THE PHYSIOLOGY OF POISONING 199 



cliloroforiii, alcohol, toluene, and water. Its properties are there- 

 fore entirely distinct from those of its two components. It pre- 

 cipitates slowly from its aqueous solutions, without losing its 

 hoemolytic power ; it docs not show hluret-ie^ciion ; it dissolves 

 with equal readiness the red corpuscles of all species of animals, 

 and its effects, like those of venom, are impeded hy cholesterin. 



Kyos has succeeded in obtaining lecithides with all the haemo- 

 lytic venoms that he was able to study : thus he has prepared 

 lecithides from Lachesis lanceolatus, Naja haje, Bimgarus, Lachesis 

 Jiavoviridis, and Crotalu.'^. It is therefore probable that the lecithino- 

 phile group exists in all venoms, even when these differ as regards 

 their other properties. 



A wide range of difference is exhibited by the various venoms, 

 as regards their hasmolysing power in the presence of normal heated 

 serum or lecithin. The venom of Naja and that of Bungarus are 

 the most active. The action of the venoms of Viperidje, and 

 especially of those of Crotalus, is very weak. For example, while 

 1 milligramme of Cohra-wenoni dissolves in from five to ten 

 minutes 1 c.c. of a 5 per cent, dilution of red corpuscles in the 

 presence of lecithin or normal heated serum, the same dose of 

 the venom of Vipera russcUil takes thirty minutes to effect the 

 dissolution, and the venom of Lachesis lanceolatus takes three 

 hours. 



P. Kyes and H. Sachs have discovered the apparently para- 

 doxical fact that, if to the red corpuscles of certain species of 

 animals Coira-venom be added in increasing doses, haemolysis 

 augments up to a certain point, beyond which the destruction 

 of the corpuscles shows progressive diminution. In a large dose 

 Cohra-venoYH no longer produces any effect upon the corpuscles 

 of the horse, for example, even when the venom is added in 

 presence of a great excess of lecithin or heated serum. It would 

 seem, then, that, according to the theory of Ehrlich, under the 

 influence of an exaggerated amount of venom-amboceptor there 

 is produced a deviation on the part of the complement (serum or 



