American Toad. Bufo Lentiginosus . 469 



The precise meaning of such antagonisms does not yet fully ap- 

 pear ; it may be a physiological antagonism of two different alka- 

 loidal or other poisons, as in morphia and atropia ; or it may be a 

 stimulation of the leucocytes of the inoculated animal to produce 

 antitoxins that are in varying degrees protective against both 

 poisons. When the immunity persists for a length of time the 

 second explanation is the more acceptable. 



GILA MONSTER. HELODERMA SUSPECTUM. 



Only lizard with venomous teeth : very sluggish and little disposed to 

 bite. Treatment as for snake bites. 



This is one of the lizard family, about 12 to 16 inches in length, 

 inhabitating the arid plains of Arizona in the neighborhood of the 

 Gila river. It has been reputed to be the only lizard having 

 venomous teeth, the tooth being channelled as in venomous 

 snakes and connected with a gland at the fang. The local repu- 

 tation of the animal is so bad that it has been named the Arizona 

 Devil, and there is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence as to 

 the deadly character of its bite. It is, however, very sluggish 

 and apathetic so that it is difficult to rouse it to make an attack, 

 and recent experimental observations have failed to develop any 

 dangerous results from the secretion of the tooth-gland. It 

 would appear as if the poisonous effects noted in other cases, 

 were either due to extraneous toxic matters that had been acci- 

 dentally lodged on the teeth, or as if the gland poison were secre- 

 ted at one time and not at another. In any case the animal is not 

 given to biting, so that it is a source of little danger. When 

 its bite is sustained, the precautions to be taken are exactly the 

 same as in snake bite. 



AMERICAN TOAD. BUFO LENTIGINOSUS. 



When irritated has a poisonous secretion from- skin glands that has been 

 used to blister with. Treat by soothing ointment. 



As a slightly poisonous amphibian the common toad may be 

 noted. As in the case of the Gila monster, much of the vulgar 



