428 INFECTION AND IMMUNITY. 



Kobert gave the name of phallin to a toxic sub- 

 stance which may be extracted from poisonous 

 mushrooms, particularly the "Deadly Amanite" 

 (Amanita phalloides). In some countries many 

 deaths are caused by eating this variety: Kussia, 

 Germany, Italy, France, Japan (Ford). Phallin 

 is very toxic for animals and is strongly hemolytic 

 for many bloods. By immunization Ford has re- 

 cently obtained an antitoxin which neutralizes the 

 hemolytic action of the poison, and which in a dose 

 of 0.5 c.c. protects rabbits against five fatal doses 

 of the toxin. The toxin is an aqueous extract of 

 the dried plants. 



C. INTOXICATION BY SOLUBLE ANIMAL TOXINS. 

 I. POISONING BY SNAKE BITES. 



The poison apparatus of snakes consists of 

 a secretory gland on each side which communi- 

 cates with a tubular fang by means of a duct. In 

 the passive state the fangs are directed backward 

 on the roof of the mouth, but when the animal 

 strikes their points are made to project forward 

 and the poison is forced through the canals by 

 muscular compression of the sac. The venom is 

 a glandular secretion. The colubridinae, among 

 which is the American coral snake, possess im- 

 movable fangs. 



The venoms of different snakes vary a great 

 deal in their toxic properties. The most impor- 

 tant constituents are those which attack the nerv- 

 ous system (neuro toxin), the blood corpuscles 

 (hemolysins and hemagglutinins) and the endo- 

 thelium of the blood vessels, causing hemorrhages 

 (hemorrhagin, an endotheliotoxin). The three are 

 independent. 



