1 82 BACTERIA IN DAILY LIFE 



hours was absolutely without effect ; only when 

 the venom was introduced in quantities amounting 

 to as much as eight milligrammes was it followed 

 by fatal results. Thanks, therefore, to their extra- 

 ordinary agility and remarkable power of resisting 

 the effects of this lethal toxin, these little animals 

 are able to battle successfully with the most 

 dangerous reptiles. 



The rapidity with which serpent venom becomes 

 absorbed by the system is almost incredible, and 

 is well illustrated by the following experiment. A 

 rat was inoculated with venom near the tip of its 

 tail. One minute later the latter was cut off a short 

 distance above the point of inoculation ; but this 

 operation was quite unable to save the animal's 

 life, for even in that brief interval the poison had 

 accomplished its fatal work, and a few hours later 

 claimed its victim. 



This rapid diffusion of the venom helps to ex- 

 plain the difficulty which is experienced in arrest- 

 ing the course of the poison by local treatment, 

 for its passage is too rapid to permit of its being 

 overtaken by superficial measures of even the most 

 stringent character. But Calmette points out that 

 local precautions are not to be neglected, for 

 although they cannot nullify the action of the 

 venom, they undoubtedly do delay its progress, 

 and thus create a longer interval or respite, during 



