“On the following morning there was still a small amount of œdema in the eyelids, but the appearance of the head had become normal.”
B.—Pelias berus (Common Viper).
XLI.—Case reported by M. de Maupas, of Challay, by Trôô.
“About 1 p.m., on July 30, 1898, a fairly large pointer was brought to me, bitten in the right paw. On shaving off the hair the marks of the two fangs of the snake were clearly visible. The wound had bled a little, and the injured limb was painful and swollen. I ligatured the paw above the joint, and injected a bottle of antivenomous serum, which had been in my possession since September 6, 1897. The effect was very rapid; after a quarter of an hour the dog reopened its eyes, which until then had been half closed. Towards 5 o’clock I removed the ligature. On the next day but one the swelling had almost disappeared, and the dog took its food of its own accord; it ran about and seemed lively.”
XLII.—Case reported by M. de Villiers, Mayor of Villiers-le-Duc, Côte-d’Or.
“About 2 p.m., on May 23, 1898, the widow Veillard, of Villiers-le-Duc, while driving her herd of cows to pasture among the brushwood, saw a viper which she killed, and then, a few moments later, three others in succession, which she likewise killed. Madame Veillard thought of leaving this place, which seemed to her to be too much infested, when one of her cows, which was quietly feeding, swerved violently and dashed off through the scrub. With the help of her dog she succeeded in recovering the cow, which appeared uneasy, ceased to feed, and had a swollen muzzle. Madame Veillard then decided to return to the village.
“Towards 6 p.m., that is to say about three hours after the accident, I was sent for. The head and tongue of the cow were swollen, there was foam on the mouth, and the animal had difficulty in breathing. I injected a dose of antivenomous serum, from our first-aid station, beneath the skin of the shoulder, and gave a second injection a few moments later. The cow was then led back to her shed.
“At 9 p.m. she was quiet. The swelling did not increase, and the cow, which had previously refused all food, ate a handful of hay.
“On the following morning there was nothing to be seen beyond a little swelling in the neck. The animal fed as usual, and gave her normal quantity of milk.”
XLIII.—Case reported by M. P. Rat, engineer, of Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey, Ain.