THE SYMPTOMS Of SNAKE HITE 441 



amouni of fatly acids conlained in the corpuscles. If plentiful the red 

 cells are readily affected, but if scarce they are not so readily destroyed. 



Leucolysins. — \Veir .Mitchell and Reichert notice that the mobility 

 of the leucocytes absolutely cea.sed in Crotalus poisoning. The white 

 cells become stationary, granular and swollen, their outlines becoming 

 indistinct and then disappear. The lymphocytes are affected last. 

 Cobra poisoning is very vigorous in this respect. 



Haemorrhagin has the power of so damaging the vessel walls as to 

 form actual rents therein, permitting the blood to escape from them. 

 The destruction is due to a cytolytic action upon the endothelial cells 

 of the vessels and not to a bursting of the capillary wall. 



Other cvtoh-sins act upon the cells of the liver, kidney, testicle 

 and ovarv, causing lysis of same. The cells of the kidney tubules arc 

 necrotic and detached, filling the lumen. There are congestion and 

 interstitial haemorrhages. 



Antihcpmolysins are contained in some viper venoms which, if 

 added to red cells in a certain concentration, will not allow haemolysis 

 to take place. Perhaps it is due to precipitating the outer layer of 

 hccmoglobin. 



Antibactcricidal substances have been suspected because animals 

 killed bv snake venom rapidlv decompose. It has been shown that the 

 serum complements are fixed, and hence the bactericidal properties of 

 normal sera are destroyed. 



Fibrin jermcnt exists in the venom of the ^"iperin^e and Colubridas. 

 Vascular clotting is caused, convulsions and sudden death resulting. 



Antifihrin ferment is found in cobra and allied venoms. 



Prolcolytic ler}iu'nts \\ere suspected because the muscle fibres at the 

 site of the bite Avere rapidl}' softened by crotalus Aenom. Gelatine 

 is lic|uefied by it. The muscle fibres become necrotic and degenerate 

 with a local pol\morphonuclear infiltration. 



A Cardiac and ]'asciihir tonic is indicated bv the stimulation of 

 the heart and the continuous circulation after the cessation of respira- 

 tion, if artificial respiration is continued in cases resulting from the 

 inoculation of cobra venom. 



Exactly how it has been produced has not been demonstrated. 



THE SYMPTOMS OF SNAKE BITE. 



Colubrine Yenom, e.g., Xaja tripudians (aphidismus = snake 

 poisoning). 



On Animals. — Paralysis of tongue, larynx, pharynx and all volun- 

 tary movement, salivation, cessation of respiration, lachrvmation, 

 mucous discharge from nose, respiratory passages and stomach, local 

 inflammation, pain, engorgement, effusion, suppuration and sloughing. 



