. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 23. Venomous snake above and Python (non-venomous) below. tube is pressed against the canal in the fang, thus preventing any escape of venom other than through the canal or groove. \^enom can be ejected by some of the Cobras in another manner than that of biting, the process being known as spitting. Observation has shown that venom is evidently forced into the mouth and mixed with the saliva, then it is ejected through the lips to a distance of six or eight feet. Several people have been temporarily blinded thro
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 23. Venomous snake above and Python (non-venomous) below. tube is pressed against the canal in the fang, thus preventing any escape of venom other than through the canal or groove. \^enom can be ejected by some of the Cobras in another manner than that of biting, the process being known as spitting. Observation has shown that venom is evidently forced into the mouth and mixed with the saliva, then it is ejected through the lips to a distance of six or eight feet. Several people have been temporarily blinded through it entering their eyes and causing severe inflammation. Study and investigation have shown that most snakes possess certain glands which supply their blood with substances antagonistic to venom to render them immune to their own poison and often to that of other snakes. Several animals and birds which are snake killers also have these glands developed, and are therefore immune to the eflr'ects of the poison. Although the actions and symptoms wdiich follow the bites of different snakes appear to be identical, it has been found that a serum which brings about immunity against one species has proved a failure in cases of bites caused by other species. Serum pre- pared for use against the Cobra poison has proved futile against that of other species, and the same is perhaps the case between any two species of snakes throughout the world. Many instances, of wdiich the following are several, might be given to prove this. A man who was well known around Sydney went to India, taking with him an antidote which he had used suc- cessfully against the venoms of Aus- tralian snakes. 1 le was of the opinion that this same antidote would secure immunitv from the poisons of the Indian species. He was bitten by a Krait, however, the venom of which acted upon his blood and nervous sys- tems in a manner so different to what he had been us'.'d to in Australia, that the antidote failed to take e
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
