1 about twenty-four minutes. Should not the endermatic appli-
2 cation of this virus be the real and true remedy against the
3 hydrophobia? as this poison affects the neck, as well as that
4 of enraged animals. “ Extremis morbis , extrema remedia ! ”
5 It deserves to be tried, if not on man, at least on animals. But
6 many will ask, how can we procure those serpents ? to which
7 I reply, that as soon as the efficacy of this substance is proved
8 in a satisfactory manner, it can easily be procured in sufficient
9 quantities from the natives. The reptile can be preserved in
10 Europe as easily as others, especially as its term of life is
11 stated to be of such a long duration. Having found in the slough
12 or cast skin of serpents manifold medicinal virtues, when em-
13 ployed in the way I use them in my system, it is possible that
14 they would also produce a good effect endermatically (intro-
15 ducing them in a prepared state), acting as a substitute for the
16 virus. That is also the case with inoculation ; in want of the
17 lymph, the crust dissolved in water, will answer the same purpose.
18 The cobra di capello is less venomous than the annulated serpent,
19 though its venom is stronger than that of the viper. The
20 joghees in Hindostan earn their livelihood by exhibiting the
21 cobra to the public. They carry them in boxes, and when
22 the box is opened, they begin to play on a sort of bagpipe;
23 on hearing which, the serpent erects itself, its neck swells, and
24 it moves its head alternately to the right and left, keeping time
25 to the music as if it were dancing, which affords much amuse-
26 ment to the spectators, and sometimes terror to those who do not
27 know that their venomous fangs have been extracted. The bite
28 of the cobra can, as well as that of the vipers, be cured, for
29 which purpose spirit of sal ammoniac, hartshorn drops, or Eau
30 de Luce, are excellent medicaments; but being seldom at hand
31 when they are wanted, I advise, in all cases of bites from
32 venomous animals, that the poison should be at once vigorously
33 sucked from the wound, which will not be productive of any
34 prejudicial effect on the healthy mouth or the stomach. It is
35 also advisable immediately to bind a ligature under the wound,
36 until the venom is sucked entirely out. Even if the animal