182 PHYTOTOXINS AND ZOOTOXISS 



BEE POISON 



Bee poison has been better studied than most insect poisons, 

 beginning with the work of Paul Bert (1865). It is secreted 

 by the glands into a small poison sac, and stored up until ejected. 

 Cloez found that bee poison was precipitated by ammonia, 

 tannin, and platinic chloride, and Langer proved it to be a non- 

 volatile organic base. As excreted, it is acid, contains 30 per 

 cent, of solids, and one honey-bee secretes 0.0003-0.0004 gm. 

 It contains formic acid and much proteid, but it has been 

 stated that the poison is proteid-free, and is not destroyed by 

 heat (100), weak acids, or alkalies. On the other hand, it is 

 said to be destroyed by proteolytic enzymes, which would indicate 

 that it is of proteid nature. Hemolysis is produced both in vitro 

 and in vivo with all sorts of blood, but to very different degrees, 

 thus resembling spider toxin. Locally bee poison causes 

 necrosis, with marked hyperemia and edema. A 4500 gm. 

 dog was killed by intravenous injection of 6 c.c. of a 1 .5 per 

 cent, solution of pure poison (Langer 1 ). 



Immunity is undoubtedly possible, for bee-keepers frequently 

 show a great decrease in susceptibility. On the other hand, 

 abnormally great susceptibility is frequently seen, some cases 

 of fatal poisoning having been observed. 2 



Ants also produce formic acid, a fact so well known that it 

 has come to be considered that this is the source of their toxicity. 

 Yon Furth, however, suggests the probability that ant poison, 

 like that of the bees, owes its chief effects to other more 

 complex, unknown poisons. 



POISONS OF DERMAL GLANDS OF TOADS AND SALAMANDERS 



It has been known for centuries that toads produce poisonous 

 substances, Par6 in 1575 having discoursed interestingly, if 

 inaccurately, on this topic. Numerous studies have been made 

 of these poisons, which are secreted by the dermal glands and 

 therefore cannot be used for poisoning either prey or enemies 

 (except those that feed upon them) ; the most extensive study 

 being that of Faust. 3 He isolated two constituents, apparently 

 the same, in different species of toads ; one, which he called 

 bufotalin, is very active, resembling the digitalis group ; the 

 other, bufonin, is much less active. Bufonin is neutral in 



1 Arch. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 1896 (38), 381 ; Arch, internal. Pharmac. 

 et Ther., 1899 (6), 181. 



2 Hospitalstidende, 1905, No. 27. 



3 Arch. f. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 1902 (47), 279. Complete bibliography 

 and review. 



