DRUGS AND POISONS 153 



alkaloids are formed. They are called leucomaines. They 

 circulate in the blood and produce headaches, drowsiness, 

 and other mild forms of poisoning which may become 

 severe and produce death when, as in Bright's disease, 

 the kidneys and skin do not remove the poisons. At least 

 sixteen leucomaines are known. 



268. Ptomaines. As a result of decay and other changes 

 after death, another set of poisons like alkaloids and leuco 

 maines are produced. They are called ptomaines. They 

 cause most of the symptoms produced by eating decayed 

 meat. A special kind of the poison, called tyrotoxicon, 

 sometimes forms in milk and ice cream which has been 

 kept for some time. Ptomaines and leucomaines can 

 always be found in the bodies of dead persons. 



269. Hypodermic injections. When injected beneath the 

 skin by means of a hypodermic needle, drugs and poisons reach the 

 blood at once and produce much more powerful and rapid results than 

 when absorbed from the stomach. Alkaloids are well fitted for this use. 



270. Snake bites. In the upper jaw of a poisonous 

 snake is a sharp, hollow tooth, which is the outlet for 

 a bag of poison. When the snake bites, the pressure of 

 the flesh against the bag forces some poison through 

 the tooth, which thus acts as a hypodermic needle. The 

 poison is a kind of leucomaine. It produces pain and 

 swelling at the point of injection, great weakness of the 

 whole body, and sometimes death. 



The treatment of snake bites must be prompt. A 

 handkerchief should be tied very tightly round the limb, 

 above the wound, so as to prevent the poison from reach- 

 ing the whole body. Then the wound should be sucked 

 for some time, so as to remove as much as possible of the 

 poison. No harm can come to the person who sucks the 

 wound if the blood is spit out at once. If bleeding does 



