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Bungarus fasciatus Natural history Kraits, genus bungarus

- THOMPSON M, Twelve species are recognised; all inhabit the region the region of SouthEast Asia. Occasional individuals of B. fasciatus attain lengths of 7 feet. Most species are of moderate (4 to 5 feet) length, but all are considered extremely dangerous. Maxillary teeth: Two large tubular fangs with external grooves followed, after an interspace, by 1-4 small, feebly-grooved teeth. The main krait (of Hindhi origin) has been associated by English speaking peoples with a small venomous Indian snake. Actually there are several species of kraits and none of them are small; in fact, two reach lengths of about 7 feet. Kraits resemble many nonpoisonous snakes in general appearance. They have short rather flat heads only slightly wider than the neck. The eyes are small and dark, the pupils almost invisible in life. They are smooth scaled and glossy; most have vivid pattern of crossbands. Three features of scutellation help distinguish kraits from other Asian snakes - a combination of

Cenchris contortrix Natural history

- THOMPSON M, Florida museum of natural history's guide to florida's venomous snakes Southern copperhead Copperhead, Highland Moccasin, Chunkhead Scientific name: Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix. Description: Average adult size is 22-36 inches (56-91 cm), record is 53 inches (135 cm). A stout-bodied snake with broad, light brown to gray crossbands, alternating with dark brown to reddish-brown crossbands. Constrictions along the backbone give the dark bands an hourglass shape. On the sides of the body the dark bands usually have light centers, and occasionally one dark spot. Southern copperheads sometimes have an overall pinkish tint. The top of head in front of the eyes is covered with large plate-like scales. The pupil is elliptical, a catlike vertical slit. There is a deep facial pit between the nostril and the eye. Juvenile color is similar to that of adults, except that the tail of new born copperheads is bright sulfur yellow. Copperhead: Left to right: Top of

Crotalus cascavella,

- THOMPSON M, Natural history Crotalus durissus Homoeopathic name and abbreviation: Crotalus cascavella; Crot-c. Common names: Tropical rattlesnake or Mexican cascavel. Description: It occurs in dry plateaus and is common on ranches and farms where it is greatly feared. It reaches lengths of up to 1.8 m. Distribution: Mexico Range: Dry regions of a number of states in Brazil. Venom: This is a highly dangerous snake with an extremely toxic venom that has a strong neurotoxic component. 75% of all untreated adults die from a cascavel bite. Authority: Wagler, 1824. Comments: The name cascavella probably comes form the Spanish cascabel meaning little bell. The cascavel is greatly feared because it venom contains a substantial amount of neurotoxic material. The Sx of a cascavel bite are different from that of North American rattlesnakes whose venom destroys the walls of blood tissues and other tissues. Among South American Indians it is claimed that anyone bitten by a cas

Materia medica ,Crotalus cascavella: a toxicological report

- THOMPSON M, (The following is a toxicological report which was published together with the proving of Crotalus cascavella by Mure. The text has been rearranged to make it more readable as the original had the times in words) Mure: We commence the publication of our provings by the symptoms of the Crotalus cascavella, not so much on account of the importance of the symptoms which the poison of this dangerous reptile produces on the healthy body; but because the unfortunate experiment which was attempted a few years ago, on a sick person, offers a fair opportunity of contrasting the hazardous and uncertain results of a merely clinical experimentation, with the positive advantages of Hahnemann's method of proving. This case has been reported in detail, in the Medical Gazette of Paris, of the 5th of January, 1839 by the attending physicians, Maïa and Reis. We transcribe it for the benefit of our readers. Mariano José Machado, fifty years old, of athletic form, bilious-sanguin

Crotalus cascavella Cases

- THOMPSON M, Jayesh Shah p. 35 Homeopathic Links 2/94 Two more snake ladies, both had menstrual problems. One is a devotee of Sai Baba, has clairvoyant dreams about him, the other is very rigorous Buddhist. Very compelling personalities, strong, magnetising the listener, Their remedy was Crotalus cascavella. Typical for this snake: Tremendous fear of being alone, to be pursued, intense clairvoyance. Strong need of a spiritual leader. The rubrics he chose were: Fear alone, of someone behind him; Delusion hears footsteps behind him, hears voices he must follow. DD. Crotalus cascavella and Elaps: Both have fear alone, but Elaps nevertheless wants to get away, into the country. Crotalus cascavella loves bustle, crowds, activity. DD. Lachesis: Lachesis has more hidden deceit and overt jealousy. More intense competition. Case BG 2732 Female patient, born 1934, first seen November 1995. She has had four severe nervous breakdowns in the past 8-10 years, three of which were w

Intermittent explosive disorder and carcinosin – A constitutional approach

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- By Dr.Sanjana VB, Dr.S anjana  VB,  BHMS   Chief Consultant HOMOEOVISION HOMOEOPATHY CLINICS Calicut.kerala.India email:  dr.sanjana11@yahoo.com homoeovision@gmail.com phone:9645850970 Intermittent explosive disorder it may seem to be a rare disorder from a medical man’s perspective. But any expedition through the route of law may lead us to the fact that most often crimes occur due to momentary explosion of temper .it may be illustrated by incidents like road rage, domestic violence ,murder of business partners and even quarrels and disputes between strangers ending in culpable crime or assault. If the cause of such an emotional outburst or unbridled agitated state of mind is probed in depth it may guide us to “intermittent explosive disorder”. It is a variant of aggressive disorder. Individuals with this disorder experience aggressive impulses which they act upon reflexivity and without thought or concern for the situation and find this lack of control distressing. Physio

Crotalus horridus Natural history

- THOMPSON M, Crotalus horridus Florida Museum of Natural History's Guide to Florida's Venomous Snakes Timber Rattlesnake, Canebrake Rattlesnake Scientific name: Crotalus horridus Description: Average adult size is 36-60 inches (76-152 cm), record is 74.5 inches (189 cm). Can be a large, heavy bodied snake. The reddish brown stripe running down the center of the back is disrupted by a series of large, black, chevron-like crossbands on the pinkish gray or tan body. The tail is uniform black. The head is large and sometimes with a dark diagonal line through the eye or just behind the eye. The pupil is vertical (catlike) and there is a facial pit between the nostril and the eye. The tail ends in a rattle. Juveniles resemble adults, but with a single rounded button at the tip of the tail. Range: This snake has a very limited range in our state, found in only 8 or 9 counties in north Florida. It ranges as far south as Alachua and Dixie Counties and as far west as Hamil

Daoboia russelli

- THOMPSON M, Vipera daboia Natural history HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 2, pp. 99-101 (1992) MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN RUSSELL'S VIPER IN BURMA AND THAILAND Russell's viper (Vipera russelli) is one of the most widespread venomous snakes in southern Asia. It is an important cause of snakebite mortality and morbidity in many areas, including Thailand and especially Burma (Looareesuwan, Viravan and Warrell, 1988; Warrell, 1989). The symptoms of Burmese and Thai Russell's viper bite differ considerably: bites in Burma result, among other symptoms, in pituitary infarction, generalized capillary permeability and primary shock (Myint-Lwin et al. 1985), whereas bites in Thailand result in intra-vascular haemolysis (Warrell, 1986, 1989). In some venomous snake species complexes, venom differences have been found to be related to taxonomic differentiation of the populations concerned; in these cases, venom differences were accompanied by morphological differences, for i

Dendroaspis polylepis

- THOMPSON M, Dendroaspis polylepsis Natural history Allen hunter When herpetologists are asked "What's the world's most dangerous snake?", most would probably state that Africa's Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) and Australia's Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) as the two top contenders. These members of the Elapidae family of venomous snakes grow to large size, are similar in habits, and both have uncertain tempers coupled with copious amounts of exceedingly potent neurotoxic venom. Legends surrounding the Black mamba regarding it's speed, agility, ferocity and deadliness of it's venom are often greatly exaggerated, but do hold some basis in fact. It's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as ' The World's Fastest Snake', and indeed, it is extremely fast and difficult to control when spooked. Although Africa has a few other speed demons such as the various sand snakes (Psammophis ssp.), Gold's tree cobra (Pseudohaj

Black mamba (dendroaspis polylepis)

-THOMPSON M, A long, slender, fast-moving snake, with a long narrow, 'coffin-shaped' head, with a fairly pronounced brow ridge and medium-sized eye with a round pupil. The inside of the mouth is bluish-black. Its body is cylindrical, tail long and thin. Maximum size is probably about 3.5 m (unsubstantiated reports of bigger specimens, up to 4.3 m, exist); adults averaging 2.2 to 2.7 m, hatchlings 45 to 60 cm. It is olive, brownish or grey in colour, sometimes khaki or olive-green, but never black as the name suggests. Juveniles are greeny-grey. The scales are smooth and have a distinct purplish bloom in some adult specimens. The belly is cream, ivory or pale green. The back half of the snake is often distinctly speckled with black on the flanks. Some specimens have rows of lighter and darker scales towards the tail, giving the impression of oblique lateral bars of grey and yellow. Equally at home on the ground, in trees or on rocks, it climbs quickly and gracefully. Very fa

ELAPS CORALLINUS, Materia medica

- THOMPSON M, Jayesh shah p. 35 homeopathic links 3/94 According to Shah the main theme of Elaps is the dread of being alone and when alone fears that something is going to happen. A feeling of threat as if he is going to be beaten up, feeling as if ruffians are going to break in, which explains the desire for company. Some very important features of Elaps are the amelioration while travelling by car (Naja), playing in the grass ("playful, desires to play in the grass) and the dreams of being raped, attacked (Cenchris, Sepia). Mure 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. Vermeulen's synoptic i Characteristics. REGION: Blood. Nose. Ears. Throat. *

ELAPS CORALLINUS, Vermeulen's concordat

- THOMPSON M, Characteristics Similar to snake poisons generally; like all other snake poisons it disorganises the blood. Has very marked black discharges; esp. hemorrhages. Cold things disagree. Desire for sweetened buttermilk. Nausea and vomiting. Prostrating diarrhoea of consumption. Acidity of stomach, and faint feeling. Sudden pain in stomach. Spasm of oesophagus; pharynx constricted; food and liquids suddenly arrested, and then fall heavily into stomach. Spasms followed by paresis. Cold feeling in stomach. Fruits and ice water lie very cold. Right-sided paralysis; right side feels weak, insensible or paralysed. Must have oscillatory motion. Rheumatic constitutions. Ear, nose and throat symptoms important. Sensation of internal coldness in chest, stomach, aggravated after cold drinks. Mucous membranes wrinkled. As of a heavy load or weight on the affected part. Twisting sensation. Faints, with vomiting or on stooping. Mind Depressed; imagines he hears someone talking; dre