INFLUENCE UPON PHAGOCYTOSIS. 191 



containing mostly polynuclear leucocytes we added 0.5 c.c. of a 24-hour bou- 

 illon culture of a staphylococcus and to five tubes, 10, 7, 5, 2, or 1 mg. of venom 

 dissolved in 0.85 per centNaCl solution, while to five control tubes equal quan- 

 tities of salt solution were added. These tubes were placed in an incubator 

 and smears were made and examined 2, 4, and 18 hours later. 



We carried out four experiments with the exudate of 4 dogs. No differ- 

 ence was found between the degree of phagocytosis in most cases. In one 

 experiment the leucocytes in the tubes containing 7 and 5 mg. had taken up 

 fewer bacteria than their controls, but in all other experiments neither 10, 7, 

 nor 5 mg. of venom influenced the phagocytosis. 



We may conclude that the venom in no way prevents the phagocytosis of 

 bacteria. The wide variations observed in these experiments are probably 

 due to individual variations. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



The intraperitoneal injection of heloderma venom into guinea-pigs does 

 not modify the cellular exudate resulting from the intraperitoneal injection of 

 sterile bouillon. 



The injection of heloderma venom into the peritoneal cavity of guinea- 

 pigs in no way interferes with the phagocytosis of pigeon's blood. 



The addition of heloderma venom to mixtures of dog's leucocytes and 

 staphylococci in vitro does not inhibit phagocytosis. 



It is therefore apparent that heloderma venom has no injurious influence 

 on leucocytes and that it does not diminish the phagocytic activity of the 

 leucocytes. 



