42 THE YENOMS OF CERTAIN THANATOPHIDE^E. 



and, like that element in all the venoms, unaffected by the iron, while the principal 

 toxic effects of the Crotalus and *Ancistrodon venoms is due to the globulins which 

 are precipitated and chemically altered by the iron salt. 



Filtration through Various Substances. — Filtration through alumina or wood 

 charcoal does not affect the poisonous activity of the venom, but by filtration 

 through animal charcoal all of the poisonous material in venom is left behind and 

 the filtrate is accordingly innocuous. 



Experiment. — Dissolved 0.03 gram dried Moccasin venom in 2 c. c. distilled 

 water and filtered four times through animal charcoal. The filtrate gives no 

 proteid reaction. 



4:20. Injected 1.5 c. c. of the filtrate into the breast of a pigeon. At the end of twenty- 

 four hours no symptoms of venom poisoning had occurred, but there was some oedema at the 

 point of injection. 



Repeated the above experiment, using 0.045 gram of Moccasin venom, and with 

 similar results. 



Snake Bile. — Among the curious substances which have been extolled as anti- 

 dotes for venom poisoning is snake bile. We made but one experiment, which 

 speaks volumes. 



Experiment. — Mixed lj minims of fresh venom from a dead Crotalus adam- 

 anteus with 1 c. c. of bile from the same animal. 

 4:47. Injected into the breast of a pigeon. 

 4:47^. Incoordination. 

 4:50. Gasping respiration. 

 4:55. Convulsive movements. 

 4:56. Dead. 



Digestion. — By digestion in strong artificial gastric juice made from the pig's 

 stomach the toxic power of venom (Crotalus) is completely destroyed. 



Experiment. — Three drops of the glycerine solution of venom ( Crotalus horridus) 

 (1862) were digested for sixteen hours in about 1 c. c. fresh artificial gastric juice 

 from the pig's stomach. 



8:30 a. m. Injected into the breast muscles of a pigeon. Up to the end of forty-eight 

 hours no poisonous symptoms ensued. 



This experiment was repeated with an identical result. We also made two 

 experiments in which the digestive process was not carried on for such a length 

 of time, in both only four hours, and with similar results. In one we used six 

 drops of the glycerine solution of venom as above — just double the dose — and in 

 the other 0.015 gram of the dried Crotalus adamanteus venom. 



The results of digestion in artificial pancreatic juice are similar. We made but 

 one experiment, and that with the venom of the Crotalus adamanteus. 



Experiment. — Digested 0.03 gram dried venom in 1 c. c. freshly prepared pan- 

 creatic juice from the pig for twenty-four hours. 



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



5:45. Slightly droopy. 



Following morning, no effects apparent. 



