40 THE VENOMS OF CERTAIN THANATOPHIDE^E. 



of administration. In all the same quantities of venom and salt were used, but in 

 one the solution was injected simply beneath the skin and in the others directly 

 into the muscles of the breast. In the former the animal did not die until after 

 the lapse of nearly thirty-six hours, while one of the others died remarkably soon 

 within four minutes after the injection, and the third in twenty-eight minutes. 



Experiment. Dissolved 0.03 gram dried venom of the Crotalus adamanteus in 

 1 c. c. distilled water and then added 0.03 gram ferrous sulphate. The addition 

 of the iron salt renders the solution clear. 



3:40. Injected beneath the skin of the thigh of a pigeon. 

 6:00. No apparent effects. 



Twenty -four hours no effects. Thirty-six hours dead. Slight local effects of venom, 

 but the destructive action of the iron salt on the tissues is much more prominent. 



Experiment. The same as above. 



3:32. Injected into (he breast muscles of a pigeon. 

 3:36. Convulsions : death. No local lesions. 



. 



In another experiment the bird died in twenty-eight minutes after injection. 



It must be concluded from this that the ferrous sulphate does not destroy the 

 activity of the venom. 



Dialyzed Iron. When dialyzed iron is added to a solution of venom all of the 

 proteid matter is precipitated, and the filtrate is found to give no reaction for 

 proteids with the xanthoproteic or picric-acid tests. The precipitate is brown, and 

 so gelatinous that if the solutions are somewhat concentrated it does not flow. 

 The precipitate does not dissolve in distilled water, yet it must be very soluble in 

 the tissues since the toxic effects of the venom rapidly appear after its injection. 

 We made two experiments,, both with Moccasin venom, one with the dried and the 

 other with fresh venom. 



Experiment. Dissolved 0.015 gram dried Moccasin venom in 0.5 c. c. distilled 

 water and added 3 gtt. dialyzed iron. This caused a considerable amount of 

 brownish gelatinous precipitate which thickened the mixture appreciably. Now 

 added 1 c. c. distilled water. 



'3:20. Injected into the breast muscles of a pigeon. 

 3:25. Down. 

 3:45. Dead. 



Experiment. Took two drops of fresh Moccasin venom and added first 5 gtt. 

 dialyzed iron, and then 1 c. c. distilled water. The iron and venom made a very 

 thick brownish mixture. 



5:18. Injected into the breast muscles of a pigeon. 

 5:30. Dead. 



One experiment was made in this connection to see if dialyzed iron exerted 

 any poisonous effect, we injected thirty drops into the breast muscles of a pigeon, 

 without toxic result. 



Ferric Chloride. We have used the chloride of iron in two forms; the officinal 

 tincture, U. S. P., and the officinal liquor. Both these solutions greatly affect the 

 poisonous activity of venom, the latter, indeed, if used in sufficient quantity, 



