34 THE VENOMS OP CERTAIN THANATOPHIDEiE. 



Experiment. — 5:55 injected the 'precipitate in 1 c. c. dilute nitric acid with which 

 it had been in contact for two hours. 

 6:05. No symptoms. 

 Following morning animal in good condition. 



It will thus be observed that the acid has completely destroyed the toxicity of 

 venom. We made still another experiment in which the venom was rubbed up 

 in a mortar and the acid added to it, and then diluted with water. 



Experiment. — 0.03 gram dried Crotalus venom was rubbed in a mortar until 

 powdered, and 4 gtt. C. P. nitric acid added. This formed a pasty mass of an 

 orange-yellow color. With 1 c. c. distilled water it formed a cloudy, orange- 

 yellow solution. 



The above was injected into the flank of a half-grown rabbit, without any symp- 

 toms of venom poisoning following within twelve hours. 



A similar experiment was made with a pigeon with a like result. The acid, 

 however, having been neutralized with sodic carbonate before injection. 



Muriatic Acid. — This acid does not seem to exert so strong an effect. Only one 

 experiment was made. 



Experiment. — 0.015 gram dried Crotalus venom was rubbed in a mortar, and to 

 it was added 4 gtt. C. P. muriatic acid forming a clear solution. With 1 c. c. 

 distilled water it made a turbid solution. 



3:44. Injected the above into the breast muscles of a pigeon. 



5:00. Very sick. 



5:50. Nearly dead. 



Following morning dead ; no local lesions from venom. 



Here the amount of venom used was only one-half of that employed in the nitric 

 acid experiment. The quantity of acid was the same, but in this experiment a 

 pigeon was used. 



As in the series with nitric acid, an experiment was also made in which the 

 dried venom was powdered in a mortar and a few drops of the pure acid used. 

 About 1 c. c. of distilled water was added, and the mixture neutralized with 

 sodic carbonate. It was then injected into the breast of a pigeon with the result 

 of death in twenty-six minutes. 



Sulphuric Acid. — Repeated the above, using instead of the muriatic acid 5 gtt. 

 sulphuric acid. The venom and acid formed a clear syrupy solution which became 

 milky by the addition of the water. 

 3:53. Injected as above. 

 5:50. Sickish. 

 Following morning dead; no local symptoms of venom poisoning. 



Dr. Mitchell had observed that if the acid was afterwards neutralized the 

 action of the venom was not affected. The delay of death in this experiment 

 seems to be due to the action of the non-neutralized acid. We, however, made 

 an experiment by powdering the dried venom (0.015 gram) in a mortar, adding a few 

 drops of the pure acid, diluting then with about 1 c. c. distilled water, and neutral- 

 izing with sodic carbonate. This was injected into the breast of a pigeon. 



