mposition, producing serious illness in those
exposed for any length of time to its influence. We may add, among
other sequelae, aside from death produced through primary and secondary
effects, paralysis, loss of nerve power, impotence, haemorrhage, even
mortification or gangrene.

[Footnote 6: _Medical Independent_, 1855.]

The failure in myotic power of the heart and in the muscles of
respiration through reflex influence of par vagum and great
sympathetic nerves, whereby pulmonary circulation is impeded, are
among the earliest of phenomena. Breathing becoming retarded and
laborious, the necessary supply of oxygen is no longer received, and
blood still venous, in that it is not relieved of its carbon, is
returned through the arteries, whereby the capillaries of the brain
are gorged with a doubly poisoned circulation, poisoned by both venom
and carbon. In this we have ample cause for the attending train of
symptoms that, beginning with drowsiness, rapidly passes into stupor
followed by profound coma and ultimate dissolution--marked evidence of
the fact that a chemical agent or poison may produce a mechanical
disease; and autopsical research reveals absolutely nothing save the
general disorganization of blood corpuscles, as already noted.

Taking circumstantial and pathological evidences into consideration,
the hope of the person thus poisoned rests solely upon lack of
vitality in the serpent and its venom, and in his personal
idiosyncrasies, habits of life, condition of health, etc., and the
varied chapters of accidents. _To look for a specific, in any sense of
the word, is the utmost folly!_ The action of the poison and its train
of results follow inoculation in too swift succession to be overtaken
and counteracted by any antidote, supposing such to be a possible
product, even if administered hypodermically. We have evidence of this
in iodic preparations, iodine being the nearest approach to a perfect
antidote that can be secured by mortal skill, inasmuch, if quickly
injected into the circulation, it retards and restrains the
disorganizing process whereby the continuity of the blood corpuscles
is lost; moreover, it is a marked antiseptic, favors the production of
adhesive inflammation, whereby lymph is effused and coagulated about
the bitten part, and absorption checked, and the poison rendered less
diffusible. But when a remedy is demanded that shall restore the
pristine form, functions, and energy of the disorga