348 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



properties, bringing on a dyspnoeic condition with con- 

 vulsive movements and loss of motion. The post-mortem 

 examinations revealed an extended visceral oadematous 

 infiltration, and stoppage of the heart in systole. 



A. W. BLYTH has claimed to have isolated from milk 

 two alkaloidal substances, namely galactine, the lead salt 

 of which is said to have the formula Pb 2 O 3 C 64 Hi 8 N 4 O 2s , 

 and lactochrome, the mercury salt of which is represented 

 by the formula HgOC 6 H 18 NO 6 . 



Leucomdines of the Venoms of Poisonous Serpents. 



The study of the chemistry of the venoms of serpents 

 and of batrachians is fraught with so many difficulties and 

 with so much danger, that we cannot wonder at the present 

 unsatisfactory condition of our knowledge in regard to the 

 poisonous principles which they contain. Much of the work 

 that has been doue hitherto is not only inaccurate and very 

 contradictory, but is far from meeting the requirements of 

 exact toxicological research. From recent investigations 

 it seems, however, to be quite certain that the most active 

 constituent of the venom of serpents is not alkaloidal in 

 its nature as has been supposed by some. In 1881 

 GAUTIER announced the isolation of two alkaloids from 

 the venom of the cobra which gave precipitates with tannin, 

 MAYER'S reagent, NESSLER'S reagent, iodine in potas- 

 sium iodide, etc. They formed crystallizable platinochlo- 

 rides and aurochlorides, and also crystalline, neutral, some- 

 what deliquescent hydrochlorides. The neutral or slightly 

 acid solutions produced an immediate precipitate of Prus- 

 sian blue in a mixture of potassium ferricyanide and ferric 

 chloride. These substances possess a decided physiological 

 action, though GAUTIER himself does not consider them 

 to be the most dangerous constituents of the venoms. This 

 observation of GAUTIER as to the presence of distinct basic 

 substances in venoms is at variance with that of WOLCOTT 

 GIBBS, who has been unable to obtain an alkaloid from the 

 rattlesnake (Crotalus) venom. S. WEIR MITCHELL and 

 E. T. REICHERT likewise state that they have been utterly 



