Homeopathy 2011; 100(01/02): 62-72
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2011.02.008
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2011

A proving of Hydrophis cyanocinctus [*]

J.R. Raeside

Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
29 December 2017 (online)

The proving carried out in 1958 on the venom of the sea-snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus, resulted from a number of papers published in the British Medical Journal by Dr. H. A. Reid, Specialist Physician at the General Hospital, Penang, Malaya. These articles on sea-snake bites were noticed by Dr. Twentyman who asked Mr. Everitt of Nelson’s to obtain some venom. This was done with the help of Dr. Sankaran of Bombay. Of the numerous species of sea-snake it was a Hydrophis which was obtained, its venom extracted and the dead snake sent to London for identification. It was from this venom that potencies were obtained which were used in our proving.

Dr. Reid’s papers were published in the British Medical Journal on July 14th, 1956, July 6th, 1957 and November 30th, 1957. In these articles he describes and discusses sea-snakes generally and the effects of the bite particularly. His information is largely original, resulting from a survey of bites on Malayan fishing villages. He gives a detailed account of the clinical picture of various bites and tabulates the symptoms and signs. Incidentally some of these were his own symptoms when accidentally bitten, and he records that the effects of the treatment were much worse than those of the snake-bite! The poisoning symptoms lasted four days, and the treatment effects lasted for one year!

*This article is a reprint of a previously published article. For citation purposes, please use the original publication details; Br Hom J 1959; 44: 196–215.DOI of original item: 10.1016/S0007-0785(59)80032-6.