Case 26.—Reported by Dr. MacDonald, of Murwillumbah, N.S.W. Mr. S., bitten on leg by a black snake. Coma, complete paralysis, chin hanging down to sternum, pupils dilated, &c. An injection of m. xv. had no effect; one of m. xx. very little. After a third one of m. x. patient suddenly became conscious, could walk without assistance, and in half an hour was sent to bed perfectly recovered.
Case 27.—Reported by Dr. Yeatman, of Auburn, South Australia. Mr. D., a farmer, aged 45 years, bitten on thumb; snake not named; cured by three injections of only m. v. each. Convulsions lasting for an hour came on three hours after treatment—a very rare occurrence—by Dr. Yeatman erroneously ascribed to the strychnine, which in so small a dose would not have produced them in the absence of snake-poison.
Case 28.—Reported by officer in charge of police at Grenfell. Boy of 6 years, bitten by brown snake, and treated by Dr. Rygate.
Case 29.—W. Toomer, aged 19, bitten by tiger snake on thumb and index finger, and not treated until 9-1/2 hours after bite, having a long distance to travel. Recovery very slow through timid use of antidote, five injections of 1/30th grain having but little effect, until one of 1/10th restored him. Treated by Dr. Stokes, of Echuca.
Case 30.—Reported by Dr. Bennett, surgeon, Gulgong Hospital, N.S.W. Mrs. Mears admitted to hospital comatose and pulseless, nothing having been done to check absorption. The intravenous injection of ammonia failing to rouse her, m. xv. of liq. strych. were injected, when pulse returned, but coma continued. After a second injection of m. xv. she suddenly became quite conscious, and in an hour was fully restored.
Case 31.—Reported by Dr. Mead, of Quirindi, N.S.W. John Simson, aged 15 years, bitten by a death adder on forefinger of right hand. Dr. Mead living 50 miles away, and the lad collapsing, a layman, Mr. Robert Simson, had to undertake treatment, and injected during the night m. 150 of a one in 240 solution of strychnine, equal to 5/8ths of a grain. Dr. Mead, finding the lad conscious and only a little drowsy, did not inject any more strychnine until 2 p.m., when a relapse took place. He then injected m. viii. of liq. str. P. B., and in half an hour m. vii. more. The last injection produced slight muscular twitchings, and subdued the snake-poison effectually, the lad making a good recovery. The total quantity used in 13 injections was over three-quarters of a grain within 18 hours.
Case 32.—This case is another instance of the successful use of the antidote by a layman, and can be verified by the writer, who saw the patient, a girl of 14 years, after her father had carried out the treatment successfully. The girl had been bitten by a large brown snake whilst walking through a paddock, and very soon afterwards lost the use of her legs, and for a time also her eyesight. The symptoms being so very alarming, and the girl at a distance of 35 miles from the writer's residence, the father at once injected 1/12th of a grain of strychnine, and in a very short time another 1/12th. The child then rallied somewhat, and a start was made to bring her in, the father taking the precaution of bringing the antidote-case with him. This was fortunate, for the child collapsed several times, and each time had to be roused by an injection before reaching the writer. When finally she presented herself, walking into the writer's surgery with a firm step, not a trace could be discovered either of the strychnine, of which nearly half a grain had been injected, nor of the snake-poison, also imparted no doubt in a fatal dose. The two punctures on her leg, testifying to the size of the snake that had bitten her, were the only tokens of the ordeal she had gone through; and the only task remaining for the writer was to congratulate her father (Mr. James Trebilcock, a farmer, of Tawanga), on the plucky manner in which he had carried out the treatment, and see to the child being properly watched during the night in case of a relapse taking place. None, however, occurred, and she left next morning perfectly well. Cases of this kind, in which no doctor is called in, are frequently reported to the writer, who finds that laymen are even more successful because less timid than many medical men.
Case 33.—Joseph Cartledge, bitten on calf of leg by a black snake, was treated by Dr. Browne, of Sale, five hours after accident. Two injections of 1/8th grain each used.
Case 34.—Miss Davie, teacher, at Nerung, Queensland, treated by Dr. Hannah, of Southport. Particulars not given.
Case 35.—Mrs. Rogers, of Bulu Bulu, Gippsland, bitten on finger by tiger snake, and treated by Dr. Trampy, first with intravenous injections of ammonia, which had no effect, and when sinking with strychnine injections, which had almost immediate effect, and in a few hours placed her out of danger.