General introduction. Part 1.—The poisonous snakes of the United States. Classification, number, distribution, habits and identification of the various species. Anatomy and physiology of the poison apparatus. Part 2.—Snakebite in the United States; frequency, pathology, symptoms, complications and sequelæ, duration, cause of death, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. General summary and conclusion.
Knowledge concerning snake poisoning in the United States is decidedly meager. The infrequency of the occurrence and the mildness of the symptoms in so many of the cases, do not encompass the subject with a degree of practical importance sufficient to stimulate much interest in it; hence the articles in the text-books are incomplete, in some instances contain serious misstatements, and uniformly convey to the casual reader totally erroneous impressions. The obviously important subject of the geographical distribution of the different venomous species has been practically ignored. The mortality and prognosis have remained largely matters of