120 OPHIDIANS. 
chloric acids, which only reduce it to a liquid paste. In nitric 
acid it acquires a yellowish tinge, otherwise it appears to be 
affected identically with that of the two former. Vegetable 
acids, alkalies, and oils do not dissolve it; when heated it 
does not melt, but swells up and becomes thick; placed in 
contact with flame it doesnot ignite. The active principle of 
the European viper (Pelias Berus) poison is called Echidnine 
or Viperine ;* a colorless, transparent, rather thick substance, 
resembling varnish, without smell or flavor; this principle is a 
neutral unstable substance representing the ptyaline of saliva. 
It does not redden the tincture of turnsole nor turn the syrup 
of violets green; it contains nitrogen ; dissolved in a solution 
of caustic potash the hydrated binoxide of copper turns it to 
a beautiful violet color. This also occurs with gelatin and 
albumen. It seldom kills horses, sometimes sheep and cats. 
A pigeon dies in from eight to ten minutes, a sparrow in five 
minutes, and the Abbe Fontana said that it took two grains 
to killa man. The merit of Fontana’s experiments may be 
judged from the fact that he made six thousand, in which 
four thousand animals were killed and three thousand vipers 
used. 
Poison of the Crotalus Horridus.t 
According to Mitchell the venom of the Rattlesnake is 
composed of: 
Ist. An albuminoid oo called Crotaline, not coagulable 
by heat at 212° Fahr. 
2d. An albuminoid compound, coagulable at 212°. 
od. A coloring matter, and an undetermined substance; 
both soluble in alcohol. 
* Analysis of Viper Poison, by Prince Lucien Bonaparte, in 1846. 
+ Researches on the Venom of the Rattlesnake, by S. Weir Mitchell, 
M.D. 
