“_Remarks._--(1) At this season of the year viper-bites are both frequent and dangerous in this district of the Loir-et-Cher. A year never passes without several cases occurring, and it has very often happened that deaths have had to be recorded in spite of the most careful treatment. “(2) The therapeutic effect of Calmette’s serum was rapid and efficacious; the injections did not cause any pain or febrile reaction. “(3) The œdema resulting from the bite was a long time in being absorbed; this, indeed, was the only remarkable symptom after the injection of the serum.” XXI.--Case recorded by Dr. D. Paterne, of Blois (Anjou médical, September, 1897). “My _confrère_ and friend Dr. Marchand (des Montils) published in last month’s _Anjou médical_ an interesting case of viper-bite, cured by Calmette’s serum. May I send you particulars of another case, which can only increase the interest of the one that you have already published? The facts are as follows:-- “Léon Bertre, aged 55, living at 17, Rue du Puits-Châtel, Blois, professes to be a snake-charmer, and really catches and destroys large numbers of dangerous reptiles in the vicinity of Blois. “On Sunday, the 30th of last May, he went among the rocks of the Chaussée Saint-Victor on his favourite quest, and soon returned with ten large female vipers, and amused himself by exhibiting them to a group of interested spectators in an inn. A dog came up and began to bark. Bertre, whose attention was momentarily distracted, ceased to fix his gaze on the vipers, one of which, being no longer under the influence of its fascination, bit him on the back of the right hand, between the metacarpals of the thumb and index-finger. (I here reproduce the account of the occurrence as I received it from the snake-charmer’s own lips.) Bertre immediately felt an acute pain; his hand swelled up _almost suddenly_, and, since he was perfectly aware of the seriousness of what had happened, he ran with all speed in the direction of my consulting-room. The unfortunate man, however, had hardly gone 200 metres, when he fell insensible on the highway. He was brought to me, and Dr. Moreau, of Paris, _locum tenens_ for Dr. Ferrand, of Blois, who was away, rendered first aid. He washed the wound, dressed it with perchloride of mercury, and injected 10 c.c. of Calmette’s serum into the right flank. The accident took place a little before 5 p.m., and the injection was given about 6 o’clock. “Dr. Moreau, who was interested in the case, asked me to take charge of it, which I gladly consented to do. The patient’s general condition was very grave, since he remained two days and two nights without regaining consciousness. “On Tuesday, June 1, about 11 o’clock, Dr. Moreau gave a second injection of 20 c.c. Considering the condition of the patient, we hardly hoped for a successful result. To our great surprise, however, the patient regained consciousness about 3 p.m., and the improvement progressed rapidly.”