INDIAN SNAKE POISONS,
CHAPTER IV.
THE RELATIVE POWER OF THE POISONS OF INDIAN AND OTHER VENOMOUS SNAKES.
In the preceding chapters attention has been directed solely to the leading species of Indian venomous snakes, and the differences that exist between the poisons of the colubrine and viperine tribes. Before proceeding to consider the effects of any other snakes, it will be well to sum up the points of which these differences consist. In viper-poisoning, as seen in the case of the daboia, there is first, if a fair quantity of poison be introduced, intense and sudden general primary convulsions, which may be at once fatal or may rapidly be succeeded by general paralysis and death, or they may be recovered from to a certain extent, paralysis and death following later. The paralysis, which may occur without convulsions, is general, and does not affect any special nerve centres, and is attended also with great muscular
