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354 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
like gum, but does not crystallize. The acid, being of a volatile 
nature, disappears, leaving the dry venom neutral. Venom 
either dry or fluid will retain its toxic or poisonous properties 
a great number of years. Dried venom will readily dissolve 
in warm water. When kept in solution in water, snake venom 
decomposes and loses its poisonous properties in a month or two. 
On the other hand, if venom be mixed with glycerine it will 
keep indefinitely. Dr. Weir Mitchell kept venom for thirty-two 
years, and Dr. J. C. Martin for thirteen years without it losing 
any of its poisonous properties. I have also found that after the 
lapse of years its effect is just as potent upon animals as when 
injected fresh. Snake venom is an albuminous substance of the 
nature of the raw albuminous or “ white’’ part of an egg. All 
attempts to fully isolate or separate the toxic or poisonous 
qualities have so far failed. It is thought that the active 
principle is caused by a special arrangement or grouping of the 
atoms of the albuminous fluid, forming a solution of poisonous 
proteids. Snake venoms are very complex and varied in their 
action. The composition, nature, and effects of venoms differ 
considerably. Pure Puff Adder venom, if allowed to stand in a 
glass tube, deposits a white flocculent mass. The rest of the 
venom becomes light amber in colour and sets to the consistency 
of jelly a few hours after being drawn from the snake. If mixed 
with water and stirred, the white precipitate is dissolved. Cobra 
venom remains in a transparent condition. 
Dr. C. J. Martin, Director of the Lister Bacteriological Insti- 
tute of London, says:—‘‘ The analysis of the physiological 
action of venoms has proved them to be made up of a great 
many more constituents than would be imagined from their 
chemical examination. Different venoms have been found to 
contain one or more of the following: (1) A powerful fibrin- 
ferment ; (2) an anti-fibrin ferment ; (3) A proteolytic ferment ; 
(4) various cytolysins capable of acting upon red blood corpuscles, 
phagosytes, endothelial cells of blood vessels, nerve cells, and 
the cells of various other tissues. In addition to the above, 
various other more remote pathological conditions are induced.” 
The various venoms being so different in their combination 
or “‘ make up,” it naturally follows that the venoms of various 
kinds of snakes would induce symptoms more or less dissimilar. 
This is the reason the serum from an animal immunized to the 
