Xll VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



protein nature of ricin and abrin, another toxic principle from the jaquirity 

 bean, was then established. Flexner, who made the most minute pathologi- 

 cal study on these phytalbumins, called attention to the close resemblance 

 between some forms of toxalbumoids and snake-venom poisonings. Ehrlich 

 finally succeeded in preparing antiricin and antiabrin serums by immuniza- 

 tion, and confirmed their toxin-like nature. 



Strong evidences exist, however, that it is possible to separate pure toxic 

 agents from the protein molecules to which they attach. The work of L. 

 Mendel approaches this end, while peptic digestion has been shown by M. 

 Jacoby to remove much of the protein with the toxicity well preserved. 



Turning our attention now to the toxin-like products of animal origin, we 

 find that suitable examples are not lacking. Thus, many insects, worms, 

 fishes, amphibia, reptilia, and even mammalia are provided with glands 

 that secrete toxin-like principles of varying power. As proven by Calmette, 

 Phisalix and Bertrand, Fraser, and others nearly twelve years ago, snake 

 venom is placed among toxalbumoids by its apparent protein nature and 

 capability of antitoxin formation. To the category of toxins we may assign 

 various ferments, inasmuch as both are labile and antitoxin or antiferment 

 forming in the alien animal body, and having the antigenous property. It may 

 not be out of place, therefore, to make a brief comparison among the physio- 

 logical products elaborated by the specified cell groups and snake venom. 



Of all physiological products elaborated by diverse groups of specified cells 

 of animal body none is so complex as the venom of serpents. Any glandular 

 secretion is more or less polytropic in its action, but the secretion of the poison 

 gland of snakes takes the first rank in polytropism. It is well known that 

 the gastric juice contains at least three active ferments, namely, pepsin, 

 rennet, and lipase, and in the pancreatic secretion there are trypsin and lipase. 

 In the saliva we find pthyalin. In the leucocytes, as shown by the interesting 

 work of Opie, there are two kinds of proteolytic ferments and one fibrin fer- 

 ment. The multiplicity of these active principles becomes, however, almost 

 insignificant when compared with snake venom. This particular product is 

 found to be a remarkable polytropic one, and to-day we recognize in it a 

 large number of constituents which impart to the venom the powers of proteo- 

 lysis, lipolysis, plasma coagulation, and, above all, of dissolving the nerve 

 cells, blood cells, endothelia, liver cells, kidney cells, testicle cells, egg cells, 

 spermatozoa, protozoa, bacteria, and muscle fibers. In short, snake venom 

 contains (besides proteolytic ferments, lipase, and fibrin ferments) a group 

 of cytolysins of extreme activity, and, indeed, upon these cytotoxins depend 

 the lethal properties of nearly all kinds of snake venom. The venom fibrin 

 ferment has also been identified with the lethal principle of certain viperine 

 or colubrine venoms. 



Besides these directly injurious agents, venom contains a certain principle 

 which destroys the bactericidal property of the normal blood and causes 

 eventual secondary septicemic infection. That these cytolytic properties 

 of snake venom have nothing to do with the proteolytic or lipolytic ferments 



