Return to Herpetology Catalogue of IndiaHandbook of Snake-Bite/Paresh Banerji. Reprint. First published in 1929. 1985, xix, 430 p., 20 plates (some col.), $79.
Contents: Preface. 1. Lexin. 2. Leading snakes of India. 3. Provincial names of snakes. 4. Poison fangs and poison glands. 5. Symptoms of snake poisonings. 6. Differential diagnosis. 7. Estimate of common errors. 8. Medical jurisprudence. 9. Pharmacology of snake venom. 10. Geographical distribution of snakes. 11. All about snakes.
"The book deals with the history of a medicine invented by the writer, and believed by him to be the real specific for snake poisoning. It is used as an inhalation and designed to neutralize the venom circulated in the blood stream or absorbed in the system of man.
"Experiments have been made on laboratory animals, dogs and guinea pigs, injected with snake venom, but they all died as they could not be made to inhale the drug properly. But when tried on human victims of snake poisonings, the medicine has given admirable results.
"To substantiate this statement, a record of about one thousand and two hundred cases has been published in the book. Each case has been carefully studied and summarized. The trade name given to the remedy is "Lexin" and its formula has been explained with directions for its use. The study was carried out scientifically, based on the author's discovery of bacteria in varieties of snake venoms. Chemical antidotes have been discovered. A chapter has been added to explain the therapeutic actions of the several ingredients." (jacket)No. 2756