56 CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF BODY AND FOOD. 
lead us too far into pathological regions. The exact nature of the 
toxalbunioses and their antitoxins is by no means settled, but has 
already been followed by important practical results in the way of 
treatment. 
Snake poison. — The first group of proteid poisons in the foregoing 
list will furnish us with a typical example of the class, and it appears 
probable that, as the nature of the poison has been more thoroughly 
worked out in this than in most of the other cases, this will also form 
an important field of research in furnishing the key to the question of 
the nature of antitoxins ; for protective inoculation has here been 
followed with considerable success (Calmette, 1 Fraser 2 ). 
The first investigation into the chemistry of snake poison of any 
importance was by Prince Lucien Buonaparte, on the poison of an adder, 
in 1843. 3 He found that the activity of the poison was associated with 
the portion precipitable by alcohol ; and lie gave the name xipcrine to 
this precipitate. 
About I860, Weir Mitchell 4 turned his attention to the subject, and 
he was the first to recognise that the toxic principle of the venom is 
albuminous in nature. He termed it crotalin in the case of the rattle- 
snake. From that time till 1886 (in conjunction with Beichert) he 
continued his work, and confirmed his general conclusion in the case 
of the North American snakes. About 1871 the Indian snakes received 
their share of attention, and the names of Sir Joseph Fayrer 5 and 
Lauder Brunt on c are associated with valuable researches concerning 
the venom of the cobra, krait, and Indian viper. These observers dealt, 
however, with the object mainly from the point of view of the physio- 
logical action of the venom. 
" In 1883 Wall," in 1886 Wolfenden, s and in 1892 Kanthack, 9 
published important contributions to our knowledge of cobra poison, 
the improved methods of chemical physiology enabling them not only 
to identify the poison as a proteid, but to show that the variety of 
proteid present is principally proteose. Two observers have described 
poisons other than proteid in snake venom, viz. Gautier, 10 who regarded 
the venomous principle as alkaloidal : and Wynter Blyth, 11 who gave the 
name cobric acid to a crystalline substance which he separated from 
cobra venom, and which he asserted to be highly poisonous. Becent 
work has failed to substantiate these results, and such alkaloids as are 
present (and they are generally absent) are non-poisonous ones. 
In their researches on the venom of the Australian black snake, C. 
J. Martin and M'G. Smith 12 determined positively the nature of the 
1 " Le Venin des Serpents," Paris, 1896. 
-Brit. Med. Journ., London, 1895, vol. i. p. 1309. The name given to the antitoxin 
contained in the serum of immunised animals is antivenine. 
:; See Sir J. Fayrer, Proc. Med. Soc. London. 1884. 
4 X. Am. Med.-Chir. Rev., vol. v. p. 269 ; Med. Xcirs, Philadelphia, 1883 ; "Researches 
upon the Venoms of Poisonous Serpents," Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, 1886. 
5 Rep. on san. improvements in India. London, 1873, 1874. 
,; Rep. on san. measures in India, London, 1874 ; Proc. Roy. S'oe. London, 1872-3, 
1^73-4, 1875 ami 1878; Sir J. Fayrer, " Thanatophidia of India," London, 1S72, and 
numerous papers by same author in Edin. Jf-d. Journ., and Indian Med. Gaz., Calcutta, 
between 1868 and 1874. 
7 " Indian Snake Poisons, their Xature and Effects." 
8 Journ. Physiol., Cambridge and London, vol. vii. pp. 327, 357, 365. 
9 Ibid., vol. xiii. p. 372. w Bull. Acad.de mid., Paris, 1881. 
11 Analyst, London. lS7t>, vol. i. 
12 Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales, Sydney. July 3. Aug. 3, 1S92 ; Journ. Physiol., 
Cambridge and London, 1893, vol. xv. p. 380. 
