570 COLLEGE ZOOLOGY 



Notwithstanding the fear of snakes possessed by most people, 

 very few are bitten by poisonous species in this country, and of 

 these probably not more than two per year die. 



Snake Venom. - - Venom is a highly complex physiological 

 product elaborated by the poison-glands. Among its powers are 

 the dissolution of various body cells and the destruction of the 

 bactericidal property of the blood. Venoms are albuminoid. 

 They are capable of producing in the blood an antidote or 

 neutralizing substance, called an antibody. It is thus possible, 

 as in the case of smallpox, tetanus, etc., to obtain an antibody 

 (an antivenin) which, when injected into the blood, will counter- 

 act the effects of the venom. Unfortunately each kind of venom 

 requires a special sort of antivenin, so that it is impracticable 

 as a rule to carry antivenin into the field. 



The best method of procedure when bitten by a poisonous 

 snake is to apply a ligature between the wound and the heart so 

 as to prevent the blood from carrying the venom toward the 

 heart. This ligature should not be kept on more than half an 

 hour, since, as stated above, the venom destroys the bactericidal 

 power of the blood, and gangrene will set in rapidly about the 

 wound if fresh blood is not supplied. After the ligature is in 

 place, the wound should be incised deeply in all directions, and 

 a solution of potassium permanganate injected freely into the 

 tissues about the wound. This treatment should serve to destroy 

 most of the venom before it travels far in the system. Sucking 

 the poison from the wound is a common practice, but there is 

 danger of poison finding its way into the blood through slight 

 abrasions of the lips or mouth, and, besides, this procedure is of no 

 value. It also seems certain that the drinking of large quantities 

 of alcohol is not only useless, but of considerable detriment. 



5. THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE or REPTILES 



The economic importance of the various kinds of reptiles has 

 been emphasized during the discussion of the orders and families. 

 It will therefore suffice here to give a brief summary of the subject. 



