- Email: [email protected]
THE COBRA DE CAPELLO POISON.
445
Foreign Department.
poisonous to other animals, (which he witnessed with a medical
dered
and relates officer and
a
curious story,
some
gentlemen
of the civil service at Calcutta,) of two dogs being killed by drinka cobra had before taken a part. The milk Traumatic Aneurism after· Venesection from the Arn2, cured b ing milk oftowhich the second dog, and he died in the course of an Flexion the Limb. forced of hour, presenting (according to my man’s description) very chaM. A. THIEnny has lately published, in the Revue Clinique, a symptoms of death by the admixture of venom with case of false aneurism at the bend of the elbow, occurring after the blood. bleeding from the arm, which he successfully treated in the folIt is not allowed that poison is ejected by the serpent whilst lowing manner:-The arm was forcibly flexed, the limb carried feeding; there appears, however, reason to believe that a little at hand fixed on and the the cheek. The the over head, opposite least exudes. We know it is so in the case of the scorpion, mospatient remained in this painful position for five days after which quito, and other little animals of the tropics. The serpent bites time it was changed to that which M. Velpeau generally adopts in anger and self-defence; the mosquito in order to get at its for fracture ot the clavicle ; viz., the arm fixed across the chest, food ; and both inflict a poisoned wound, similar, I believe, in chaand the hand resting on the opposite shoulder. A fortnight after racter, immeasuiably dissimilar in degree. Of the great efficacy the beginning of this treatment, the tumour was reduced to the of suction to a wound, the himself teaches us something; size of a nut ; the arm was then kept in the same position for for if he be allowed to takemosquito his fill, he counteracts by suction the another fortnight, after, which no sign of any pulsating tumour effects of his own poison, and the bite is followed by very trifling remained. M. Nelaton, who saw the patient, considered the case irritation. If, on the contrary, the little fly be driven off the a very remarkable one, as the aneurism has disappeared, and the instant its sting is felt, considerable inflammation assuredly vessel remains permeable at the seat of the wound. M. Thierry follows. This, I take it, accounts for the fact-that persons very justly says, that one case is not sufficient to prove the efficacy just arriving in India suffer infinitely more from mosquito-bites of any method of treatment, but that the results here obtainedthan old residents, and not that the blood becomes accustomed to I are well worthy of attention ; he thinks that further trials will the poison, or that the mosquito prefers a white, fresh skin to a I perhaps lead surgeons to treat aneurisms of the limbs by forced dried-up yellow one. flex.ion: femoral aneurism by flexion of the thigh upon the pelvis, The " griffin" (a person just arrived in India) is so impatient and popliteal aneurism by flexing the leg upon the thigh. of mosquito-stings, that one within his curtains will keep him emIf we mistake not, M. Thierry’s method is founded upon the ployed throughout the night, and bite him too, to his cost, in a principle of pressure, and carried out with a great deal of pain dozen places. The veteran allows him to gorge himself with and inconvenience to the patient. If the flow of arterial blood blood, and scarcely notices in the morning whence he took it; at through the sac can be graduated, moderated, and rendered very the same time he finds his bloated friend quietly perched upon slow by simple and painless means (as is proved by experience), the curtain, and wholly at his mercy. These things serve to it is cruel to torture patients by placing them for a whole month show that an animal inflicts a poisoned wound whilst seeking its in the position given by the immortal statuary to Laocoon. natural food, and that suction immediately applied is the best preventive of mischief. It remains to be proved whether the cobra poisons his food, and whether his venom is noxious to the life of man when taken into the stomach. Alae the Compression of Nasifor Epistaxis. I am, Sir, yours very faithfully, M. DUMAS, a practitioner of Dansmartin, in France, mentions, J. J. COLE, South Devon. CoLE, M.D., H.E.I.C.S. Exmouth, in the BulAtin de Th6rapeutique, that he has succeeded in arrest-.1) severe and from the nose ting profuse bleeding by compressing the alm nasi against the septum. The author says that the blood, CLINICAL INSTRUCTION. finding no exit, coagulates and ceases to flow. But what becomes 7’o the Editor of THE LANCET. of the posterior nares in such a case ? The patient might in fact swallow pints of blood whilst either himself or an assistant were SiR,—Reading in your journal of Oct. 23rd a letter from an pinching his nose. It should, however, be mentioned that M. "F.R.C.P.," regarding clinical instruction, in which he proposes Dumas had introduced little cones of agaric into the nostrils be- a new plan, might I use the liberty of describing to him one, as I fore having recourse to the above-mentioned compression, and think superior to his, at present carried on in the Medical School these might certainly have been pushed backwards so as to of Edinburgh with great success ? In the medical clinical wards, whenever a new patient has occlude the posterior nares.-Another method, which has answered well in the hands of M. Gibon, of Cherbourg, is eompres- been admitted, the professor calls out from among the class the sion of the carotid artery on the side whence the epistaxis pro- names of one or two from a list kept by him for this purpose; ceeds. Five or ten minutes’ steady pressure has, with a little they then commence examining the patient,-first, generally, as plugging, arrested the haemorrhage in cases wherein all the ordi- to age, sex, occupation, &c., and then specially, according to the different systems, as the circulatory, respiratory, urinary, integunary remedies had failed.
was given
racteristic
Those systems not obviously diseased are quickly affected ones being then fixed upon. If one of the examined students encounters a difficulty, he is asked to state it, THE COBRA DE CAPELLO POISON. and then the rest of the class are asked in turn to explain it, and To the Editor of THE LANCET. their opinions are corrected by a personal examination of the SiR,-I add my willing testimony to that of Mr. Hickman, in patient by the professor. Let me illustrate this by a familiar regard to the efficacy of ammonia in all cases of poisoned wounds, example. A patient is admitted, say, with an acute pneumonia. from that of the cobra himself down to the smallest venemous The student is asked what he hears. One may hear nothing, insect. I would almost say that ammonia is an antidote to the I another may think he hears a friction-sound, another the true venom of the most deadly serpent, provided always time be given crepitus, when an examination by the trachea confirms some in for its due administration. The liquor ammonite fortior (P. L.), their opinion, and prompts the others to re-examine. By this in doses of ten to twenty drops, appears to be the better form. It means, confidence is gained, and one feels his own power. Supis not, however, my purpose at present to give the result of prac- posing the diagnosis to have been made, the treatment is now tice in poisoned wounds; but I wish to observe that I am by no commenced. The two are asked what they would give, and are ordered to repeat the prescription aloud, in fall, with its dose, means certain that to suck a wound inflicted by a cobra would If the teacher does not think it suitable, the opinion of the not be dangerous to the sucker. I question whether the gastric &c. juice would neutralize " the deleterious principle of the poison." class is again asked, and, if necessary, the proper treatment Mr. Wakley’s assurance that he would not hesitate to apply his pointed out, with its proposed object. Then the students are interrogated daily on the progress and lips to such a wound points to danger in the act. It also points to his readiness (like many others of our profession) to risk some- further treatment of the case. In addition, there are lectnres twice a week, at which the prothing of his own to save another’s life. It is pretty clear that if the mucous membrane of the sucker’s gnosis, diagnosis, &c., of the cases are more freely canvassed, lips and mouth be sound, and he be very careful to spit out the along with descriptions of any fatal case, as regards the promatter drawn, mischief could scarcely accrue. But I apprehend priety of its treatment or diagnosis, as shown by the post-mortem (from what we learn in India) that when the poison reaches the appearances. stomach there is the utmost danger to life. Whilst I write, my I would have given an outline of the clinical surgical Native servant tells me that persons die who inadvertently swallow teaching employed, but judging F.R.C.P.’s remarks to apply to the venom of the cobra, and that this happens from eating food medical cases, and as I have already trespassed too much on your or drinking milk of which a cobra had previously partaken. He indulgence, allow me to subscribe myself, JuYENIS. declares most positively that milk drunk of by the cobra is renEdinburgh, Oct. 1852.
mentary, &c.
disposed of, the
Foreign Department.
poisonous to other animals, (which he witnessed with a medical
dered
and relates officer and
a
curious story,
some
gentlemen
of the civil service at Calcutta,) of two dogs being killed by drinka cobra had before taken a part. The milk Traumatic Aneurism after· Venesection from the Arn2, cured b ing milk oftowhich the second dog, and he died in the course of an Flexion the Limb. forced of hour, presenting (according to my man’s description) very chaM. A. THIEnny has lately published, in the Revue Clinique, a symptoms of death by the admixture of venom with case of false aneurism at the bend of the elbow, occurring after the blood. bleeding from the arm, which he successfully treated in the folIt is not allowed that poison is ejected by the serpent whilst lowing manner:-The arm was forcibly flexed, the limb carried feeding; there appears, however, reason to believe that a little at hand fixed on and the the cheek. The the over head, opposite least exudes. We know it is so in the case of the scorpion, mospatient remained in this painful position for five days after which quito, and other little animals of the tropics. The serpent bites time it was changed to that which M. Velpeau generally adopts in anger and self-defence; the mosquito in order to get at its for fracture ot the clavicle ; viz., the arm fixed across the chest, food ; and both inflict a poisoned wound, similar, I believe, in chaand the hand resting on the opposite shoulder. A fortnight after racter, immeasuiably dissimilar in degree. Of the great efficacy the beginning of this treatment, the tumour was reduced to the of suction to a wound, the himself teaches us something; size of a nut ; the arm was then kept in the same position for for if he be allowed to takemosquito his fill, he counteracts by suction the another fortnight, after, which no sign of any pulsating tumour effects of his own poison, and the bite is followed by very trifling remained. M. Nelaton, who saw the patient, considered the case irritation. If, on the contrary, the little fly be driven off the a very remarkable one, as the aneurism has disappeared, and the instant its sting is felt, considerable inflammation assuredly vessel remains permeable at the seat of the wound. M. Thierry follows. This, I take it, accounts for the fact-that persons very justly says, that one case is not sufficient to prove the efficacy just arriving in India suffer infinitely more from mosquito-bites of any method of treatment, but that the results here obtainedthan old residents, and not that the blood becomes accustomed to I are well worthy of attention ; he thinks that further trials will the poison, or that the mosquito prefers a white, fresh skin to a I perhaps lead surgeons to treat aneurisms of the limbs by forced dried-up yellow one. flex.ion: femoral aneurism by flexion of the thigh upon the pelvis, The " griffin" (a person just arrived in India) is so impatient and popliteal aneurism by flexing the leg upon the thigh. of mosquito-stings, that one within his curtains will keep him emIf we mistake not, M. Thierry’s method is founded upon the ployed throughout the night, and bite him too, to his cost, in a principle of pressure, and carried out with a great deal of pain dozen places. The veteran allows him to gorge himself with and inconvenience to the patient. If the flow of arterial blood blood, and scarcely notices in the morning whence he took it; at through the sac can be graduated, moderated, and rendered very the same time he finds his bloated friend quietly perched upon slow by simple and painless means (as is proved by experience), the curtain, and wholly at his mercy. These things serve to it is cruel to torture patients by placing them for a whole month show that an animal inflicts a poisoned wound whilst seeking its in the position given by the immortal statuary to Laocoon. natural food, and that suction immediately applied is the best preventive of mischief. It remains to be proved whether the cobra poisons his food, and whether his venom is noxious to the life of man when taken into the stomach. Alae the Compression of Nasifor Epistaxis. I am, Sir, yours very faithfully, M. DUMAS, a practitioner of Dansmartin, in France, mentions, J. J. COLE, South Devon. CoLE, M.D., H.E.I.C.S. Exmouth, in the BulAtin de Th6rapeutique, that he has succeeded in arrest-.1) severe and from the nose ting profuse bleeding by compressing the alm nasi against the septum. The author says that the blood, CLINICAL INSTRUCTION. finding no exit, coagulates and ceases to flow. But what becomes 7’o the Editor of THE LANCET. of the posterior nares in such a case ? The patient might in fact swallow pints of blood whilst either himself or an assistant were SiR,—Reading in your journal of Oct. 23rd a letter from an pinching his nose. It should, however, be mentioned that M. "F.R.C.P.," regarding clinical instruction, in which he proposes Dumas had introduced little cones of agaric into the nostrils be- a new plan, might I use the liberty of describing to him one, as I fore having recourse to the above-mentioned compression, and think superior to his, at present carried on in the Medical School these might certainly have been pushed backwards so as to of Edinburgh with great success ? In the medical clinical wards, whenever a new patient has occlude the posterior nares.-Another method, which has answered well in the hands of M. Gibon, of Cherbourg, is eompres- been admitted, the professor calls out from among the class the sion of the carotid artery on the side whence the epistaxis pro- names of one or two from a list kept by him for this purpose; ceeds. Five or ten minutes’ steady pressure has, with a little they then commence examining the patient,-first, generally, as plugging, arrested the haemorrhage in cases wherein all the ordi- to age, sex, occupation, &c., and then specially, according to the different systems, as the circulatory, respiratory, urinary, integunary remedies had failed.
was given
racteristic
Those systems not obviously diseased are quickly affected ones being then fixed upon. If one of the examined students encounters a difficulty, he is asked to state it, THE COBRA DE CAPELLO POISON. and then the rest of the class are asked in turn to explain it, and To the Editor of THE LANCET. their opinions are corrected by a personal examination of the SiR,-I add my willing testimony to that of Mr. Hickman, in patient by the professor. Let me illustrate this by a familiar regard to the efficacy of ammonia in all cases of poisoned wounds, example. A patient is admitted, say, with an acute pneumonia. from that of the cobra himself down to the smallest venemous The student is asked what he hears. One may hear nothing, insect. I would almost say that ammonia is an antidote to the I another may think he hears a friction-sound, another the true venom of the most deadly serpent, provided always time be given crepitus, when an examination by the trachea confirms some in for its due administration. The liquor ammonite fortior (P. L.), their opinion, and prompts the others to re-examine. By this in doses of ten to twenty drops, appears to be the better form. It means, confidence is gained, and one feels his own power. Supis not, however, my purpose at present to give the result of prac- posing the diagnosis to have been made, the treatment is now tice in poisoned wounds; but I wish to observe that I am by no commenced. The two are asked what they would give, and are ordered to repeat the prescription aloud, in fall, with its dose, means certain that to suck a wound inflicted by a cobra would If the teacher does not think it suitable, the opinion of the not be dangerous to the sucker. I question whether the gastric &c. juice would neutralize " the deleterious principle of the poison." class is again asked, and, if necessary, the proper treatment Mr. Wakley’s assurance that he would not hesitate to apply his pointed out, with its proposed object. Then the students are interrogated daily on the progress and lips to such a wound points to danger in the act. It also points to his readiness (like many others of our profession) to risk some- further treatment of the case. In addition, there are lectnres twice a week, at which the prothing of his own to save another’s life. It is pretty clear that if the mucous membrane of the sucker’s gnosis, diagnosis, &c., of the cases are more freely canvassed, lips and mouth be sound, and he be very careful to spit out the along with descriptions of any fatal case, as regards the promatter drawn, mischief could scarcely accrue. But I apprehend priety of its treatment or diagnosis, as shown by the post-mortem (from what we learn in India) that when the poison reaches the appearances. stomach there is the utmost danger to life. Whilst I write, my I would have given an outline of the clinical surgical Native servant tells me that persons die who inadvertently swallow teaching employed, but judging F.R.C.P.’s remarks to apply to the venom of the cobra, and that this happens from eating food medical cases, and as I have already trespassed too much on your or drinking milk of which a cobra had previously partaken. He indulgence, allow me to subscribe myself, JuYENIS. declares most positively that milk drunk of by the cobra is renEdinburgh, Oct. 1852.
mentary, &c.
disposed of, the