became sensible again. All this took place at Bahadurpore in the court-yard of Moosum : he is not related to the prisoners, neither did he assist them. Some five or six other men besides we four were made to sit down by the prisoners in order that the snake might be made to bite them ; but owing to the snake becoming weak, they were not bitten. Seeing all the above, they ran away. 2. of
Beclioo Sirdar, son of Dookhun, aged 22 years, Moosabar Pergunnah Secundra, Zillah Monghyr, labourer.?
Manikpore, prisoners Poonai and Joomun were, in Assin, teaching Titroo, Menghon, Jikree, Etbari, Laloo, &c., some ten men, snake incantations, and I was also being taught by them. At length, on a Sunday night, the prisoners produced from an earthen pot two kerait3 and a keautiah, snakes, and began to teach us the incantations, and began to make the snakes move about in front of us all. We became afraid, whereupon the prisoners said, Why do you fear ? If the snakes bite you, we arc gooroos, and will soon restore you. After this they made us place our right hands on the ground, and began to make the big kerait snake move towards our heads, we immediately from fear raised our hands. Upon this the prisoners struck us with rattans, and when the snake moved to a distance we again placed our hands on the ground. Then the prisoners took the snakes near to Titroo, Menghon, Jikree, and Etwarree, and made the snake, by striking it with a rattan, bite Titroo on the fore-finger of the right hand; the throat of Titroo immediately became dry, and he became senseless', then the snake was made to bite Menghon on the fore-finger of the right hand, but Menghon did not suffer The
or
become senseless.
After this the snake was made to bite
right hand ; he did not either become senseless, but remained talking. Then the snake was made to bite Etwaree on the right wrist; he did not appear to suffer. Then Titroo died two hours before dawn, and the prisoners then ran away. We went in search of them, and at 10 a. m. we found them and seized them in a rice field at Gurnabaree, west of the road, and took them to Bahadurpore. Wo told them to restore Titroo to life again, but they could not do it, but went and sat down at a disJikree
on
the
tance. Then the
police
157
came, and we made the
prisoners
over
to
them. I heard
Menghon
and
Jikree died on the
day following;
Etwarree was placed on a cart and brought to Hospital. When Titroo became senseless the prisoners tried to recover the snake, which became torpid after biting Etwarrce. The prisoners took the snakes with them when they went off. I did not see them let go by the prisoners. Wo were to pay one or two rupees for
being taught; we were told that if we were bitten by a snake, in repeating the incantations, and fanning the snake, we should recover.
Two other witnesses are dence to the
examined,
but
they give similar
evi-
preceding.
The information and deposition of Dr. David Picachy, Civil Surgeon of Purneah, taken before me, J. R. Muspratt, Sessions Judge of Purneah, at Purneah, on this twelfth day of January, 1869, who being put on his oath, saith as follows : Ques.?Did you examine the bodies of Titroo, Menghon, and Jikree? Ans.?Yes I did, and found that they had died from the effects of snake-poison. There was nothing abnormal about their internal organs, which could be said to be the result of disease. Ques.?In what way did the three bodies exhibit the effects of
snake-poison? Ans.?Externally there were the marks of snake bites on their hands and arms, and internally the blood was in a fluid state, and the brain vessels deeply congested; the former state?viz., the fluid state of the blood?being particularly indicative of snake-poison. Ques.?Did you examine the wound of Etwarree ?
Ans.?Yes, and found a scratch on the fore-arm ; he was partially senseless when received into Hospital, but could reply Ilis wound or scratch looked liko to questions I put to him. that which would bo inflicted by a snake. I treated him with ammonia for three days, when he recovered. Ques.?How do you account for the escape of Etwarree, the other three having died ? Ans.?He was the last person bitten, and must have received less poison than the others. Ques.?Was he in your opinion suffering from the bite of a poisonous snake ? Ans.?Yes, he was lethargic and depressed ; there was very slight swelling about the scratch. The wounds on the three dead bodies presented a livid appearance, and the corpses were swollen and in a semi-decomposed state, resulting from rapid chemical change after death by animal poison. Ques. by prisoners.?None. These men were sentenced to five years' imprisonment by tho Sessions Judge of Purneah, which sentence was confirmed on appeal by the High Court of Calcutta. The snakes, as described by tho witnesses, aro two kernits di Capclla), tho (Bungarus Ccerulus) and one keautiah (Cobra hood. Tho larger snake, said variety with one occellus on the to be a Bungarus, bit four men ; three died, one appears to havo narrowly escaped.
Fayrer, C.S.I.
Poonai Fatmah and Joornun. Fatmah are brought to trial for having, "on or about the 11th day of October, 1868, at Hurdah, Zillah Purneah, committed culpable homicide not
amounting
to
murder, by causing
the deaths of Titroo,
Menghon,
and Jikree." 1. Itwarrbe Mussahar, son of Dhunpat, aged 20 years, Moosahar of Bacha, Pergunnah Soorujgurrah, Zillah Monghyr, labourer. I cannot recollect day or month. I came to Chitrapore, Zillah Purneah, being engaged to make bricks for the Darjeeling and Caragola road, and was learning how to charm snakes from the two prisoners, Poonai and Joomun. At length, on a Sunday, the prisoners wanted to make the snake bite ine. I did not wish the snake to bite me on any part of the body. They then
August 2,
18G0.]
REPORT ON TYPHOID FEVER,?BY W. MUXRO.
my cars in a tyrannical manner, and said, Why arc you afraid ? If the snake does bite, we will charm you, and recover you.
pulled
Then they brought three snakes, two kcraits and one keautiah; the latter a young snake, but all were poisonous. The two smaller snakes they put aside, and one large kerait two haths long,
they placed in front of us, and made Titroo place his right hand on the ground, and made the snake crawl.on to his hand ; but at first the snake did not bite him, then Poonai struck the snake with a cane, and the snake immediately bit Titroo on his right fore-finger. After this, in the same manner the snake was made to bite Menghon on the right hand, and then in the same manner the right hand of Jikree. After this, in the same manner the snake was made to bite me on the right wrist: the snake then appeared to be dead. After this, the prisoners having made incantations over the snake brought it to life again, and having placed some vermilion on its head, let it go free in a paddy field. After the snake had bitten Titroo he was attacked with great thirst, and began to foam at the mouth : ho became senseless. At one pahur of the night remaining, Titroo was bitten, and he died half an hour before daybreak. Menghon and Jikree appeared well after Titroo's death; the poison did not The prisoners then ran away; seem to have affected them. Menghon and Jikree returned to their houses, and I heard they died there at mid-day. I was then senseless after I was bitten, my body and head began to turn round, and great perspiration commenced, with severe pain in the stomach, and my eyesight became dim, then I became senseless. I was brought from Bahadurpore to the Hospital, and remained there five or six days, when I became sensible again. All this took place at Bahadurpore in the court-yard of Moosum : he is not related to the prisoners, neither did he assist them. Some five or six other men besides we four were made to sit down by the prisoners in order that the snake might be made to bite them ; but owing to the snake becoming weak, they were not bitten. Seeing all the above, they ran away. 2. of
Beclioo Sirdar, son of Dookhun, aged 22 years, Moosabar Pergunnah Secundra, Zillah Monghyr, labourer.?
Manikpore, prisoners Poonai and Joomun were, in Assin, teaching Titroo, Menghon, Jikree, Etbari, Laloo, &c., some ten men, snake incantations, and I was also being taught by them. At length, on a Sunday night, the prisoners produced from an earthen pot two kerait3 and a keautiah, snakes, and began to teach us the incantations, and began to make the snakes move about in front of us all. We became afraid, whereupon the prisoners said, Why do you fear ? If the snakes bite you, we arc gooroos, and will soon restore you. After this they made us place our right hands on the ground, and began to make the big kerait snake move towards our heads, we immediately from fear raised our hands. Upon this the prisoners struck us with rattans, and when the snake moved to a distance we again placed our hands on the ground. Then the prisoners took the snakes near to Titroo, Menghon, Jikree, and Etwarree, and made the snake, by striking it with a rattan, bite Titroo on the fore-finger of the right hand; the throat of Titroo immediately became dry, and he became senseless', then the snake was made to bite Menghon on the fore-finger of the right hand, but Menghon did not suffer The
or
become senseless.
After this the snake was made to bite
right hand ; he did not either become senseless, but remained talking. Then the snake was made to bite Etwaree on the right wrist; he did not appear to suffer. Then Titroo died two hours before dawn, and the prisoners then ran away. We went in search of them, and at 10 a. m. we found them and seized them in a rice field at Gurnabaree, west of the road, and took them to Bahadurpore. Wo told them to restore Titroo to life again, but they could not do it, but went and sat down at a disJikree
on
the
tance. Then the
police
157
came, and we made the
prisoners
over
to
them. I heard
Menghon
and
Jikree died on the
day following;
Etwarree was placed on a cart and brought to Hospital. When Titroo became senseless the prisoners tried to recover the snake, which became torpid after biting Etwarrce. The prisoners took the snakes with them when they went off. I did not see them let go by the prisoners. Wo were to pay one or two rupees for
being taught; we were told that if we were bitten by a snake, in repeating the incantations, and fanning the snake, we should recover.
Two other witnesses are dence to the
examined,
but
they give similar
evi-
preceding.
The information and deposition of Dr. David Picachy, Civil Surgeon of Purneah, taken before me, J. R. Muspratt, Sessions Judge of Purneah, at Purneah, on this twelfth day of January, 1869, who being put on his oath, saith as follows : Ques.?Did you examine the bodies of Titroo, Menghon, and Jikree? Ans.?Yes I did, and found that they had died from the effects of snake-poison. There was nothing abnormal about their internal organs, which could be said to be the result of disease. Ques.?In what way did the three bodies exhibit the effects of
snake-poison? Ans.?Externally there were the marks of snake bites on their hands and arms, and internally the blood was in a fluid state, and the brain vessels deeply congested; the former state?viz., the fluid state of the blood?being particularly indicative of snake-poison. Ques.?Did you examine the wound of Etwarree ?
Ans.?Yes, and found a scratch on the fore-arm ; he was partially senseless when received into Hospital, but could reply Ilis wound or scratch looked liko to questions I put to him. that which would bo inflicted by a snake. I treated him with ammonia for three days, when he recovered. Ques.?How do you account for the escape of Etwarree, the other three having died ? Ans.?He was the last person bitten, and must have received less poison than the others. Ques.?Was he in your opinion suffering from the bite of a poisonous snake ? Ans.?Yes, he was lethargic and depressed ; there was very slight swelling about the scratch. The wounds on the three dead bodies presented a livid appearance, and the corpses were swollen and in a semi-decomposed state, resulting from rapid chemical change after death by animal poison. Ques. by prisoners.?None. These men were sentenced to five years' imprisonment by tho Sessions Judge of Purneah, which sentence was confirmed on appeal by the High Court of Calcutta. The snakes, as described by tho witnesses, aro two kernits di Capclla), tho (Bungarus Ccerulus) and one keautiah (Cobra hood. Tho larger snake, said variety with one occellus on the to be a Bungarus, bit four men ; three died, one appears to havo narrowly escaped.
