184 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



Having found that a certain constant proportion exists between the inherent 

 haemolytic power of lecithin and the haemolytic power augmented through 

 the addition of venom, Noguchi undertook a series of studies in which he 

 sought to compare the native haemolytic power and the haemolytic power with 

 venom of various groups of substances, in order to ascertain whether certain 

 chemical bodies are or are not able to perform the function of venom activa- 

 tion. The chemicals subjected to this test are numerous and comprise normal 

 fatty acids from formic up to ceratinic, unsaturated mono-carbonic acids con- 

 taining the higher members, aliphatic acids, unsaturated dicarbonic acids, 

 mineral acids, sodium salts of fatty and acrylic acids, neutral fats, lecithin, 

 neurin, cholin, and some saturated and unsaturated alcohols. 



From his experiments Noguchi discovered that the compounds which 

 contain in their molecules a double bond only can become many times more 

 haemolytic than their native activities upon the addition of venom. Normal 

 fatty, aliphatic, and mineral acids do not act stronger in the venomized 

 corpuscular suspension than without the venom, whereas unsaturated organic 

 acids, especially oleic acid, have their action increased by nearly lo to 20 

 times their inherent strengths. This does not mean that each acid of this 

 particular group has an equal haemolytic power — which is far from being 

 the case — but simply means that the proportion or ratio is sufficiently 

 constant to rank them with lecithin or kephalin as venom activators. In 

 reality triolein and oleic acid were the only substances worthy of comparison 

 with lecithin in haemolytic activity, the rest, although maintaining the con- 

 stant ratio, being far inferior in this respect. 



Again coming to the mechanism of venom activation by these simpler fatty 

 compounds — simpler when compared with lecithin — it was noticed that 

 their velocity of reaction was but little affected with the venom, in contradis- 

 tinction to that with lecithin. It appears from this that the activation caused 

 by these chemicals is essentially different from that brought about by lecithin; 

 nevertheless they are venom activators in a certain sense. 



Noguchi further studied the quantitative relation of the requirement of 

 venom and venom activators to produce a definite degree of haemolysis. 

 Using a uniform amount of venom and variable amounts of activator, he 

 found that the requirement for producing an equal degree of haemolysis is in 

 proportion to the square root of the amount of venom present in the mixture. 

 In reversing the condition, namely, using a uniform amount of activator and 

 variable amounts of venom, it was found that an increase in activator per- 

 mits of a reduction in venom approximately in proportion to the square of 

 the amount of activator employed. 



The antihaemolytic property of cholesterin against that form of haemolysis 

 where venom and lecithin are concerned has been found by Kyes. Accord- 

 ing to Noguchi the action of cholesterin is directed to lecithin, but not to 

 venom. Noguchi prepared a series of haemolyzing mixtures in which varying 

 amounts of lecithin and venom were so combined as to result in an equivalent 

 haemolyzer. Cholesterin was added to such mixtures in sufficient amount to 



