Experiments with permanganate of potash : shewing its use in the treatment of cobra-poisoning / by Vincent Richards.

  • Richards, Vincent.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments with permanganate of potash : shewing its use in the treatment of cobra-poisoning / by Vincent Richards. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    33/36 page 31
    the treatment of snake-poisoning contained in his work u On the Poisonous Snakes of India,” which embodies all the recommendations made by those best able to give an opinion, it will be found that the only really efficient remedy recommended in an effective bite is the removal of the tissues in which the snake-poison is lying either by extensive cauterisation, excision, or amputation; very great stress is laid upon the importance of at once applying a ligature, and removing thoroughly and completely the whole of the affected tissues. Until I made these experiments I quite concurred in these recommendations when once an effective bite had been diagnosed. Now, however, I am quite convinced that such severe treatment is uncalled for. We have in permanganate of potash an agent which when properly used possesses the power of absolutely destroying the noxious properties of cobra-venom with comparatively little suffering to the patient and with little risk of exten- sive sloughing of the tissues. Our first object should, of course, be to prevent the absorption of the poison into the general circulation. The only known means to that end is the application of the ligature. I have found that the best material for a ligature is catgut—several strands of which should be covered with chamois leather. The ligature should be applied in the manner recommend- ed by Sir Joseph Fayrer—viz., it should be tied round the limb or member with a reef-knot and a stick should be inserted with a view to twisting the ligature as tight as possible. One ligature if well applied is sufficient —more multiplies the pain and swelling without affording any further safeguard against poisoning. The best position for a ligature is about four or five inches above the bite, and the time at which it is likely to be most effective is within five minutes of the infliction of the bite. A ligature should be applied in all cases. In the absence of such a ligature as I have above described, a piece
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3