184 VENOMS 



were very far advanced. The same applies to the muscular fibres 

 of the heart. This organ exhibits, above all, hsemorrhagic infi^ltra- 

 tions in its peripheral portion, rarely in its substance. 



The lungs are the seat of more important lesions. We find in 

 them a multitude of little infarcts. Around these the capillary 

 vessels are extremely dilated, and the pulmonary vesicles have 

 become very small. 



All these lesions of the visceral organs strangely resemble those 

 observed in the case of individuals who have died from yellow fever. 

 This observation has been made by several scientists, among others 

 by Sanarelli, and it is this perhaps that has suggested to some 

 (Dyer, of St. Louis, R. Bettencourt, of Sao-Paulo^) the idea of 

 treating — without much success, however — yellow fever by the 

 antitoxin of venom. 



(4) Action upon the Striated Muscles. 



The changes in the striated, muscles in places at which venom 

 has been injected do not present any specific character. The 

 muscular fibres already become necrosed half an hour after the 

 injection ; the diseased tissue becomes permeated with an albumin- 

 ous mass rich in fibrin, and the blood is extravasated. A few 

 hours later we observe, between the bundles of degenerate muscle 

 fibres, polymorphous leucocytes. The number of these latter con- 

 stantly increases, and attains its maximum after one or two days. 

 The muscular nuclei become distorted, appear long or angular, and 

 assume the aspect of myoblasts (sarcoblastic muscle cells). In the 

 protoplasm of the myoblasts we frequently find particles of broken- 

 down muscle, and globules of fat. 



All these changes resemble those observed as the result of the 

 action of a host of other muscle poisons, especially the irritant or 

 caustic chemical substances. 



' Soci^td de Medecine et de Chirurgie de Sao Taulo (Brazil), June 15, 1904. 



