deep inspirations. The heat of my body had also abated, and was followed by a deadly coldness of the skin, and profuse perspiration, with a slow weak pulse; yet still I was sensible, in some degree, of the extraordinary feel as if a warm fluid was circulating in my veins, though I was becoming less so every moment.

Having a small medicine chest, fortunately, in the room where I lay, I directed a tea-spoonful to be given me of the Spiritus Ammonia compositus, in a Madeira glass full of water. This I took, in preference to the plain volatile alkali, from the idea, that the aromatic oil would render it more grateful to the stomach, which was still much oppressed with sickness. Finding that the first dose agreed with me, in about five minutes, (I imagine,) I took a second, and so on, a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth; when the medicine began to have a favorable effect. The first benefit I was sensible of deriving from it, was a relief from the sickness at the stomach; my breathing next became easier, my skin then began to recover its natural warmth, and the perspiration, with which I had been in a manner drenched, dried up by degrees. I still went on with the medicine, but at longer intervals, for every now and then I had a slight return of the oppression in breathing, which was immediately relieved on taking the alkali. I had thus gone on, until I had taken thirteen spoonfuls, or a wine glassful of the medicine, before I considered myself as out of danger; and, in proportion as I recovered, I became more and more sensible of the nauseous taste of the alkali, which latterly seemed to burn my throat as I swallowed it, though I could scarcely perceive the taste of the first dose I took, so totally gone was the nervous sensibility of my palate.

In the course of three hours from my receiving the bite, I was out of danger, but five hours had elapsed before I had entirely got the better of the effects of it. While lying on my couch, during the first three hours, I had my watch on the table before me, most anxiously looking forward to the passing time; for I thought, if the poison did not overpower me within that period, that I would have every chance of recovery, from the continued use of the medicine. I was very uneasy, lest I should lose my recollection, before I had taken the medicine in sufficient quantity to counteract the poison; as those around me, in that case, from not knowing my disorder, would most probably discontinue giving it to mes yet, from an extreme unwillingness to distress my family, by a disclosure of the nature of my illness, which happily had been considered, hitherto, a mere bilious attack, I never hinted to any one the true cause of it; nor would I send for

any

any of my friends in the place to attend me, as that would be indicating an apprehension of danger, which might prove equally alarming. For this reason, therefore, as well as from the certainty with which I was enabled to judge, by my immediate feelings, of the effect of the alkali, I took it in much larger and more frequent doses than I would have ventured to have prescribed for any other person in a similar situation; and to this circumstance of taking it in so unusu ally large a quantity, in so short a time, I have, under Providence, to ascribe my recovery; for, after the second fit of vomiting, I was sinking so fast, that nothing but so powerful a stimulus could have saved me.

The poison must have been of the most virulent nature, otherwise the very minute portion that could have been introduced into my habit would not have produced so immediate and violent an effect; for, on examining the part where 1 received the injury on the following morning, no appearance whatever of a wound was visible, but on touching the spot with the finger, and passing it gently along, a small rising like a pimple was perceptible, around which, on a close and minute inspection, a slight discoloration, of a livid appearance, was discernible. One fang only, and but the very point of that, could have wounded me; for the snake being small, and the skin below my ankle in a state of great tension, as I stood, the animal was unable to lay hold of me; but, in the attempt to do so, it struck against my leg with the point of this fang, and that so slightly as to draw no blood; and therefore I did not feel it at the moment, nor was I aware of it afterwards, when I looked at my ankle, while undressing to go to bed.

Had a larger quantity of the poison entered my habit, there can be no doubt but that it would have proved fatal, before I could have had any suspicion of danger, or have applied a remedy. I have not ascertained the species of the snake, having thrown it away, without examination, immediately as I killed it; but a bearer, who was with me, and saw it, calls it Chopperpoora, and says it is peculiar to Choppers of old buildings. The outer verandah of my house is covered with grass, from which it most likely came to the

terrace.

I continued, for several days after the accident, in a state of the greatest lassitude, but felt no other unpleasant symptom, and this gradually wore off, until I recovered my usual health, without the aid of any medicine.

From the foregoing statement it appears, that the first effect of the poison, on being received into the body, was to excite the action of the heart and arteries, and to produce a

great heat over the whole body; and, as a similarity of effect proves a similarity of cause, and the effect of all stimuli is to excite, it follows that the poison of the serpent is a stimulus, and of the most powerful nature, that destroys life by its

excess.

The symptoms of debility which so immediately ensued, viz. the sickness, profuse cold sweat, and low pulse, are also consequent to the application in excess of other stimuli; and, according to the greater or less degree of this excess, so is the state of debility that ensues, and death follows, sooner or later, from it. There are instances recorded where the poison of the serpent proved so quickly fatal, as to preclude the possibility of applying any remedy; but, in general, some hours elapse, from the time of receiving it into the habit, before it destroys life, and there is, consequently, an opportunity afforded of counteracting its effects, when assistance is at hand. The volatile alkali has been long in use in such cases, and has been frequently administered with the greatest success, but, unfortunately, our knowledge of the disorder consequent to the bite of the snake has been so imperfect, and the principle upon which its cure had been accomplished (whenever this happened) had been so little understood, as to have produced much indecision in our practice; and this valuable medicine, therefore, has been on many occasions either entirely laid aside, or it has been given in such trifling doses as could do no good, and it has, in consequence, been considered as of very doubtful virtue, if possessing any. Indeed, this want of confidence prevails with respect to the efficacy of every description of medicine, in the cure of this alarming disease. But, in the foregoing case, is given a connected detail of symptoms, as they succeeded each other, from the ear liest stage, with an accurate account of the operation of the alkali from its first perceptible effect in counteracting them; and, having thus a complete history, as well of the disorder as of its remedy, we are thereby enabled to form a correct opinion of both, and to act accordingly upon a plan of cure, equally fixed and systematic, in this as in any other disease incident to the human body, a circumstance, it is to be hoped, that cannot but prove of much future benefit to mankind.

In prescribing and administering medicine for this disorder, much decision and promptness are necessary, because its progress is so very rapid. This is a point that cannot be too strongly impressed upon the mind. Our remedy must be powerfully applied, before the vital powers are so far gone as to become insensible of its effect. For this reason

such