THE CHEMICAL STUDY OF SXAKE-VENOMS 165 



normal glandular juices, they possess very manifest zymotic pro- 

 perties, which singularly complicate their physiological action, and 

 upon which we shall dwell later on. 



Electricity, employed in the form of continuous electrolytic 

 currents passing through a solution of venom, destroys the toxicity 

 of the latter, because under these conditions there is always formed, 

 at the expense of the salts accompanying the venom, a sufficient 

 quantity of chlorinated products (hypochlorites, chlorates, &c.), and 

 a small amount of ozone, the oxidizing action of which is extremely 

 powerful. 



With alternating currents of high frequency, Phisalix, repeating 

 the experiments that Arson val and Charrin had performed upon 

 diphtheria toxin, thought that he had succeeded in attenuating 

 venom to the point of transforming it into vaccine.^ But it has 

 been shown by Marmier that this attenuation was simply the result 

 of thermic actions. When, by means of a suitable arrangement, 

 any rise of temperature was carefully avoided, no modification of 

 toxicity was obtained.'- 



The influence of light, which has no effect upon venom pre- 

 served in a dry state, is, on the contrary, very marked upon venom 

 in solution. Solutions of venom that are destined for physiological 

 experiments should therefore not be employed without controls, if 

 they be several days old. Apart from the fact that, if care be not 

 taken to render them aseptic, they very soon become con- 

 taminated with the germs of all kinds of microbes, it is found that 

 they gradually lose a large part of their activity, especially when 

 they remain in contact- with the air. By filtering them through 

 a Chamberland candle and keeping them in the dark, in a re- 

 frigerator, in perfectly closed phials, they may be kept unimpaired 

 for several months. 



' Cornptes rendus dc la Societe de Biologie,29 fevrier, 1896. 

 - Annates de I'Institut Pasteur, 1896, p. 489. 



