152 VENOMS 
diately, as happens in periods of cellular stimulation, or else 
continue to exist for some time within the cell, indicating a period 
of saturation by the elaborated material. 
During cytoplasmic activity the granule of venogen and the 
ergastoplasmic venogen disappear. 
Nuclear elaboration and cytoplasmic elaboration constitute two 
different cycles of secretion. The effect of the nuclear cycle is to 
furnish the cytoplasm with the elements necessary for the work 
of secretion properly so-called. Cytoplasmic elaboration is not 
confined to the basal protoplasm, but takes place throughout the 
entire cell: it is especially active in the perinuclear cytoplasm. 
The granule of venogen is distinguished from the granule of 
elaborated venom by its affinity for Unna’s blue, safranin, and 
fuchsin. The granule of venom has an affinity for eosin; it is 
never excreted in granular form, but after intracellular dissolution. 
Venogen is never met with in the lumen of the gland-tube.! 
COLLECTION OF VENOM. 
Venom can be extracted from the poison-glands of either freshly 
killed or living snakes. 
In cases in which the venom of dead snakes has to be collected, 
the best method of extraction consists in fixing the head of the 
animal to a sheet of cork and carefully dissecting out the gland on 
each side. The reptile being placed on its back, the lower jaw 
is removed with a pair of scissors; two strong pins or two tacks 
are thrust through the skull, in the median line, in order to keep 
the head from moving. The poison-fangs are next drawn out of 
their sheaths, and, without injuring them, the two poison-ducts, 
which open at their bases, are isolated and tied with a thread in 
order to prevent the poison from running out. 
The dissection of the glands is then very easy ; they are lifted 
1 L. Lannoy, “ Thèse de doctorat és sciences,” Paris, 1903, No. 1,138, série A, 
454. 
