96 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



Light does not have a deteriorating effect on dried venom, but a marked 

 reduction of toxicity is observed when the solution of venom is exposed to 

 the direct sunhght or diffuse dayhght during many days. The alteration is 

 more marked with the venom of cobra than with the crotalus, and is quicker 

 at 37° C. than at a lower temperature. The nature of this modification of 

 toxicity will later be discussed in fuller detail. 



The action of certain fluorescent anihne dyes upon the venom was studied 

 by Noguchi, who found that the chief toxic principles of cobra venom — 

 namely, neurotoxin and haematoxin — are more stable than the hsemorrhagic 

 principle of crotalus venom. Besides the deadly principle of daboia venom a 

 fibrin ferment is easily destroyed by eosin or erythrosin in the direct sunhght. 



PhisaHx passed a continuous electric current through the venom solution 

 and found that the latter becomes destroyed. He attributes this to the 

 formation of a sufficient quantity of chlorated products (chlorates, hydro- 

 chlorites, etc.) and ozone from the salts accompanying the venom. An alter- 

 nating current of high frequency appHed to the venom solution, with the view 

 of producing a vaccine, is said to have produced vaccinating substance, but 

 Marmier found that if the rise of temperature be avoided by appropriate 

 apparatus no modification of venom results. 



Phisahx found that the emanation of radium attenuates and then destroys 

 the virulence of cobra venom and viper venom. With cobra venom he 

 observed precipitation of proteins and subsequent loss of toxicity. With the 

 venom of the viper he found that the chloroform-water solution of the venom 

 in I : looo when exposed to the radium ray gradually becomes attenuated 

 until its action completely disappears. 



A series of tubes were exposed to the radium, the first for 6 hours, the 

 second 20 hours, and the third 36 hours. The control unexposed venom 

 solution killed a guinea-pig in 10 hours; the first exposed venom in 12 hours; 

 the second in 20 hours, and the third produced no symptom. A second inocu- 

 lation to the last animal caused a fall of 0.5° of temperature temporarily. 

 After 4 days, a single minimal lethal dose killed the animal. The solvent of 

 venom exerts a great influence on the effect of radium emanation. If the 

 venom is dissolved in 50 per cent glycerin water the attenuation is still slight 

 after 6 hours' exposure to radium. 



EFFECTS OF VARIOUS CHEMICALS. 



The attempt of various investigators to discover an agent which destroys 

 the venom in the tissue or in the organism with the least or no injury 

 to the latter has achieved no great success. However, the results of the 

 researches in this direction have contributed much to our chemical knowl- 

 edge of venom, and some of the latest chemical studies have had the 

 advantage of these chemical stabilities of venom against various chemical 

 substances. In the following pages the results obtained by various investi- 

 gators will be given. 



