ACTION OF HELODERMA VENOM ON THE CELLULAR 



ELEMENTS OF THE BLOOD WITHIN THE 



LIVING ORGANISM. 



BY M. K. MEYERS AND Lucius TUTTLE. 



There is a paucity of information regarding the reaction of the cellular 

 elements of the blood in response to the presence within the living body of a 

 venom. The only reference to the subject we could find in the literature con- 

 cerned work done by Chateney,* who found in an animal rendered immune to a 

 lethal dose of cobra venom a rise in the leucocytes from 6,500 to 8,000; three 

 control rabbits that had received lethal doses of the venom died, showing a 

 hypoleucocytosis. Although Calmettef states, presumably on the authority 

 of Chateney, that injection of a venom in amount sufficient to cause feeble 

 intoxication is followed by a hyperleucocytosis, it will be seen that the above 

 rise in the number of leucocytes is present only in a certain number of cases. 



The following experiments prove definitely that leucocytosis is one of the 

 reactions of the organism against the introduction of a specific venom; and it 

 would seem that in an animal already immune this leucocytosis is greatly 

 increased. 



The dried venom was dissolved in a small quantity of salt solution and 

 injected subcutaneously, unless otherwise stated. In estimating hemoglobin 

 the Fleischl-Miescher instrument was employed. 



The accompanying protocols and charts are more or less self-explanatory. 



*Chateney. Les reactions leucocytaires vis-a-vis de certaines toxines. Thse de Paris, 1894. 



fCalmette. Les venins, les animaux venimeux et la seroth6rapie antivenimeuse. Paris, 1907, pp. 226, 227. 



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