"Indian and Australian Snake-Poisoning" - Calcutta - Bengal Secretariat Press - 1874

"Report on the Effects of Artificial Respiration , Intravenous injection of Ammonia, And administration of Various Drugs in Indian and Australian Snake-Poisoning"

"And Physiological, Chemical and Microscopical Nature of Snake-Poisons"

"By The Commission Appointed to Investigate the Subject"

Calcutta: Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press

1874

Small Quarto format. Complete: TP, 77, index, lxxvii plus 4 monochrome plates.

Original brown binding, crudely rebacked with modern black cloth. Losses to corners and edges. Retains front orange wrapper. A few small nicks and minimal areas of foxing, but generally very good.

This is a fascinating early scientific report on Indian and Australian Snake poisoning - printed in Calcutta in 1874

Commissioned by the government, the report aimed to understand the toxic effects of snake bites, and find treatments for them. Tens of thousands of rural workers were affected each year in India at the time, making it a significant public health problem.

The early findings from the report’s physiological experiments were promising, with the toxic effects of snake venom on an unfortunate frog’s heart described in detail.

Early therapeutic treatments seem less promising tho - with Brandy, opium, Epsom salts, nicotine and strychnine(!) trialed (unsuccessfully).

A fascinating example of early Indian colonial science on an important topic.