VENOM HEMOLYSIS. 273 



tion of the sensitized cells from the action of the 

 complement. The phenomenon led Wechsberg to 

 suggest that in the therapeutic administration of 

 bactericidal serums it may be possible to give too 

 much of the serum. Although diversion of com- 

 plement is a demonstrated fact, its importance in 

 serum therapy is perhaps not definitely settled. 



It is of interest that amboceptors are widely dis- Hemoiytic 

 tributed in the animal kingdom, and that in cer- 

 tain instances they may be demonstrated in the 

 secretions. It has long been known that the 

 venoms of many serpents have the power of des- 

 troying red blood cells. A given venom may 

 contain several toxic substances, and the poisons 

 of different serpents by no means coincide in their 

 toxic properties. Cobra venom contains two well- 

 known toxins, one for the nervous tissue and one 

 which dissolves erythrocytes, the neurotoxin having 

 the greater pathogenic significance. Cobra venom 

 also agglutinates red blood corpuscles, and Flexner 

 and Noguchi found that it contains special toxins 

 for the cells of various organs (cytotoxins). The 

 venom of the rattlesnake, on the other hand, is 

 neurotoxic to a less degree, but has a pronounced 

 influence in causing capillary hemorrhages. The 

 latter power Flexner ascribes to a toxin for 

 endothelial cells, which he calls hemorrhagin. 

 Through the works both of Flexner and Noguchi 

 and of Kyes, facts were learned concerning the 

 hemolytic toxin of cobra venom, which may be of 

 great importance in problems of general immun- 

 ity. It seems that the hemolysin of venom is an 

 amboceptor rather than a toxin of the usual 

 nature, and that the aid of complement is neces- 



