COBRA HEMOLYSIS 97 



The viper bite incites a very severe local reaction. The point of infection is red, 

 extremely painful and swollen. Convulsions, hemorrhages, followed by delirium 

 which finally changes into stupor are manifest, and death takes place in one to three 

 days. If the poison gets into the circulation directly, death is likely to occur in a few 

 minutes. 



The prognosis of a snake infection depends largely upon the situation of 

 the bite. The greater the blood supply of the infected area the more 

 dangerous is the result. Bites received through the clothing are relatively 

 less dangerous, as a great part of the poison remains adherent to the 

 clothing. 



Snake poisons act primarily upon the nervous system and blood, 

 although they exhibit a number of other toxic and ferment properties. 

 Thus viper toxin occasions immediate coagulation of the blood by its 

 action upon the vascular endothelium and has for this reason been called 

 by Flexner and Noguchi, "Hemorrhagin." 



Furthermore, all snake poisons have a hemolytic power. 



Cobra hemolysis represents one of the most interesting of 



Cobra biological phenomena, and since it may possibly be employed 

 Hemolysis. in clinical methods of examination its action will be here 

 reviewed. 



Cobra hemotoxin is characterized by its power of dissolving the red 

 blood corpuscles of certain kinds of animals (ox, sheep and goat) only in 

 the presence of serum. Other red blood cells do not require any serum 

 for their hemolysis (dog, guinea-pig, man, rabbit, horse). If the red 

 blood corpuscles of the first group of animals washed free of their serum 

 are mixed with cobra poison, no hemolysis takes place. On subse- 

 quent addition of any fresh serum, hemolysis is in evidence. (Flexner, 

 Noguchi.) 



The agent which activates the hemolytic substance belongs undoubt- 

 edly to the class of lipoids. Of these, lecithin stands pre-eminent. It is, 

 however, by no means certain whether that is the only or the most im- 

 portant activator. 



Some sera exhibit this activating influence only when first heated. In 

 their unheated state they are entirely inactive. Other sera act in a 

 manner decidedly the reverse. Kyes and Sachs mention that this depends 

 altogether upon the nature of the lecithin union. The following table 

 shows the various combinations and their resultant action. 



