Study of the Venom of Serpents. 63 



Since finishing the Appendix, I have received the 

 last number of the " Annales de 1' Institut Pasteur," 

 containing 



CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE 

 VENOM OF SERPENTS: IMMUNITY OF 

 ANIMALS AND TREATMENT OF THE 

 BITE. 



By Dr. A. CALMETTE. 



From the Laboratory of M. Koux, of the Pasteur Institute. 



The paper is so important, that I have thought it 

 necessary to make several extracts, in order to bring 

 the subject up to date. 



The snakes used were the Cobra of India and 

 Cochin China ; the Tiger snake ; the Black snake of 

 Australia ; and the Viper of France. 



" Immunity against a dose of venom, usually mortal 

 to fresh animals, can be obtained in the following 

 manner: If we inoculate under the skin of a rabbit 

 2 milligrammes of cobra poison, a dose capable of kill- 

 ing in less than two hours ; and if, twenty minutes 

 afterwards, we inject chloride of lime diluted to -^ 

 around the poison wound, and in various parts of the 

 body, the rabbit thus treated resists the action of 

 the poison, after a transient illness. It falls away at 

 once, and continues to do so during the following 

 six or eight days, and then completely re-establishes 

 itself. 



" If, after a fortnight's rest, J milligramme of the 

 venom is injected, it does not succumb. This rabbit is 

 thenceforth vaccinated against this dose of J milli- 



