[Illustration]
The elaps corallinus is found quite frequently in the woods all along
the coast of Brazil, and its bite is much dreaded. Its colors are more
brilliant and more agreeably combined than those of any other serpent
in Brazil. Its head is small, covered with large polygonal scales; it
swells behind and is continuous with the neck from which it is scarcely
distinguished as regards size. It has round and small eyes; the jaws
which are little dilatable, are furnished with sharp teeth accompanied
by fangs that rest on the venomous glands. The body is about two
feet and a half in length; it is round, rather big in proportion to
the head, and terminates in a sharp tail. The upper part is covered
with smooth rhomboïdal scales; the belly is covered with two hundred
transverse shields; the tail numbers fifty shields, which are disposed
in two parallel rows. Its colors are disposed in the shape of rings of
a vermillion-red, alternating with black rings, each two rings being
separated by circular lines of a greenish white. The upper part of the
head is black; likewise the first colored ring of the neck; the shields
of the jaws are white, and are separated from each other by black lines.
As in the case of the crotalus cascavella, the poison was taken from the
living reptile, not without danger.
As soon as I had determined to institute provings with the poison of
the cobra-coral, several of these reptiles were, at my request, brought
to me on the same day, so frequent are they in the forests of Sahy. The
animal which I selected was wrapt up in a piece of linen-cloth, and,
after its head had been steadied with a little wooden pin, some eight or
ten drops of poison were pressed out of its jaws by means of a pair of
steel-pincers, which I received on one hundred grains of sugar of milk,
and at once subjected to the process of trituration in my mechanical
mortar. They received six thousand successive turns. One grain of this
mass was triturated a second time, and a grain of this second trituration
a third time, each receiving three thousand turns.
Even while triturating the drug in my mortar, the most striking
effects were produced by the simple emanations ascending from it. This
phenomenon, however, is observed whenever I cause a somewhat active drug
to be triturated in the mortar.
The symptoms which I have collected, are not a great many, but they
can be depended upon. Most of the symptoms were experienced by several
provers, and some of them have already been confirmed by treatment, among
which may be mentioned the oppression in going up-stairs, the vesicular
eruption on the feet and the deafness. This last symptom is of great
importance on account of its being so obstinate. For pulmonary affections
the poison of the cobral may likewise prove a valuable remedy, especially
for the second stage of phthisis, characterised by bloody cough and
derangement of the digestive functions. It may likewise be serviceable in
mental alienation and cutaneous eruptions.
The special action which this poison seems to exercise on the right side,
the paralysis, the lancinations, have appeared to me worthy of attention.
The gyratory motions, the desire to move to and fro, the scaling off of
the epidermis and several symptoms relating to the disposition and the
mind, seem to deserve the attention of the philosophical physician.
There certainly exist remarkable analogies between the symptoms of
the cobral and those of the lachesis. The differences, however, are
sufficiently numerous to refute the doctrine that all serpent-poisons
act almost alike and that the cobral, for instance, may be resorted to
as a perfect succedaneum of the lachesis. I am convinced of the contrary
to such an extent that it is my belief that the poison of serpents alone
would, if sufficiently proved, furnish the safest and most rapid means of
combating all human infirmities. Every epoch in the history of the world
is undoubtedly possessed of therapeutic means which are more particularly
homœopathic to the general character of the ruling maladies. Hence it
is probable that when the human species shall have been freed from the
miasms which now undermine its vitality, the simple flowers on the fields
will be sufficient to control the remaining indispositions. Whereas we,
unfortunate heirs of the chronic miasms of all ages, lepra, scrofula,
syphilis and a host of other subtle plagues, are compelled to employ the
most frightful agents in order to meet the intensity of our diseases.
_First to third day._—1. Reveries in the day-time, one imagines one is
receiving blows. One imagines one hears some one speak. One hears talking
without comprehending. Absence of mind. 5. Nightmare and congestion about
the head. Anxious dreams. Weight in the right parietal region and pain
which penetrates to the nape of the neck. Beating at regular intervals
in the nape of the neck, like the ticking of a clock. Weight in the
forehead and above the orbits. 10. Boring pain from the vertex to the
right eyebrow. Pain on the right side, which seems to be seated in the
cerebellum. Sweat on the forehead and nape of the neck. The head falls
forward with violence. Painful constriction in the temples and eyes. 15.
Violent throbbing of the external carotid. Horrid pains when inclining
the head backwards; less when inclining it forwards. Tension in the nape
of the neck. Stiffness which prevents the head being turned. Sensation
as of a foreign body in the right temple. 20. Lancinations in the outer
angle of the left eye. Boring pain from the lower jaw to the right eye,
and then from the right eyelid to the ear. Desire to close one’s eyes
as in fever. Sharp pricking in the inner canthi of the eyes. Aching
pains around the eyes, with vanishing of sight. 25. Continual buzzing
as from a fly in the meatus auditorius. _Constant deafness._ Ringing in
the ears. Discharge of a serous fluid from the left ear. Distressing
prickling in the superior nasal fossa. 30. Swelling of the gums on the
last three molar teeth. Prickling as if caused by strong spice, after
having triturated the drug. Prickling at the tip of the tongue. Sour
eructations, desire for cold water, ice. Loathing of food, acidity after
every mouthful of food. 35. Pressive constriction in the throat. Burning
from the larynx to the tongue as from peppermint, with desire for fresh
air. The food descends in the œsophagus as if turned round like a screw.
At other times the soup falls heavily and precipitately, as if through
a metallic tube into the stomach, which trembles violently. Watery,
yellowish diarrhœa, which is mixed with slime, attended with rumbling in
the bowels. 40. Urine almost red. Urine profuse. Urine red. Constriction
of the sphincter. Continual discharge of prostatic fluid. 45. Thickening
of the skin of the prepuce, with inflammation. Excoriation on the back
of the penis, which causes a continual itching. Weakness of the genital
powers, impotence. Lancinations and prickings in the penis. Weight and
swelling of the testicles. 50. Spitting of black coagula of blood, with
painful tearing as if proceeding from the heart. Almost constant cough.
Sensation in the chest and at the sternum as if the pleuræ would be
torn off, and as if the two lungs would be separated from each other by
force. Inability to incline to the right side, in consequence of a very
painful pulling in the right lung. Violent itching, drawing, pricking
at the epigastrium, which hinders drawing a full breath. 55. A chronic
loss of breath when going up-stairs, disappears after the second day
of the proving. Violent fit of dry cough which finally ends in raising
black blood, with frightful tearing pains in every part of the lungs,
and especially in the right side, at the upper part of the chest. Taste
of blood in the mouth previous to the paroxysm of cough, succeeded by a
desire to vomit. Burning in the hands while preparing the drug. Prickling
in the back of the right hand. 60. Pulling in the right hand, which
extends to the ring-finger. Pains in the elbows. Crampy constriction
in the phalanxes of the fingers and under the nails. Lancinations and
prickling in the back of the hand. The blood remains congested in the
hand, which is of a violet color and as if paralysed; it has to be kept
erect in order to prevent the congestion. 65. A black blood spirts out
of the finger when pricking it ever so little. Vesicular eruption on the
feet. Pains in the knees. Pains in the knees as if bruised and contused,
especially in the left knee, which does not bear contact, and where the
pain is as keen as if the part had been sprained.
_Third to sixth day._—Sensitiveness _of the right side_. 70. Inability
to rise in the morning in consequence of the pain in the right side.
Slight phlyctænæ make their appearance here and there, especially on
the extremities; the epidermis surrounding them sometimes scales off.
Drowsy the whole day, but sleepless nights. Dreaming about the business
of the day. Pain in the forehead. 75. Red eyebrows. The eye is extremely
sensitive to cold water. Stoppage of the right nostril, improved by
resting on the same side. Bad smell from the nose. Pulling in the
œsophagus. 80. Violent headache, if the desire for food is not satisfied
on the instant. Suffocative oppression after eating. Bloating of the
stomach after eating. Pulling in the pit of the stomach. Violent hunger.
85. Pressure at the right hypochondrium. Pressure in the left side, which
extends to the vertebral column. Dull pain in the right lung, worse when
walking. Congestion of blood to the throat, which is caused by the pain
in the lung. Sense of spraining and stiffness in the knee joint.
_Seventh day._—90. Painful pressure at the nape of the neck, as if the
cerebellum had settled downwards. Eyes red and inflamed. Blood oozes from
the eyes. Glassy look. Bitter, salt taste in the mouth. 95. Noisy and
violent borborygmi. Stitch in the side. Falling of the rectum. Hoarse
voice. Violent beating of the heart. 100. Pain as if bruised in the
sides of the neck. Painful drawing at the inner side of the arm, from
the axilla to the wrist, but felt especially at the bend of the elbow.
The right hand feels as if paralysed. Shuddering from the hand to the
shoulder when dipping the former into cold water. A good deal of distress
in the whole abdomen. 105. The left foot is swollen and blue, with red
spots. Drawing-up of the feet. Twitching in the parotid gland. The saliva
tastes salt. Crusty eruption over the ear and a part of the cheek. 110.
Itching in the ear, in the evening. Red urine, with cloudy sediment.
Pinching sensation at the helix and lobe of the ear. Discharge of a
greenish-yellow liquid from the ear, in the morning. Painfulness of the
parotid gland. 115. Itching pimple on the legs. Discharge of blood from
the ear. Swelling of the inguinal gland. The left groin is painful to
contact. Colic with urging to stool. 120. Blackish and frothy diarrhœa.
The urine is very thick and deposits a red sediment.