EFFECTS OF SNAKE VENOM. 361 
The solution (filtrate) is not poisonous. The poisonous 
principles of the venom which have been precipitated, if injected 
under the skin of an animal, will cause death just as rapidly as 
if the pure unaltered venom had been injected. It will thus be 
seen that alcohol, even if it were possible to drink it in the 
absolute or pure form, would not destroy the venom in the 
slightest. 
Fic. 141.—1. Unsheathed Poison Fangs of a Puff Adder in act of striking. 2. Erected fangs 
of a Puff Adder covered with the membraneous sheath (Vagina dentis) which protects 
them from injury. When the mouth is closed the fangs lie within these sheaths along 
the jaw. 3. The dissected head of a Puff Adder showing the erect fangs, the poison 
bag or gland, and the channel along which the venom runs to the hollow tooth. The 
black patch under the eye is the poison gland. 4. Fangs of a Cape Cobra. Note how 
small they are in comparison with those of the Puff Adder. 5. Cape Cobra’s head, back 
view. 6. Dissected head of a Boomslang, showing the poison fangs and gland. Note 
how far back in the jaw they are. The black spot at the back of the fangs is the gland. 
There is no duct or channel leading from it. The venom oozes into a sheath at the 
base of the grooved fangs. 7. The bifid or forked tongue of a snake. Snakes do not 
sting with their tongues. 
The venoms of all snakes are rendered harmless after boiling 
several hours. Adder poison is destroyed more or less after a 
few minutes’ boiling, but Cobra venom resists the action of heat 
much longer. When boiled in solution with water, or raised to 
a temperature of 70° to 80° C., snake venom throws down a 
white flocculent precipitate. After the removal of this sediment 
