ADSORPTION OF HELODERMA VENOM BY SUSPENSIONS 

 OF VARIOUS SUBSTANCES. 



By Moyer S. Fleishee and Loe Loeb. 



We have investigated the adsorptive power of various organic and inor- 

 ganic substances for heloderma venom; and furthermore, we have determined 

 whether the various organs of one species and the corresponding organs of ani- 

 mals of different species showed a specific power of adsorption for the venom of 

 Heloderma. 



TECHNIQUE. 



In determining the power of adsorption of certain organic and inorganic 

 substances and of the organs of various animals for the venom of Heloderma, 

 we used both diluted fresh and dissolved dry venom. Whenever the fresh 

 venom was used, 1 c.c. of the venom was added to 9 c.c. of 0.85 per cent sodium- 

 chloride solution; the dried venom was ground in a mortar to very fine powder 

 and 0.85 per cent sodium-chloride solution was added, in such quantity that 

 each cubic centimeter of fluid contained 1 mg. of venom. The solutions of 

 both fresh and dried venom were always filtered before the addition of the 

 material whose adsorptive power was to be tested. 



In most cases we used 7 c.c. of venom solution and a quantity equal to one- 

 fourteenth part of the solution of the various adsorbent substances, usually 

 0.5 c.c. A special note is added in those experiments in which the bulk of the 

 substances added to the venom solution varied. The venom solution and the 

 adsorbent substances were mixed in a mortar in order to obtain an even sus- 

 pension. This suspension, in a small, tightly stoppered bottle, was then placed 

 in a shaker for 2 hours 30 minutes. At the end of this time the mixtures were 

 either filtered through filter paper or centrifugated in order to separate the 

 adsorbent material from the fluid part of the mixture. In our earlier experi- 

 ments all mixtures were filtered; on account of the fact that a certain amount 

 of the fluid was held back by the filter paper and because of the length of 

 time required for the filtration; this method was discarded and in all our later 

 experiments the centrifuge was used to throw down the adsorbent particles 

 from the suspension. In a few experiments even prolonged centrifugation did 

 not separate the solution and the suspended particles, and these mixtures were 

 filtered through Berkefeld filters. 



Throughout our experiments mice were used to test the toxicity of the 

 supernatant fluid and of the residue.* When the fresh diluted venom was used 



•The layer which we call residue contained the coarser particles of the adsorbent niaterial. 



213 



