VENOMS IN THE ANIMAL SEBIES 317 



still smaller. It produces convulsive pheaomena, followed by arrest 

 of respiration. The administration of chloral to the subjects of 

 the experiment, either preventively or immediately after the poison, 

 prevents the latter from taking effect. Besides salamandrine, 

 S. Faust has isolated a second alkaloid, salamandridine, which, as 

 a sulphate, corresponds to the formula (C^*'H''AzO)^ + H^SO*, crystal- 

 lises in rhombic prisms, and is soluble with diiBculty in water. 

 The only difference between the two alkaloids is formed by a 

 methylpyridic group, and both are derivatives of quinoline. They 

 must therefore be considered as identical with the exclusively 

 vegetable alkaloids. 



S. Faust concludes from his physiological investigations that 

 salamandrine takes effect upon the central nervous system, especi- 

 ally upon the respiratory centres. It is a convulsion -producing 

 poison, comparable to picrotoxin, but its effects differ from those 

 of the latter substance in that the convulsions are accompanied by 

 tetanic spasms. 



The venom of the Japanese Salamander {Gryptobranchus 

 japonicus) has formed the subject of studies by Phisalix.' This 

 investigator has shown that this venom, which is highly soluble in 

 water and in glycerine, is very unstable ; alcohol and heating for 

 twenty minutes at 60° C. are sufficient to destroy it. When 

 inoculated into frogs it produces oedema and haemorrhage ; if 

 injected into warm-blooded animals it causes necrosis. In suffi- 

 ciently strong doses it kills by arresting respiration. Its effects 

 strongly resemble those produced by Viperine venoms. This 

 venom, if attenuated by being heated at 50° C. and injected into 

 mammals, vaccinates them and leads to the formation in their 

 blood of antitoxic substances, which are capable of preventing 

 intoxication by salamander-venom, and, curiously enough, also 

 confer immunity against viper-venom and the serum of the 

 common snake. 



' Comptes rendus de la Societe de Biologie, 1897, pp. 723, 823. 



