114 BIOLOGY AND THE STATE II 



It is an interesting fact in this connection that 

 poisonous snakes are, as shown by Sir Joseph Fayrer, 

 " mithridatised " in regard to their own poison. The 

 l:)ite of a poisonous snake has no effect on another 

 poisonous snake of the same group. A similar dis- 

 covery has been made by Professor Bourne of Madras, 

 who examined scorpions in regard to this matter at 

 my request. A scorpion cannot sting itself to death, 

 nor can it sting another scorpion. The scorpion is 

 "immune" to scorpion poison. The explanation in 

 the case of both snakes and scorpions is this — that 

 small quantities of the poison elaborated by the poison- 

 glands in these animals are continually absorbed by 

 the blood, and thus the animal is mithridatised. It 

 is known that the elaborated secretion of other glands 

 passes continually in small quantities into the blood 

 in other animals examined by physiologists ; thus 

 traces of the secretion of the salivary gland and of 

 the pancreas are detected in the blood of rabbits and 

 dogs. 



(B) 



The statement made as to the preponderating 

 activity of German scientific laboratories remains true, 

 although France has largely increased her already 

 extensive provision for scientific research by State aid. 

 The Institut Pasteur in Paris is the most important 

 scientific institution which has been founded of late 

 years. It owes its existence partly to public subscrip- 

 tion and partly to Government support. Besides 



