EXPERIMENTS ON COBRA POISON AND ON A REPUTED ANTIDOTE.
By
J. Fatuee, M.D., C.S.I.
Present: Dr. Forbes
Dr.
Watson,
Father,
Dr. J. Laudee
Brunton, and Mr. IIigoins. 5th November, 1872. At Dr. Forbes "Watson's request, the folio-wing experiments were made in the chemical laboratory of St. Bartholomew's by the kind permission of Dr. Russell, Professor of Chemistry. The poison used was some that I sent to England nearly a year ago. It has become much altered, and is of a darkbrown syrupy consistency, and very foetid from decomposition ; it had
itself in some former
proved
experiments
to
be active.
Experiment I.?Two pigeons were first experimented on. A diluted solution of the poison?about one or two drops in 20
drops
injected into the thigh of each. injected showed symptoms of the poison in four minutes, and died with the usual symptoms
of water?were
The first bird about three in about
or
minutes. The second, a more lively bird, was injected in the same way. In about three minutes Mr. Higgins began to administer seven
antidote, and repeated it several times. The bird died in twenty-five minutes with the usual symptoms, and this was probably due to the poison, being highly diluted and in very small quantity, not having entered a vein, as apparently his
about
?was
the
case
with the first bird.
large rabbits of equal size?one an albino?were next injected in the thigh with exactly equal quantities of the diluted poison, and the dose was very small. In a few minutes Mr. Iliggins began to administer his antidote to the Experiment II.?Two
was probably the most sensitive of the two, as it symptoms of poisoning sooner than the other. The antidote was repeated several times, ?without any apparent effect, and the rabbit died before the other which had no antidote. The second rabbit, -when oil the point of death, quite unconscious, and with feeble convulsive movements commencing, had its trachea opened and artificial respiration applied. There was no return of consciousness or of voluntury
albino, which
showed
movement ; the tail was observed to move, when the animal touched, long after the eyelids were irresponsive to stimuli,
was
and the heart hours when the
was kept beating vigorously for nearly experiment was concluded. In the other
two case
antidotal one) the heart also continued to contract, and action of the intestines to go on for some minutes after apparent death. The blood removed from the
(the
the
peristaltic
body
after death formed
a
firm
Experiment III.?Mr. some inspissated poison of
coagulum. Iliggins then
used a solution of South American snake, which he and called the bocca d'orado (technical name
said
a
was a viper, unknown), very poisonous. A solution of it, strength, was made and injected into the thigh
of considerable of two
rabbits,
to be left to nature, the other to have the antidote. No symptoms of poisoning resulted in either, and the poison was again injected, but without effect. Mr. Higgins said he thought
one
the
poison
ever
so
old
had become inactive from as
the cobra
poison
that
keeping. It is experimented
was
not howwith.
" The antidote is that described at page 121 of Thanatophidm of India"?"the bile of a poisonous snake." Mr. Higgins'a directions were there recorded.
The result of tho experiments hero were as conclusive as those in Calcutta, and must, I think, for the cobra poison (and I should think for any other snake poison) be regarded as conclusive. I fear Mr. Iliggins has been deceived by appearances and
imperfect evidence,
with others.
as
There could
and the very kiud and
I have bo
pointed
no
out has been the
doubt about his
straightforward
manner
own
case
belief;
in which he
January 1,
COLUMBIDJ-2.?BY W. J. MOORE.
1873.]
aided and witnessed the
experiments lie sought for, are quite of Ins real and honest desire to make known what he believes to be a great discovery.
proof
The
by Dr. Lauder Brunfcon and expressed wish of Dr. Forbes Watson, of the India Office, to whom the subject of this antidote had been referred for report by the Foreign Office. Experiment IY.?A largo and powerful rabbit had a drop and a half of the above cobra poison diluted with about 10 or 15 drops of water injected into the jugular vein, which was carefully exposed by Dr. Brunton for that purpose. Immediately following it was injectcd live drops of liquor ammonite experiments
were
conducted
in deference to the
myself,
diluted with four parts of water. seconds.
The rabbit was dead in 50
The result of these experiments shows how essential it is investigations of this nature should be carried on with the
that
greatest
care,
and be
repeated
as
frequently
as
possible.
It is easy to see how errors may arise that might deceive any one. If, for example, we had not had the cobra poison to test this antidote?the snake-bile and it had been used in the treatment of the animal inoculated with the American snake-
poison?the result would have been very different; and to the antidote might have been attributed what was really the consequence of the virus being perfectly inert. I was glad also that Dr. Forbes Watson and Dr. Lauder Brunton had an opportunity of testing the injection of liquor ammonia) into a vein in a case of snake-poisoning. I may add that the two rabbits inoculated with Mr. Higgins's poison were alive and well on the third day after the inoculation. Present: Da. Fayeee and Dr. Laudee Beuntojt.
1th Novemler. Experiment I.?A -very small quantity of cobra poison, diluted with water, was injected into a rabbit's jugular vein. The rabbit became paralysed in the forelegs almost immediately, and
was
The heart's action ceased very
dead in 1G0 seconds.
immediately with apparent death. I believe that alarger quantity injected into the jugular vein, being carried direct to the heart, paralyses its action rapidly, in this respect differing from the usual mode of death where the action of the heart continues long after apparent death. The lungs were pallid and not in the least congested. The blood coagulated firmly after death. Expeeiment II.?A rabbit was previously prepared by having
rapidly, thought
a
not
canula introduced into the trachea.
cobra
poison
was
then
A feeble dose of the
injected into its hip. In about 20 signs of poisoning, paralyses gradumoving or co-ordinating the limbs
minutes it showed manifest ally coming on,?power of lost. In
a
few minutes
more
it
was
dead
apparently
to
all
consciousness. Artificial
commenced, and though to all dead, the heart continued to beat doing so for three hours, when I was The temperature was gradually failing,
respiration
appearance the animal vigorously, and went on
obliged to leave. having fallen from
was
was
101 to i)6 in that time.
Tho action of cobra
poison, evidently
respects, resembles that of the
ctirara
or
in some, if not all
wourali, which kills by
peripheral distribution of the motor nerves. poisoned have been recovered by artificial respiration, after being for hours in a state of seeming death. I do not yet feel at all certain whether cobra poison acts on tho nerve-centres alone, or on the peripheral extremities, as in paralysing
Animals
the so
But it curara; perhaps it may be a combination of both. life by artificial appears to me that this method of sustaining respiration, which might be done in ordinary bites, offers the most reasonable prospect of enabling the patieut to livo until
.
the
excreting organs shall have eliminated the poison from the system. I at the same time cannot but express my fear that irreparable mischief may have been clone by the poison, which may prevent recovery in cases where severe poisoning has
occurred. 1
hope
to pursue the
that the most rational
subject further, meanwhile I believe ground of hoping for relief is indicated.
By
J. Fatuee, M.D., C.S.I.
Present: Dr. Forbes
Dr.
Watson,
Father,
Dr. J. Laudee
Brunton, and Mr. IIigoins. 5th November, 1872. At Dr. Forbes "Watson's request, the folio-wing experiments were made in the chemical laboratory of St. Bartholomew's by the kind permission of Dr. Russell, Professor of Chemistry. The poison used was some that I sent to England nearly a year ago. It has become much altered, and is of a darkbrown syrupy consistency, and very foetid from decomposition ; it had
itself in some former
proved
experiments
to
be active.
Experiment I.?Two pigeons were first experimented on. A diluted solution of the poison?about one or two drops in 20
drops
injected into the thigh of each. injected showed symptoms of the poison in four minutes, and died with the usual symptoms
of water?were
The first bird about three in about
or
minutes. The second, a more lively bird, was injected in the same way. In about three minutes Mr. Higgins began to administer seven
antidote, and repeated it several times. The bird died in twenty-five minutes with the usual symptoms, and this was probably due to the poison, being highly diluted and in very small quantity, not having entered a vein, as apparently his
about
?was
the
case
with the first bird.
large rabbits of equal size?one an albino?were next injected in the thigh with exactly equal quantities of the diluted poison, and the dose was very small. In a few minutes Mr. Iliggins began to administer his antidote to the Experiment II.?Two
was probably the most sensitive of the two, as it symptoms of poisoning sooner than the other. The antidote was repeated several times, ?without any apparent effect, and the rabbit died before the other which had no antidote. The second rabbit, -when oil the point of death, quite unconscious, and with feeble convulsive movements commencing, had its trachea opened and artificial respiration applied. There was no return of consciousness or of voluntury
albino, which
showed
movement ; the tail was observed to move, when the animal touched, long after the eyelids were irresponsive to stimuli,
was
and the heart hours when the
was kept beating vigorously for nearly experiment was concluded. In the other
two case
antidotal one) the heart also continued to contract, and action of the intestines to go on for some minutes after apparent death. The blood removed from the
(the
the
peristaltic
body
after death formed
a
firm
Experiment III.?Mr. some inspissated poison of
coagulum. Iliggins then
used a solution of South American snake, which he and called the bocca d'orado (technical name
said
a
was a viper, unknown), very poisonous. A solution of it, strength, was made and injected into the thigh
of considerable of two
rabbits,
to be left to nature, the other to have the antidote. No symptoms of poisoning resulted in either, and the poison was again injected, but without effect. Mr. Higgins said he thought
one
the
poison
ever
so
old
had become inactive from as
the cobra
poison
that
keeping. It is experimented
was
not howwith.
" The antidote is that described at page 121 of Thanatophidm of India"?"the bile of a poisonous snake." Mr. Higgins'a directions were there recorded.
The result of tho experiments hero were as conclusive as those in Calcutta, and must, I think, for the cobra poison (and I should think for any other snake poison) be regarded as conclusive. I fear Mr. Iliggins has been deceived by appearances and
imperfect evidence,
with others.
as
There could
and the very kiud and
I have bo
pointed
no
out has been the
doubt about his
straightforward
manner
own
case
belief;
in which he
January 1,
COLUMBIDJ-2.?BY W. J. MOORE.
1873.]
aided and witnessed the
experiments lie sought for, are quite of Ins real and honest desire to make known what he believes to be a great discovery.
proof
The
by Dr. Lauder Brunfcon and expressed wish of Dr. Forbes Watson, of the India Office, to whom the subject of this antidote had been referred for report by the Foreign Office. Experiment IY.?A largo and powerful rabbit had a drop and a half of the above cobra poison diluted with about 10 or 15 drops of water injected into the jugular vein, which was carefully exposed by Dr. Brunton for that purpose. Immediately following it was injectcd live drops of liquor ammonite experiments
were
conducted
in deference to the
myself,
diluted with four parts of water. seconds.
The rabbit was dead in 50
The result of these experiments shows how essential it is investigations of this nature should be carried on with the
that
greatest
care,
and be
repeated
as
frequently
as
possible.
It is easy to see how errors may arise that might deceive any one. If, for example, we had not had the cobra poison to test this antidote?the snake-bile and it had been used in the treatment of the animal inoculated with the American snake-
poison?the result would have been very different; and to the antidote might have been attributed what was really the consequence of the virus being perfectly inert. I was glad also that Dr. Forbes Watson and Dr. Lauder Brunton had an opportunity of testing the injection of liquor ammonia) into a vein in a case of snake-poisoning. I may add that the two rabbits inoculated with Mr. Higgins's poison were alive and well on the third day after the inoculation. Present: Da. Fayeee and Dr. Laudee Beuntojt.
1th Novemler. Experiment I.?A -very small quantity of cobra poison, diluted with water, was injected into a rabbit's jugular vein. The rabbit became paralysed in the forelegs almost immediately, and
was
The heart's action ceased very
dead in 1G0 seconds.
immediately with apparent death. I believe that alarger quantity injected into the jugular vein, being carried direct to the heart, paralyses its action rapidly, in this respect differing from the usual mode of death where the action of the heart continues long after apparent death. The lungs were pallid and not in the least congested. The blood coagulated firmly after death. Expeeiment II.?A rabbit was previously prepared by having
rapidly, thought
a
not
canula introduced into the trachea.
cobra
poison
was
then
A feeble dose of the
injected into its hip. In about 20 signs of poisoning, paralyses gradumoving or co-ordinating the limbs
minutes it showed manifest ally coming on,?power of lost. In
a
few minutes
more
it
was
dead
apparently
to
all
consciousness. Artificial
commenced, and though to all dead, the heart continued to beat doing so for three hours, when I was The temperature was gradually failing,
respiration
appearance the animal vigorously, and went on
obliged to leave. having fallen from
was
was
101 to i)6 in that time.
Tho action of cobra
poison, evidently
respects, resembles that of the
ctirara
or
in some, if not all
wourali, which kills by
peripheral distribution of the motor nerves. poisoned have been recovered by artificial respiration, after being for hours in a state of seeming death. I do not yet feel at all certain whether cobra poison acts on tho nerve-centres alone, or on the peripheral extremities, as in paralysing
Animals
the so
But it curara; perhaps it may be a combination of both. life by artificial appears to me that this method of sustaining respiration, which might be done in ordinary bites, offers the most reasonable prospect of enabling the patieut to livo until
.
the
excreting organs shall have eliminated the poison from the system. I at the same time cannot but express my fear that irreparable mischief may have been clone by the poison, which may prevent recovery in cases where severe poisoning has
occurred. 1
hope
to pursue the
that the most rational
subject further, meanwhile I believe ground of hoping for relief is indicated.
