172 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



a brilliant contribution to our knowledge of the nature of venom haemolysis. 

 As will be seen below, Kyes, in his first article, confirmed the observations of 

 Flexner and Noguchi as well as those of Calmette and explained at the same 

 time the apparent discrepancies existing between the results obtained by 

 these investigators. He found that there are two kinds of blood corpuscles, 

 according to their susceptibihty to the haemolytic action of snake venom — 

 cobra venom being chiefly employed: (i) the corpuscles which undergo 

 haemolysis by venom without a second substance; (2) the corpuscles which 

 become haemolyzed only when auxiliary substances (complements, etc.) are 

 present at the same time. The corpuscles of guinea-pigs, dogs, and man 

 were found to be most susceptible, and those of rabbits and horses quite 

 resistant, while those of the ox, sheep, and goat were completely refractory to 

 the cobralysin. i c.c. of 5 per cent suspension of the first-named corpuscles 

 is haemolyzed by only 0.25 c.c. of 0.0 1 per cent venom solution, while those 

 of the horse are dissolved by i c.c. of o.i per cent concentration, requiring 

 nearly 40 times more venom than in the case of corpuscles of dogs or guinea- 

 pigs. Kyes found that the insusceptible kinds of corpuscles can be dissolved 

 by venom if certain suitable fresh serums be introduced. Thus he gives the 

 following combinations as corresponding with the examples of amboceptor- 

 complement-hke phenomenon of venom haemolysis: Ox corpuscles, guinea- 

 pig serum; sheep corpuscles, guinea-pig serum; rabbit corpuscles, guinea-pig 

 serum; horse corpuscles, ox serum. The complementing property of guinea- 

 pig serum is seen to disappear by heating to 56° C. for 30 minutes. He was 

 also able to confirm that the cobra amboceptors are absorbed by sheep cor- 

 puscles at 0° C, even in the presence of guinea-pig serum. 



After having confirmed the facts described by Flexner and Noguchi in cer 

 tain particular instances, Kyes now proceeded to clear up the phenomenon 

 why certain kinds of corpuscles are attacked by venom directly. It was found 

 that the susceptible corpuscles contain in their constituents certain substances 

 capable of activating cobra venom. This group of "activators" was called 

 endocomplement and found to be thermolabile. From the ox corpuscles 

 he was able to obtain active endocomplement, notwithstanding these cor- 

 puscles are entirely insusceptible to the cobralysin in their integrity. This 

 phenomenon was explained by assuming that the endocomplement of this 

 kind of corpuscles exists in an unavailable state, but becomes accessible after 

 their disintegration, through which process endocomplement was prepared. 



Returning to Calmette's phenomenon, namely, the acquisition of venom- 

 complementing property of various serums, irrespective of whether one was 

 incapable of activating venom in its fresh state or not, after heating to a tem- 

 perature above 62° C, Kyes found that heating all kinds of blood serums to 

 100° C. invariably renders them activating for cobra venom, and, indeed, 

 more active in this respect than in an unheated native state. Finally Kyes 

 discovered that the thermostabile venom activator of blood serum can be 



