SNAKE POISONS. 



to 2 c.c. of the serum subcutaneously when asthmatic attacks occur, or 

 when the above local treatment has failed. 



In America a special Pollantin is made against the frequent form of hay- 

 fever known as " autumn catarrh" by immunization with the pollen of the 

 golden rod and rag weed. 



The pollantin therapy and prophylaxis has been quite satisfactory, inas- 

 much as two-thirds of the patients remain either entirely free from attacks 

 or are so greatly benefited that their general duties are not interfered with. 

 The only radical means of curing the disease is a change of climate, suitable 

 to the patient. 



The Zootoxins. 



Most important of the animal toxins are 

 i. Phrynolysin (toad poison), | 



* Ararhnnlvsm ^n?Hprnn^ Simple hemotoxins. 



Arachnolysin (spider poison), 



3. Snake poison, 



4. Scorpion poison, Lecithm 



5. Bee poison, 





The one striking characteristic of toxins, that an immunity can be 

 raised against them, is also possessed by these poisons. Beyond this fact 

 they present many variations from the true class of toxins. Most of these 

 poisons are complex, i.e., they contain more than one toxin, and all are 

 hemotoxic. 



Toad poison is produced by rubbing up the skins of the Bombinator igneus; spider 

 poison by trituration of the living "cross spiders" (Epeira diadema) in three or four times 

 the amount of physiological salt solution containing toluol. 



The toad and spider poisons contain simple hemotoxins, that is to say, by the mixture 

 of small amounts of this toxin with erythrocytes absolutely serum-free, hemolysis of the 

 latter takes place. Not all species of blood are affected alike. The red blood corpuscles 

 of sheep, goats, and rabbits are especially adapted for experiments with phrynolysin, 

 while rabbits', rats', and human blood is more suitable for arachnolysin. Immunity of 

 rabbits is easily attained. 



Snake-poisons. 



The most familiar poisonous snakes are the Cobras (Naja) of India and 

 Indo-China which belong to the family of Colubridae, the European viper, 

 and the American rattlesnake; the last two being of the Viperidae species. 

 The poisons of these two families show great individual differences. Thus, 

 those of the Colubridae group are decidedly thermo-resistant (temperatures 



