An essay on the poison of the cobra di capello / by John Cockle.

  • Cockle, John, 1814-1901
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the poison of the cobra di capello / by John Cockle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    4/34 page 10
    covering; and attached to and covering this are the muscles connected with the jaw. The contraction of these muscles at the instant and by the very act of biting, aided perhaps slightly by the consequent pressure of the tooth upon the elastic cushion of the gland, forces the venom from its receptacle. It then flows down the tooth, and so into the wound. § III. The quantity and intensity of the poison eliminated from the blood is doubtless modified by many yet unascertained conditions intimately connected with the nutritive functions of the reptile. From our know- ledge of the general law that the salivary and other glands secrete most under the influence of particular emotions, we may imagine those of rage or fear to influence the venom-bag of the snake. And this supposition appears to be corrobated by the fact, that the secretion of even the non-venomous serpents becomes more acrid under the existence of irritation, or the excitement of capturing their prey. But, however this be, it is certain that the fluid transmitted through the poison-tooth is of a most virulent character, producing death with fright- ful rapidity when introduced in sufficient quantity into the blood-vessels or tissues of the human body. From some peculiarity of organization in the leech, slug, common snake, and hedgehog, they are said to resist that influence which spares neither the race of its possessor, nor, with the above exception, any of the
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3