Indian Snake Poisons. By A. J. Wall, M.D. (W. H.
Allen and Co.)—This is an interesting account of the action of snake poison, especially of the poison of the cobra. The practical conclusion is given in the sixth chapter, where Dr. Wall deals with the questions of prevention and treatment. He discusses the policy of the rewards given for the destruction of venomous snakes in some Indian districts, and pronounces in its favour, when practised under restrictions. The subject of the treatment does not present any hopeful features. The only chance is in immediate isolation of the bitten part ; as 94 per cent, of the bites are in some one of the extremities, this is possible, if only the appliances are at hand. But this " if " is, of course, a very important condition. Potassium permanganate absolutely neutralises the poison chemically by oxidisation, but injected into the system it is useless, because it oxidises not the poison specially, bat everything with which it comes into contact. We cannot help remarking that no practical result whatever seems to have come from the experiments on living animals which are hero recorded.
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