A Case of (So-Called) Snake-Bite

a snake, about hnlf-an-hour previously. The Native Doctor of the E. B. R. Co. had arrived before me, and applied an Esrnareh's elastic band as a ligature, and had incised, what he believed to be, the fang punctures. On arrival I found the man lying on a maichan, his right arm, which had been ligatured above the elbow, was tense and bleeding at the incised part. He was apparently drowsy and only partially sensible, but when told to protrude the tongue, did so in a hesitating manner: saliva was running from his mouth at intervals, but he could swallow perfectly well; he had entire command over the lips, and spoke in a low, whispering, nasal tone, but distinctly. His pulse was slightly accelerated, but the respiration was normal. The eyelids were generally kept quite closed, or when half open there was nictitation ; he could open and shut the lids it was evident. While making these observations the Native Doctor said, " He ia going to do something, he knows a little about snakes." The patient then flexed his thigh upon his abdomen and forcibly extended it, at the same time making a grunting noise, but he soon after became profoundly comatose ; no shouting could rouse him. I had all along suspected he was shamming, and I was now pretty well convinced of it. I, however, proceeded to enlarge the wound, and to examine the areolar tissue, which I found perfectly normal. The operation appeared to have a most revising effect, for I had no sooner commenced than the patient began to yell most lustily, " Owr nahin baba! Owr nahin baba." I had now quite satisfied myself that no snake-poison had been injected into his arm. From this time he never shewed any signs of feeling unwell, and the next morning as I passed his hut smilingly made his salaam. Whatever this man's object may have been?whether for the mere purpose of exciting the sympathy of his friends, of whom there was a perfect crowd around, or to establish a reputation of being impervious to snake-poison?it is absolutely certain that he was shamming so far as the symptoms are concerned, hence they cannot be attributed to either fear or intoxication, and they are most emphatically not those of snake-poisoning. The voice was very suggestive; it at once reminded me of a