Chapter IX 



ANTIVENIN SOURCES 



Antivenins are available for use in the treat- 

 ment of most cases of snake venom poisoning. 

 They may be supplied as the whole serum taken 

 from horses immunized a^^ainst the venom (s) 

 and packaged as a solution or as a dried product, 

 or they may be supplied in a concentrated or pur- 

 ified form as either a liquid or a lyophilized 

 powder. The ability of these various i)roducts 

 to neutralize a specific venom may differ consid- 

 erably. In general, the more species and genus 

 specific the antivenin the more elective it will 

 be in combating the effects of poisoning. Also, 

 the more concenti'utod and purified the jjroduct 

 the more effective it will be and the less I lie likeli- 



liood to i)roduce anaphylaxis. Before admin- 

 istering any antitoxin the physician or corpsman 

 should consult the brochure accompanying the 

 antivenin for specific instructions. 



The following tabulation shows the antivenins 

 available, the country in which they aiv pro- 

 duced, the protluccr, the name of the product, 

 I lie venom (s) used in the i)reparation of the 

 antivenin, the common name of the snake, com- 

 ments on the additional venoms that the antivenin 

 may neutralize, and data on the processing of the 

 Miilivcnin. The venom (s) used in the prepara- 

 tion of the antivenins appear singly (mono- 

 valent) or in groups (polyvalent). 



RUSSELL, F. E. and LAURITZEN. L. 



Antivenins. Trans. Royal Soc. Trop. 

 Hyg., GO: 797-810. 



REFERENCES 



1960. 

 ^re(l. 



* Tliis list of sources ami types of antivenins is acciiratc williiii tin' limits of llu> Intfsi avnilalile information 

 from maiuifac'ttu'ers at the time of ptiblitalioii. 



169 



