BY C. J. MARTIN AND FRANK TIDSWELL. 487 



end of the cell, which we found in our second specimens killed 

 June 6th. The variations in structure between these two glands 

 recall to one's mind the differences between an actively secreting 

 mammary gland and -one which has undergone retrogressive 

 metamorphosis. 



It is interesting to note that con*esponding to these differences 

 in minute structure, differences in the physiological action of the 

 secretion obtained from them were obsei'ved. 



The secretion from the first described glands in which the cells 

 were in an " active " condition produced a marked poisonous efiect 

 when injected into rabbits, whilst that from the second gave 

 negative results. 



Note on tlie Chemical Couiposition of the Secretion. 



This and the following portion of this paper dealing with the 

 toxic action of the secretion of these glands, must, in considei'a- 

 tion of the small amount of material at our disposal, be looked 

 upon merely as a preliminary communication. But as we cannot 

 tell how' long it may be before we are fortunate enough to 

 obtain further supplies, and considering the very definite nature 

 of our results, it seems quite worth while to publish them at the 

 present time. 



More than two j^^ears ago one of us (M.) attacked this subject. 

 A pair of glands (fresh) which were supplied through the kindness 

 of Prof. Wilson, were chopped up and extracted with dilute salt 

 solution, and the nature of the extract examined. This examina- 

 tion showed that in addition to the albumins, globulins and 

 nucleo-albumins, which might be extracted l>y such treatment, 

 there was present in the extract a small quantity of proteose. 



The innoculation experiments, however, both with the first 

 extract, and with the separated proteose, gave negative results. 



As the poisonous constituents of snake venom had been shown* 

 to Vje due to proteoses, and in the light of the above results, we 



* Weir Mitchell, Smithsonian Contrib. to Knowledge, 1886. Wolfenden, 

 .Tour. Physiol. Vol. vii. ; Knulback, ibid. Vol. xiii. Martin and Smith, 

 Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W. 1892. 



