THE PHYSIOLOGY OF POISONING 199 
chloroform, alcohol, toluene, and water. Its properties are there- 
fore entirely distinct from those of its two components. It pre- 
cipitates slowly from its aqueous solutions, without losing its 
hemolytic power; it does not show biuret-reaction ; it dissolves 
with equal readiness the red corpuscles of all species of animals, 
and its effects, like those of venom, are impeded by cholesterin. 
Kyes has succeeded in obtaining lecithides with all the hæmo- 
lytic venoms that he was able to study: thus he has prepared 
lecithides from Lachesis lanceolatus, Naja haje, Bungarus, Lachesis 
flavoviridis, and Crotalus. Itis therefore probable that the lecithino- 
phile group exists in all venoms, even when these differ as regards 
their other properties. 
A wide range of difference is exhibited by the various venoms, 
as regards their hæmolysing power in the presence of normal heated 
serum or lecithin. The venom of Naja and that of Bungarus are 
the most active. The action of the venoms of VIPERIDÆ, and 
especially of those of Crotalus, is very weak. For example, while 
1 milligramme of Cobra-venom dissolves in from five to ten 
minutes 1 c.c. of a 5 per cent. dilution of red corpuscles in the 
presence of lecithin or normal heated serum, the same dose of 
the venom of Vipera russellii takes thirty minutes to effect the 
dissolution, and the venom of Lachesis lanceolatus takes three 
hours. 
P. Kyes and H. Sachs have discovered the apparently para- 
doxical fact that, if to the red corpuscles of certain species of 
animals Cobra-venom be added in increasing doses, hemolysis 
augments up to a certain point, beyond which the destruction 
of the corpuscles shows progressive diminution. In a large dose 
Cobra-venom no longer produces any effect upon the corpuscles 
of the horse, for example, even when the venom is added in 
presence of a great excess of lecithin or heated serum. It would 
seem, then, that, according to the theory of Ehrlich, under the 
influence of an exaggerated amount of venom-amboceptor there 
is produced a deviation on the part of the complement (serum or 
